ANALYSIS.
Trump warns Schumer there will be no negotiations until government reopens after latest 'no' from Senate Dems
Blue Party Congressman Jeff Merkley blasted 'No Kings' proclamations in a nearly 24-hour filibuster before his caucus again shot down the Republican proposal.
Chuck Schumer and Donald Trump in a file photo.
The second longest government shutdown in history continues, and there's no sign of it ending anytime soon. Donald Trump warned Democratic leaders that "there will be no negotiations" until the shutdown ends after Blue Party senators tumbled for the 12th time a Republican proposal that would allow the executive to pay back federal workers and services.
Despite the proposal by Chuck Schumer for negotiate with the president, Democrats showed no interest in the conservative proposal. In fact, Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley's perennial filibuster underpinned many of the proclamations of the No Kings radicals.
A nearly 24-hour filibuster with 'No Kings' proclamations
Merkley, who began speaking at 6:23 p.m. (Eastern time) and ended at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, accused Trump of authoritarianism and denounced the federal administration's "overreach on immigration, its lack of respect for separation of powers, among other things.
He also had words for the red line that has become an impassable wall to the agreement: Obamacare. According to the senator "Republicans have shut down the government to continue with the strategy of cutting health care for Americans," ignoring the key: Democrats want to extend coverage to illegal immigrants.
The vote, delayed until late Wednesday after Merkley's filibuster, again left a balance of 54 yeses and 46 noes, insufficient for the 60 needed to move forward with the conservative initiative.
Trump: Democrats "want to get some of what we lost" with BBB
For his part, Donald Trump flatly rejected Schumer's proposal to "sit down and negotiate," summoning the Democrats to a meeting "when he reopens the government."
"What they do is say they lost the negotiation. And when we got the Great, Wonderful Act, they lost the negotiation. Now they say, 'Well, we want to get some of the things we lost.' But the problem is that the things they lost are very bad for our country."
Subsequently, in conversations with Fox News, a senior official from the White House seconded Trump's statement, "We will not have political talks as long as the Democrats hold the American people hostage. Reopen the government."
LATEST
