Congress and Trump hit a wall
Both parties have refused to budge over payment for a wall, as state institutions come to a standstill
US President Donald Trump fancies himself a great dealmaker in the sense that he "wins" for his "team". That ability is being tested to the max in the current partial government shutdown in the US and the result, whatever it is, will likely set the tone for the remaining years of his presidency — and not just locally.Meanwhile, a lot of people will get hurt. In the standoff between Trump and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, about 800,000 government workers are about to miss their first monthly pay cheque; about 400,000 are seen as "essential" and are expected to work without pay. Everything from retirement applications to drug testing is on hold as the shutdown enters its third week.The core of the problem is that Trump has demanded that the US government fund the southern border wall he promised during his election campaign and the Democratic Party is refusing to do so. Both sides clearly sense this is a pivotal moment, and failing could set a precedent.Both are th...
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