Washington Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York said Republicans run the risk of Democrats being rewarded if they negotiate with them to reopen the government.
“The big problem here is Democrats are filibustering the bill that would reopen the government. When Republicans negotiate with them, Republicans raise the prospect of Democrats being rewarded for shutting down the government,” York said.
On Wednesday, the government shutdown entered its 36th day, making it the longest in U.S. history.
York said in previous government shutdowns, Democrats refused to negotiate with Republicans on the matters they raised until the government reopened
“Now we have these negotiations going on and the latest reports are that Democrats believe they can get some more if they keep talking and keep the government shut down even longer,” York said.
York said during President Donald Trump’s appearance at the American Business Forum in Miami on Wednesday that the president said Republicans haven’t been discussing his improvements to the economy enough.
York said that Democrats’ emphasis on affordability in campaigns across the country led them to several victories on Tuesday night.
CONSUMER SENTIMENT PLUNGES TO LOWEST IN THREE YEARS AS SHUTDOWN HITS RECORD LENGTH
“The affordability issue, whatever version of it it was, worked in New York City, it worked in New Jersey, it worked in Virginia,” York said.
“You may say Democrats don’t mean it, that they have a different idea of what’s going on, but the idea of reducing the cost of living is the most important thing for a lot of voters right now, and maybe that wasn’t first and foremost for some Republican candidates,” he added.
