Five Ways Out of the US Government Shutdown Standoff

Government shutdowns all end eventually. The only question is how.

That’s because, to get to ‘yes,’ somebody usually has to do something they explicitly vowed they would never, ever, do.

Democrats have been insisting that the current spending bill awaiting their approval extends expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, and they want assurances that President Donald Trump and his budget chief Russell Vought will cease unilateral spending cuts to Democratic states, cities and priorities.

Republicans and the Trump administration are adamant they won’t negotiate at all until the government reopens — and in the meantime will fire thousands of federal workers ...