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You are here: Home / Politics / America / The US Senate At Impasse

The US Senate At Impasse

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I’ve got a shutdown cloture vote teed up and ready to go once they close the vote. However, Senators McConnell and Schumer have just left the floor of the Senate together. It appears they’re having a back room negotiation on something. Whether it is what happens next when the cloture vote fails or something else I have no idea. So hold on to your seats, this may take a while.

Update at 11:08 PM EST

Senator Schumer is back on the Senate floor as of 11:06 PM EST. He first stopped and spoke with Senator Flake and then headed to the Democratic side of the Senate floor. No sign of Senator McConnell yet. It is unclear what, if anything, they were discussing and/or negotiating.

Update at 11:22 PM EST

Senators McConnell and Schumer are now both back on the Senate floor. It is still unclear what may or may not happen tonight. Stand by.

Update at 12:00 AM EST on 20 JAN 2018

We are now technically in shutdown. Given the Senate cloture vote is still open I really have no idea what happens now in reality.

Reader Interactions

200Comments

  2. 2.

    PhoenixRising

    They’re determining the order in which the hostages will be shot. Face it, neither of them has any influence on the jihadi Republicans and now we all pay.

  5. 5.

    Mary G

    Not shocking news, but a bit of color: GOP source tells me Trump is furious about the shutdown, which is messing up his anniversary and keeping him from going to Mar-a-Lago for his party.— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) January 20, 2018

    How can they negotiate with him? He is the dictionary definition of bad faith.

  6. 6.

    Yarrow

    If the government ends up shutting down, then having it last through the weekend will guarantee his party in FL gets completely messed up.

    Keeping it shut down next week messes up Davos.

    Will a shutdown mean the State of the Union doesn’t happen? Edit: I mean if it’s still shut down on the scheduled day.

  7. 7.

    dmsilev

    Post has a banner “McConnell and Schumer expected to speak on Senate floor”, with a live video stream of the Senate floor (nobody speaking right now, just some people wandering around).

  10. 10.

    dmsilev

    @Yarrow: Contrary to all common sense and available evidence, both Trump and the Republican Congress are probably considered “essential”.

  11. 11.

    PhoenixRising

    @Yarrow: Ooh, good one. ‘The state of our union is, you got dam idiots had a YEAR to pass a budget and Yellowstone is closed because we can’t pay the rangers!’

    I know, Orange Julius isn’t that articulate.

  14. 14.

    Cheryl Rofer

  18. 18.

    dmsilev

    Headlines:

    Post: “Several Republicans join Democrats in voting to block short-term bill” (Bipartisan!)
    FTNYT: “Seeking Concessions, Democrats Block Bill to Fund Government” (Oy)
    CNN: “Vote poised to fail as shutdown looms” (slow to update…)
    Fox: “Government shutdown nears as short-term spending bill fails” (surprisingly blame-the-Dems free)

  19. 19.

    Mary G

    Andy Slavitt is in a bar somewhere in D.C. eavesdropping on a group of Republican staffers.

    Sorry for the digression, but the staffers are now calculating their 401k saving and one of the staffers looked at the one I think is an intern and said “This is what adults sound like.” 7/— Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) January 19, 2018

  20. 20.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Mary G:

    messing up his anniversary and keeping him from going to Mar-a-Lago for his party.

    This is me sobbing:
    ????????????

  21. 21.

    Marcopolo

    Son, what we have here is a (no not a failure to communicate) a big fat stinky Trump Government Shitdown.

    And the icing on the cake is this is day 365 of the Trump presidency. Next week will be worse.

  25. 25.

    The Dangerman

    Any chance they blow up the filibuster completely? They already did for the USSC, of course.

    Outside of the nuclear option, I see this one going for a while; positions appear hardened.

    Then again, I’m +? on a Friday night, so ….

  28. 28.

    Adam L Silverman

    @The Dangerman: They can’t do it tonight. It can only be done at certain times, specifically the start of a new Congress, without requiring the 60 vote threshold. No way it would pass tonight. Might lead to a riot though if McConnell attempted it.

  32. 32.

    Adam L Silverman

    McConnell and Schumer are now both back on the floor. Still not sure what is a happening.

  36. 36.

    Mary G

    @Adam L Silverman: You’re right, sorry. I am jumping around too many tabs and mostly reading the Trump’s first year at Hogwarts thread, didn’t see it yesterday and someone retweeted it tonight and I thought it was new.

  37. 37.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @B.B.A.:

    Yeah, but he wasn’t standing to clear $100,000/head at Davos. He’s losing millions on the Mar-a-Hoggo thing if it’s cancelled.

  38. 38.

    NotMax

    SOTU during a shutdown would certainly be a first.

    Also too, it has become standard operating procedure to pass a bill granting retroactive pay for laid off federal workers after a shutdown. Will Dolt 45 veto that?

  47. 47.

    Adam L Silverman

    Senator Durbin is seated, has a Cheshire cat grin, and is rubbing his lips. Other than he might need chapstick, I have no idea what this signifies.

  49. 49.

    B.B.A.

    @SiubhanDuinne: Well, but what matters more to the Donald, money or making powerful people kiss his ring?

    …that’s actually a very good question, come to think of it.

  50. 50.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @guachi: McCaskill, Heitkamp, Manchin, Donnelly and Jones voted for cloture.

    Graham, Flake, Lee and Paul voted against. McConnell hasn’t voted to keep the vote open

  51. 51.

    Marcopolo

    So with the government shutting down does that mean tonight is the night that Trump finally has truly become President?

  52. 52.

    Adam L Silverman

    @guachi: Yep, Flake, Graham, Paul, and Lee voted no on the GOP side. McConnell hasn’t voted yet so he can do a motion to recommit. On the Dem side five were released from the whip: Jones, Heitkamp, Manchin, McCaskill, and one other.

  55. 55.

    frosty

    Man, I wish the news would stop so I could do something else in the evening. I miss No Drama Obama.

  56. 56.

    Another Scott

    @Adam L Silverman: Schumer seems to be reading and marking up some paperwork carefully. It seems like everyone is waiting for him to finish.

    Just a guess though.

    Edit – of course, just after I post that Schumer put his pen away and everyone is still waiting around… (sigh)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  57. 57.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Another Scott:
    From McConnell’s posture and the look on his face, it doesn’t look like he’s going to be happy with whatever it is Senator Schumer is writing. It also looks like he knows he’s jammed and has no way out.

  60. 60.

    dmsilev

    I wonder what they’re waiting for. Holding the vote open for the next 25 minutes just so they can say they went right up to the deadline?

  61. 61.

    Adam L Silverman

    @dmsilev: Unfortunately. Grover Norquist would likely experience an erection that lasts longer than four hours.

    Also, ewww!

    Also, my condolences to Mrs. Norquist.

  64. 64.

    frosty

    @Mary G:

    Trump is furious about the shutdown, which is messing up his anniversary and keeping him from going to Mar-a-Lago for his party.

    Well, if he’d kept his shithole shut and signed the deal Graham brought to him, he’d be in Mar-A-WTF tonight. You brought it on yourself, asshole.

  66. 66.

    Jeffro

    Besides McConnell getting it good and hard tonight, this is encouraging: US Looking At Russia and China, Not Terrorism, as #1 Threats

    US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said competition between great powers, not terrorism, is now the main focus of America’s national security.
    The US faced “growing threats from revisionist powers as different as China and Russia”, he said, unveiling the national defence strategy.

    In an apparent reference to Russia, he warned against “threaten[ing] America’s experiment in democracy”.
    “If you challenge us, it will be your longest and worst day,” he warned.

    America has been gripped by ongoing investigations into alleged collusion between the Trump 2016 election campaign and Russia.
    Speaking in Washington, Mr Mattis also appealed to Congress to fund the military adequately and refrain from “indiscriminate and automatic cuts” to the US federal budget.

  69. 69.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I have to admit I’m kind of fascinated by the Kremlinology of all this– “Jeff Flake is talking to Schumer” “Elisabeth Warren huddling with Lindsey Graham”

  71. 71.

    Another Scott

    @Adam L Silverman: I don’t have the sound on, but if you believe the stuff about body language then it looks good for Team D. Turtle and a bunch of others have their arms crossed while Schumer looks like he’s relaxed and ready to have a piece of pie and a snifter of brandy.

    Or something.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  72. 72.

    Adam L Silverman

    @jl: As soon as Nunes prepares the memo. First he has to figure out how to spell Mattis correctly. And if Mad Dog is one word or two.

  76. 76.

    Это курам на смех

    Well it looks like I’m about to start my unpaid vacation.

    We do have to report as usual Monday morning to secure the office, shut off our computers, put the “sorry taxpayers no dice” messages on our phones, and sign a document attesting that we will not conduct any government business.

  77. 77.

    Jeffro

    @jl: “IS MATTIS SENDING SUBTLE SIGNALS TO DEEP STATE THAT HE’S READY TO THROW TRUMPOV OVERBOARD, TREASON, MUTINY, ARGLE-BARGLE?!?!?”

    /Fox Chyron during Hannity segment on this

  90. 90.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Rohrabacher’s presence has occasioned a number of speculations as to Putin’s role in the vote.

  93. 93.

    Mary G

    Hey, the NYT changed their headline after I and a thousand other people yelled at them from “Democrats block bill to prevent shutdown” to the much more accurate “Shutdown looms as stopgap bill fails.”

  97. 97.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I had this same thought

    Jonathan Bernstein @ jbview
    I assume at least 95 Senators consider making Trump suffer by missing his shindig a significant advantage of having worked it out (assuming they do) last minute.

  102. 102.

    Another Scott

    Lindsey seems pretty animated talking in the scrum around Schumer’s desk. Schumer doesn’t seem to be impressed.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  104. 104.

    Mnemosyne

    @Это курам на смех:

    We do have to report as usual Monday morning to secure the office, shut off our computers, put the “sorry taxpayers no dice” messages on our phones, and sign a document attesting that we will not conduct any government business.

    I’m guessing that no one at the White House has any clue that their staffers are supposed to do the same thing on Monday.

  107. 107.

    Adam L Silverman

    All the action is on the Democratic side with Senators Graham and Schumer conversing. The few Republicans, other than Graham and Flake (who is also standing near McConnell’s desk, still in the chamber look desultory.

  110. 110.

    Ken

    @Mnemosyne:

    I’m guessing that no one at the White House has any clue that their staffers are supposed to do the same thing on Monday.

    Edited for accuracy.

  114. 114.

    Adam L Silverman

    We are now technically in shutdown! I have no idea what happens in reality at this point.

  116. 116.

    Another Scott

    @Mary G: It’s still working here, but they’re still just standing and sitting around, with a couple of huddles (mainly around Schumer now).

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  120. 120.

    Aleta

    @Mary G: The NYT lie, “Democrats block bill to prevent shutdown,” is still there right below “Shutdown looms as stopgap bill fails.”

  122. 122.

    Adam L Silverman

    And the White House, via the Press Secretary, just issued an insulting ultimatum to the Democrats via Senator Schumer.

  123. 123.

    Marcopolo

    Well hell, I’d thought they’d at least have dimmed the lights or something. Doesn’t look like a real Shitdown at all.

  127. 127.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @chopper: same here. No authorization to keep spending user fees until Friday morning; what is up with Disney, Big Pharma, Silicon Valley, and the auto manufacturers?

  128. 128.

    Ken

    @Cheryl Rofer: That’s all those Russian twitter bots.

    (I have to think someone has decided to throw Trump under the bus, after the Wall Street Journal (!!) broke the Stormy Daniels payoff story.)

  130. 130.

    clay

    THIs reminds me if the ACA repeal vote. If they had the numbers, McConnell would immediately gavel them in.

    Edit: Which is to say, if Turtle had anything to offer for those votes, he would’ve done it already.

  132. 132.

    jl

    @Aleta: Given that the GOP lost 4 Senators, people should contact any news organization that pushes this damned and very partisan lie, and politely, or impolitely (it’s a free country), call BS.

  134. 134.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Greg Sargent @ThePlumLineGS

    Quinnipiac poll:

    Do you think Trump’s policies are helping or hurting the economy?

    Helping 37
    Hurting/No difference 59

    Who do you believe is more responsible for the current economy:

    Obama 49
    Trump 40

  141. 141.

    MomSense

    Apparently Wolff was on Maher and said that Dolt45 is having an affair currently. He said that when you get to a certain paragraph in the book you will be able to figure it out. Anyone here read the book and know who it might be?

    Oh and Schumer and Graham fist bumped. Don’t know what that means either.

    This is the worst reality show ever.

  148. 148.

    jl

    @Cheryl Rofer: Maybe the NYT wants to fill an opinion next week full of appreciative letters from Trump supporters praising its coverage, in its next stunt in intrepid journalism.

  151. 151.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    As Republicans bungle their way to a government shutdown, it is worth noting that they do not seem to have, to our knowledge, adequately prepared for it.

    JRub

  153. 153.

    Yarrow

    CNN is working hard doing their Kremlinology interpretation of What Is Happening On The Senate Floor. This Senator is with that Senator. What does it all mean?!

  155. 155.

    Rommie

    Yeah, the Senior Senator from NEW YORK is quaking in his boots at getting a Trump nickname. Sure…

  161. 161.

    btom89

    @MomSense: I’m thinking Hope Hicks? I don’t know the specific section…I don’t know, I do know she had an affair with the campaign manager (not Manafort) who was married and they were seen having a screaming match outside Trump Tower, Summer of 2016…so maybe not her.

  166. 166.

    Yarrow

    This tweet got a lot of coverage.

    I was just stopped by the older gentleman collecting our office trash: “Excuse me, Sir. Did they pass the vote?”

    “No, they did not. I’m sorry, Sir,” I said.

    “Then I need to stop working by midnight,” he said anxiously, “so I need to hurry to finish.”
    — Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) January 20, 2018

    I feel sorry for the regular people who will be hurt by this shutdown. I have to say it’ll crack me up if the custodians can’t show up to work so no one is there to empty the trash cans at the White House.

  167. 167.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Somebody needs to put a mirror under Orin Hatch’s nose to see if he’s still breathing.

  171. 171.

    danielx

    @Mary G:

    Not shocking news, but a bit of color: GOP source tells me Trump is furious about the shutdown, which is messing up his anniversary and keeping him from going to Mar-a-Lago for his party.— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) January 20, 2018

    I knew he was going to be pissed – people are paying 100k to attend. There’s nothing the shitgibbon loves more than fleecing rich fools, and he can’t be there.

  176. 176.

    jl

    @dmsilev: So, the Trump Shitdown commences?

    Edit: Another Trump administration record of greatness, bigly: most pointless and dumb-ass federal shutdown ever. And that is a hard record to break.

  179. 179.

    dmsilev

    McConnell: “I will read the statement….part of the statement from the White House”. Heh.

    McConnell has a sad.

  183. 183.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    As soon as Nunes prepares the memo. First he has to figure out how to spell Mattis correctly. And if Mad Dog is one word or two.

    The only “Mad Dog” that traitorous fuck knows is the “Wine of the Century.”

  184. 184.

    Another Scott

    Mitch is talking. He begged, begged the Democrats to not shut down the government!!11

    With a smirk on his face.

    He’s shameless.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  186. 186.

    NotMax

    @Mary G

    That’s a procedural move which allows him as Majority Leader to bring it up again for reconsideration and another vote.

    McConnell now tap dancing to lay blame on Dems, rich coming from the same man who vowed to obstruct everything connected to Obama before the confetti from the 2009 inaugural balls had been swept up.

  188. 188.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Jennifer Rubin @JRubinBlogger

    I don’t think Norway will take people from a country with a govt as dysfunctional as ours.

    5 replies 32 retweets 117 likes

  189. 189.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @MomSense:

    Apparently Wolff was on Maher and said that Dolt45 is having an affair currently. He said that when you get to a certain paragraph in the book you will be able to figure it out. Anyone here read the book and know who it might be?

    I’ve read it. Couldn’t point to a single specific paragraph without going back and rereading with that in mind, but I came away with an overall generalized sense that Hope Hicks’ role is, shall we say, nontraditional. She would be my first and strongest guess.

  192. 192.

    SFAW

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    but I came away with an overall generalized sense that Hope Hicks’ role is, shall we say, nontraditional.

    One wonders whether she has contacted Megan Marshack, seeking advice or pointers.

  193. 193.

    Mnemosyne

    @dmsilev:

    #TrumpShutdown is the current #1 trending hashtag on Twitter. Sadly, #SchumerShutdown is nowhere on the list. Sad.

    That’s because the Russian trolls and bots haven’t started up yet.

  194. 194.

    Adam L Silverman

    @MomSense: With his known fear of germs, I doubt it’s Conway. I can’t imagine he’d be into necrophilia given his germophobia.

  196. 196.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @SiubhanDuinne: Hicks is about the only member of trump’s inner circle who doesn’t appear on TeeVee to debase themselves defending him, which is the thing he likes best about anybody– Conway, Da Mooch, Gorka, Miller. I’ve never seen Hicks on TV. Does make you wonder what makes her so special to the Beast.

  199. 199.

    MomSense

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I knew you were frosty but that was ice cold.

    There iwas also a back door clue which Maher took to mean gay but I think Wolff meant as in he could have affairs without anyone noticing.

    I hope it’s the caddy/Security/body guy/digital media person.

  200. 200.

    Citizen Alan

    @Mike in NC:

    I’d assumed that Shitgibbon knows he has to keep the religious rubes on his side, and giving a sinecure to the Pharisee’s Daughter helps reassure all the other Talibangelicals that he’ll help facilitate their grifts.

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