Both parties brace for a 'long conflict' as government shutdown hits two-week mark

At the two-week mark, Republicans and Democrats are bracing for a long government shutdown, with both parties seeing more upside in persisting with their conflicting demands.

WASHINGTON — At the two-week mark, Republicans and Democrats are bracing for a long government shutdown, with both parties seeing more upside in persisting with their conflicting demands.

As a result, neither side is willing to give an inch in the standoff, now the fifth-longest shutdown in the country's history.

Republicans say their message is simple: Senate Democrats should vote for the short-term funding bill to reopen the government that passed the House last month and pursue their policy demands separately. They accuse Democrats of holding the government "hostage" to their goals.

But Democrats are eager to continue a national debate they've forced about a looming health care cliff, by demanding any funding bill be tied to addressing expiring Obamacare subsidies. The health care money is popular, even among self-described MAGA supporters, and has divided Republicans — although they are unified in saying it must be dealt with separately, outside the context of a government funding bill.

“It feels like both parties are digging their trenches and preparing for a long conflict,” said Ian Russell, a former national political director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “This is Washington, so things can obviously change very quickly. But you get the sense from leadership suites on both sides that both parties feel like they’re either maximizing their strengths or certainly not exposing themselves to serious vulnerabilities.”