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The shutdown blame game is in full swing on Capitol Hill \u2014 a tried-and-true negative sign for stalled government funding talks.<\/p>\n

State of play:<\/b> GOP leaders won\u2019t put language in their funding bills to stop President Donald Trump<\/u><\/a> and Elon Musk from clawing back money Congress previously approved \u2014 something Democrats have been demanding in exchange for backing a spending deal.<\/p>\n

That leaves Democrats with a choice: give in or force a shutdown<\/u><\/a> after March 14.<\/p>\n

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democratic appropriator in her chamber, said protecting Congress\u2019 power of the purse is \u201cthe absolute bare minimum, and it\u2019s frankly not asking a whole lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, critically, she insisted Democrats don\u2019t want a shutdown. Her Democratic colleagues aren’t saying they want that outcome, either. Instead, they\u2019re arguing that responsibility for funding the government rests squarely with the Republican trifecta.<\/p>\n

Republicans will need at least seven Democratic senators to join them to get any spending plan to Trump\u2019s desk. And the GOP is all but guaranteed to require Democratic help in the House, too. Signs point to party leaders needing at least a short-term stopgap bill to avoid a funding lapse, and Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Wednesday on BLN that a funding patch through the end of the fiscal year could be in play. But House conservatives tend not to support stopgaps as a matter of principle.<\/p>\n

The GOP is more than ready to blame Democrats if they don\u2019t help, leaving the minority party to decide whether it\u2019s worth gambling that voters would support a shutdown if it means standing up to Musk and Trump.<\/p>\n

Perception is key here, particularly if there\u2019s a prolonged shutdown. If voters blame Republicans for grinding the government to a halt, Democrats grow their limited leverage. But if the GOP succeeds in turning public opinion against Democrats, the minority party will likely have to move quickly to end the shutdown, with little or nothing to show for it.<\/p>\n

What else we’re watching:<\/b><\/p>\n