🔗 Share this article

American legislators from both political sides are pointing fingers as many of employees are on uncompensated time off and the closure continues with no resolution in prospect.

The Democratic Party have refused to back the Republican funding bill unless ending insurance support that they say many employed households count on are renewed.

Republicans want the opposition to approve a interim bill initially and then they can address the support payments.

A Republican Voter, Mid-Forties, GOP Supporter

This California resident is anxious about the broad consequences of the closure on everyday citizens.

The Republicans have 53 votes, they need 60 to approve the measure. Could it be that difficult to come together over 7 votes so that US citizens aren't being hurt?

If this continues for another week or two, the reality is the public are being harmed, the populace are being touched by this and someone needs to do something to be the adult in the room.

I think sometimes lawmakers are so removed from us, the regular person going about their day, so they overlook what the struggle is like and I believe they must factor that in, particularly if it's 750,000 Americans that are unpaid.

That's a lot of citizens without pay, that's a large group of citizens failing to contribute their earnings back into the economy. Citizens are just being harmed.

A Democratic Voter, 22, Democrat

This Old Line State voter acknowledges this funding lapse will bring suffering to many Americans, but she feels it is a important struggle.

I'm concerned because there is no positive result with the government being inactive.

I'm extremely nervous about what's going to happen to poor households, scholars who rely on federal scholarships and public servants.

But this is a important struggle for the Democrats to fight. Of course positions are going to be cut, services are going to lack financial support, which is so regrettable but I don't think that is responsibility that the Democrats would have on their hands.

I think it's valuable to stand firm, this is delivering a powerful signal to their supporters.

A Democratic Voter, Mid-Thirties, Democratic Supporter

This California voter is worried the Democrats lack tactics in their closure plan.

I don't know if the top Democrat has a roadmap for an exit strategy to discussions or how to guide the party out of this.

I don't know if the Democrats have a clear message to the American people on what they're doing.

In terms of social media messaging, the GOP definitely have the upper hand. The communication is not effective on what Democrats are trying to do.

I'm currently at a juncture where I'm somewhat anxious because government shutdowns harm anyone.

I'm going to be fine, but for everyone else who needs the federal system, who wants to go visit a public land or museum, they're going to be inconvenienced, if not immediately, then in the coming days.

And that is unreasonable.

Jim Sullivan, Mid-Fifties, GOP Supporter

This Indiana citizen states the left are engaging in partisan games with regular people and their income.

This is usual political maneuvering. It is a stopgap measure they are attempting to enact, that the Democrats oppose.

People are calling it a Democratic closure, it's not on the Republicans, it's due to Schumer, he's acting to stay prominent within his political faction - in the interim, people are in the uncertainty.

I do not perceive that this is going to resolve.

The ordinary citizens are stuck in the crossfire, and the left are ready to sacrifice them. They're not doing themselves any benefits when they truly delay things like this.

A Democratic Voter, Twenty-Seven, Democrat

This Sunshine State citizen says Democrats' strategy is a challenging but essential one and one that touches his relative, who has been placed on leave because of the closure.

The Democratic strategy is a tough one, but sadly it is a necessary one.

They have not been able to do much to halt or block the government's priorities.

I endorse their approach, I support their rationale for taking this action.

The administration leader is a intimidator and if you acquiesce to a bully he's going to demand more, that's how bullies operate. So you have to stand up to a intimidator to make him realise you're not going to give things up for free.

The point when it crosses a line is when the Democratic Party start failing in the public relations war, if the narrative shifts to faulting the left then it might be necessary to call it quits.

Rom Solene, Sixty-Four, GOP Supporter

This Arizona voter is not directly impacted by the shutdown so he is accepting of the shutdown persisting, if that is what it takes for Republicans to win.

I would expect after the year that the Democrats have had, I would have assumed that they would have gone along with the continuing resolution, at least temporarily.

I am fully supportive of what the GOP are trying to do, I'm in favor of lowering federal outlays.

The Democrats have grown so hateful of the current president, whatever he suggests I feel they would find cause to fight him.

I personally am not feeling the pressure that many Americans are, this leaves me untouched.

The minimal we rely on the federal system - what it supplies for us - the closure is not going to impact us {whatsoever|at all|in any