Live blog government shutdown: Hope amid the stalemate?
As the government shutdown continues into its ninth day, the debate over furloughed workers, closed parks and shuttered agencies has shifted to maneuvering over the looming debt limit.
Republicans and Democrats have voiced ample concern over the risk of a U.S. default, but so far, neither side has indicated a willingness to acquiesce. Democrats, led by President Obama, still want the government funded and the debt limit raised before any compromises are worked out.
The GOP, led by House Republicans, wants the opposite -- for Obama to come to the negotiating table and hammer out a deal on spending in exchange for a reopened government and a higher debt ceiling.
And fearing their choice issue is being lost in the shuffle, conservative Republicans are clamoring for the Affordable Care Act to return to the center of Washington’s conversation, after Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) silence on Obamacare in his compromise proposal published by the Wall Street Journal.
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates on the continued stalemate, and stay tuned for any glimmer of hope emerging from the Washington gridlock.
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