An “all or nothing” strategy adopted by both political parties is the primary reason the US government remains closed. This high-stakes approach, which leaves no room for partial victories or incremental progress, led directly to the failure of competing funding bills in the Senate on Wednesday and ensures the shutdown will persist.
For Democrats, the “all” is a government funding bill that also includes a full extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. “Nothing” is any bill that falls short of that goal, including a temporary funding measure or a compromise on the healthcare provisions. They are holding out for their complete policy objective.
For Republicans, the “all” is a clean, short-term continuing resolution, free of any of the Democrats’ policy demands. “Nothing” is a bill that includes what they consider to be extraneous riders. They are holding out for a complete procedural victory.
This “all or nothing” mindset makes negotiation impossible. When Rep. Jen Kiggans proposed a middle-ground solution—a one-year extension of the tax credits—it was rejected because it didn’t represent the “all” that Democrats are demanding.
While this strategy may satisfy the parties’ political bases, it is devastating for the country. The government cannot function on an “all or nothing” basis. As long as both sides are unwilling to accept anything less than a total victory, the government will continue to get nothing at all.