Shutdown Grows More Likely

“With less than 36 hours to avoid shutdown of nonessential government services and no solution in sight, congressional leaders spent Thursday offering their spin on who will be to blame if a deal cannot be struck,” Roll Call reports.

“Notably missing amid the rhetoric — Republicans pointing to Democrats as the issue and the minority saying the majority is at fault — were predictions leaders had made in recent weeks that there would be no government shutdown.”

TPM: “The threat of a government shutdown seems to be growing by the minute as a raft of Senate Democrats announced they won’t back a one-month extension of government spending on Thursday, while House Speaker Paul Ryan’s promise he can pass the plan in his chamber looks increasingly uncertain.”