Appearing on Fox News’ “America Reports,” Scalise said Schumer is “playing politics” with the livelihoods of American families and federal workers, accusing Democrats of blocking a straightforward funding bill that could reopen the government immediately.

> “Chuck Schumer needs to stop the tantrum and end this shutdown,” Scalise said. “The Senate could pass our clean funding resolution today if they actually cared about helping people instead of making political points.”

GOP Says Schumer Is Appeasing the Left

Republicans have framed Schumer’s approach as an attempt to satisfy the progressive wing of his party. Scalise argued that the Democratic leader is refusing to cooperate unless his demands for new spending on health care and social programs are met — which the GOP calls unacceptable.

A White House official echoed Scalise’s frustration, slamming Schumer over a recent comment that “every day gets better” for Democrats during the shutdown. Administration officials said the remark revealed Democrats see the crisis as a political win, not a problem to solve.

> “That kind of comment shows how out of touch Washington Democrats are,” one senior GOP aide told reporters. “People are missing paychecks, and Schumer’s bragging about it helping his party.”

Schumer Pushes Back

Schumer, however, defended his stance, saying Republicans are the ones refusing to negotiate on key issues — including an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. He argued that any funding deal must also protect health coverage and middle-class benefits.

Democrats maintain that simply reopening the government without addressing these priorities would only lead to another standoff weeks later.

Shutdown Enters Day 9

The shutdown began on October 1, after Congress missed the funding deadline. The Senate yesterday again failed to advance a resolution, with Democrats rejecting a House-passed bill in a 54–45 vote.

Republicans want to reopen the government first and debate the other issues afterward, while Democrats insist the two must go hand-in-hand.

According to CBS and Reuters, the deadlock has now furloughed thousands of federal workers, slowed IRS operations, and delayed several key services across agencies.

Public Blame Splits Both Ways

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released today shows most Americans blame both parties for the shutdown — with 67% pointing to Republicans and 63% saying both sides share responsibility.

Meanwhile, frustration is growing in Washington. Lawmakers from both parties privately admit that a lack of trust is making it harder to find a compromise.

What’s Next?

For now, neither side is budging. Scalise and House Republicans continue to demand that Schumer “do his job” and pass the House’s short-term funding plan. Democrats, meanwhile, are holding out for commitments on health care and family assistance programs before they agree to reopen the government.

As the shutdown drags into its second week, the political finger-pointing is escalating — and millions of Americans are left waiting to see which side blinks first.