The Art of the No-Deal: How Both Parties Are Choosing Stalemate Over Compromise

In Washington’s current climate, the art of the deal has been replaced by the art of the no-deal. Both Democrats and Republicans have become masters of choosing stalemate over compromise, a skill that was on full display Wednesday as the Senate rejected competing funding bills, ensuring the government shutdown will continue.
The Democratic version of the no-deal involves their unwavering insistence on including an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits in any funding package. They have made it clear that any proposal without this provision is unacceptable, effectively rejecting any potential for a phased approach or a separate negotiation.
The Republican version of the no-deal is Speaker Mike Johnson’s “clean bill or nothing” stance. By refusing to even discuss the Democrats’ healthcare demands until the government is funded, they have preemptively shut down the possibility of a comprehensive bargain.
This shared commitment to the no-deal has predictable results. When a potential compromise was offered by Rep. Jen Kiggans, it was immediately dismissed. Why? Because a compromise, by definition, is not a “no-deal.” It requires concessions that neither side is willing to make.
As long as both parties remain more skilled in the art of rejection than in the art of negotiation, the government will remain closed. The current shutdown is a monument to their shared mastery of the no-deal.