Shutdown grinds on with Democrats venting and Donald Trump 'all alone'

The outcome of the shutdown will set the stage for the next two years of divided government in Washington

As the partial US government shutdown enters a third day, lawmakers have left Washington for the Christmas holiday with no sign of urgency to resolve the fight over President Donald Trump’s demand for border wall money.

Unlike shutdowns of the past, Congress and the White House aren’t racing to reopen the government. Offices of congressional leaders who are responsible for negotiating with the president are shuttered as Trump remains at the White House after canceling a trip to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Previous government closures have put Washington in crisis mode with round-the-clock talks, strategy sessions and public posturing. Not so,