Washington’s stubborn budget impasse found an ignominious place in history on Wednesday when it entered its 36th day, marking the longest government shutdown since the nation’s founding.

It didn’t happen by accident.

Instead, a variety of factors conspired to cause both sides to dig in for weeks without ceding an inch — a perfect storm of political brinkmanship, clashing ideologies and deep-rooted distrust that’s left Congress stumbling to find an elusive resolution before the economic damage gets worse.

The deadlock has put a pall over Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are frustrated, staffers aren’t getting paid, and the mood is dark, even compared to shutdowns of years past. And while senators appear to be inching toward a deal this week, the progress is fragile and a breakthrough far from certain.

“It feels different, looks different — it is definitely in a different place,” said a former top Democratic aide who maintains close contact with Capitol Hill. “Everybody has a multitude of reasons, but the vibe is just gloomy.”

While no one factor is driving the shutdown by itself, President Trump’s decision to remain on the sidelines of the debate, sources said, is perhaps the greatest single reason for the historic deadlock. While the president had hosted bipartisan leaders at the White House on Sept. 29, two days before the shutdown, his focus since then has shifted largely to foreign affairs, including two separate overseas trips. He has vowed not to negotiate with Democrats until the government is reopened.

Trump’s distance from the action is unique — presidents from Reagan to Clinton to Obama had actively engaged the other side during shutdowns in search of deals — but it’s also strategic.

Trump has characterized the shutdown as an “unprecedented opportunity” to fire federal workers and otherwise shrink the size of government, which was already a top priority of his second term. Two weeks into the impasse, he promoted an image of his budget........

© The Hill