With the clock ticking toward a midnight Wednesday deadline, the odds of the first US government shutdown in nearly seven years are growing . A partisan clash over health care and spending has hardened, leaving little room for compromise.

Democrats are demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at year’s end, while President Donald Trump and Republicans insist on passing a “clean” funding bill without concessions.

Factor 1: Health care standoff

At the heart of the deadlock is the fight over Affordable Care Act tax credits that subsidize health insurance for millions of Americans. Democrats argue the credits are vital to prevent skyrocketing premiums, while Republicans want to defer the issue.

“We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill th

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