As the shutdown fight stretches into its second week, the winds have shifted in favor of the Democrats — at least for the moment.

Early polls say voters are more likely to blame President Trump and the Republicans for the lengthy impasse. The president and his congressional allies are publicly at odds over compensation for furloughed workers. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is sending mixed messages on whether to protect military pay. And prominent cracks are emerging in the GOP’s resistance to extending ObamaCare subsidies.

The combination has put Republican leaders on the defensive, even as they’re faulting Democrats for the long impasse. And the developments have boosted the Democrats’ confidence that they’ll be able to maintain their unified front, both in opposing the GOP’s short-term

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