A sign in the lobby of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California warns visitors that the library is closed due a government shutdown, October 2, 2013/AFP
Washington October 3- The United States limped into day three of a government shutdown on Thursday with President Barack Obama warning markets that the crisis could trigger a catastrophic US debt default.
Obama met with top Republican leaders for an hour on Wednesday, but the talks failed to end the crisis that has sent hundreds of thousands of government workers home and shut museum sites and national parks throughout the country.
Conservative Republicans want to dismantle or amend Obama’s health care law as a condition for approving stop gap funding for the new fiscal year, which began Tuesday. The president is refusing to tinker with the legislation, his signature health care reform bill widely known as “Obamacare.”
Both sides accused the other of refusing to negotiate. There is no end in sight to the latest crisis to hit bitterly divided Washington.
Heightening tensions, Obama sent Wall Street a blunt warning that the political crisis that has paralyzed the federal government could yet trigger a US catastrophic debt default.
But when he met with Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, there was no sign of a breakthrough.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are staying home, museums and national parks are shut, much scientific research is on hold and the shutdown is now threatening already sluggish economic growth.
“The president reiterated one more time that he will not negotiate,” Boehner said, emerging empty handed into a warm Washington night to address reporters after the West Wing talks.
On that point at least, the two sides agreed.
Obama said in an interview with CNBC that he would not negotiate on budget matters until Republicans had passed a bill to reopen the government and raise the $16.7 trillion dollar US debt ceiling.
The cap must be raised within two weeks or Washington could default on its government debt and payments for the first time, result that could hurt the credit rating of the world’s largest economy.
After the talks, Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney issued a statement saying that his boss still hoped “common sense” will prevail.
Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked Republican House funding bills that seek to dismantle or delay Obama’s signature health care reform bill, widely known as “Obamacare.”
The impasse left the government without a budget for the new fiscal year that started right after at midnight Monday.
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