India, Oct. 5 -- The shutting down of parts of the US government for two months in 2017 proved a political liability for President Donald Trump, who lost the 2020 Presidential polls to Joe Biden. However, this time around, Trump has no intention of fighting for a second term, as he has made explicit. Hence, he has nothing to lose from that point of view if the present shutdown continues for several weeks. It is a contest of wills as to who will concede first, President Trump to the demand of the Democratic Party that certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act be given a fresh lease of life, or enough Democrats ease their opposition to Trump's proposal and allow the funding bill to pass.

For "strongman" Trump, to concede would be to ap...