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American senators are meeting during the weekend for the initial time since the federal closure began over a month ago, but expectations for a bipartisan agreement on how to resolve the standoff appeared to diminish as Republican senators proposed a proposal toxic to Democrats: scrapping the ACA, called Obamacare.

Deepening Impact of Federal Closure

The effect on Americans from the longest closure of the US government in history deepened on Saturday, as government employees went without pay, carriers were compelled to cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for forty-two million Americans.

Trump's Proposal from Golf Course

As Saturday's meeting got started, GOP senators embraced a proposal made on social media early Saturday by Donald Trump from his golf course in West Palm Beach, for government payments to be substituted by health savings accounts.

"I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to profit-driven Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE," Trump posted.

GOP Endorsement

Several Republican senators praised the plan, which is comparable with a alternative for Obamacare proposed in 2017.

"We're going to replace this failing program with something that is actually better for the consumer," one senator stated.

Another senator commended Trump's suggestion on online platforms, and displayed a giant blow-up of Trump's post as he addressed on the Senate floor.

"I'm writing the bill right now," a third senator posted in reply to Trump's suggestion. "We must stop public funds from going to insurance companies and instead give it directly to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the medical coverage they want."

Democratic Reaction

Democratic lawmakers shared alarmed reactions to Trump's proposal.

"Essentially, Donald Trump's 'proposal' for health care is another calculated attempt to repeal Obamacare," one Democratic senator stated. "It's the same unsuccessful Republican plan that's been defeated by the public and Congress."

Another senator responded to the criticism of carriers by posting: "Well, Trump and the Republicans can't stand how the big, bad insurance companies are overcharging Americans. Really? In that case I applaud your support for Medicare for All."

Continuing Talks

The Senate went into recess without reaching a resolution, but Senate Republican leaders have indicated an openness to an developing proposal from a small group of moderate Democrats to terminate the closure in exchange for a later vote on the Obamacare subsidies.

One Democratic senator, who is leading the negotiations among centrists, said that Democrats "need another path forward" after Republicans rejected an proposal to reopen the government and extend the subsidies for a year.

Another senior Democratic senator continued in maintaining that Republicans should agree to a 12-month continuation of the payments before discussing the long-term of the subsidies.

"Inaction is irresponsible because people will go bankrupt, people will lose insurance, people will get more ill," the senator stated in a Senate address. "That is what will happen if this Congress does nothing."

Political Situation

Not one of the Republican senators seemed to address the fact that consumers would still need to buy plans from the same insurance companies, or that Republican legislators need the support of several Democrats to reopen the government, and the idea of eliminating and replacing Obamacare with savings accounts is unlikely to earn a solitary Democratic vote.

Several analysts suggested that the core of such a proposal would eliminate the ACA's requirement that insurance companies cover individuals with existing health issues.

After his golf outing, Trump went back to his residence and reiterated on his demand that Republicans stop seeking compromise and try instead to repeal and replace Obamacare with a version of the proposal that failed to secure enough backing in 2017.