President Obama has announced that an upcoming trip to Asia has been canceled because of the partial U.S. government shutdown.

The White House announced late on Thursday that the president made his decision to cancel visits to Indonesia and Brunei based on the difficulty in moving forward with foreign travel in the face of the shutdown and his plans to continue pressuring Republicans to allow a vote to reopen the government.

The White House says Secretary of State John Kerry will lead U.S. delegations to both countries, in addition to Malaysia and the Philippines.

Earlier Thursday, President Obama said a simple bill to fund the government with no other issues attached — including his signature health care plan, nicknamed “Obamacare” — would pass the House of Representatives.

He accused Republican House Speaker John Boehner of catering to a small group of conservative Republican extremists who want to defund the president’s health care program.

The president has said it is up to Boehner to decide what measures are put up for a vote.

Boehner says Obama is refusing to negotiate. The speaker says all he wants is a discussion on Obamacare and what he calls “fairness” for the American people. However, Obama has pointedly refused to negotiate.

“There will be no negotiations over this. The American people are not pawns in some political game. You do not get to demand some ransom in exchange for keeping the government running. You do not get to demand ransom in exchange for keeping the economy running. You don’t get to demand ransom for doing your most basic job,” said Obama.

Democrats say they will reject any Republican efforts to partially reopen the government.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told CNN television Thursday that Boehner reneged on a promise to allow a vote on a clean funding bill, even after Democrats agreed to accept Republican spending levels. Reid said Boehner is afraid Republicans would oust him as speaker. Reid reminded Boehner that the country is more important than his job.

The shutdown has furloughed more than 800,000 federal workers and closed down all but the most essential government services, including air traffic control, Border Patrol, and most food inspectors. The Voice of America is continuing to broadcast, but national parks and museums are closed, telephone calls for income tax help are unanswered, and some medical research projects are suspended. [Read More]

—–
Source: VOA News: War and Conflict