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The Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu famously wrote, “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”Congressional Democrats would be wise to keep this maxim in mind.

The U.S. Senate failed to pass either Democrats’ or Republicans’ government funding proposals Friday to prevent a government shutdown. Senators have now left town for a week-long recess, leaving only two days when they return to pass some kind of funding stopgap before the government shuts down on Oct.

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President Donald Trump predicted that a US government shutdown is likely, citing a stalemate between his party and Democrats.

Democratic leaders rejected the bill, insisting the GOP must negotiate on health care and other priorities, setting up a Senate clash.

The House passed the Republicans' short-term government funding bill on Friday ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to avert a shutdown. The final tally was 217-212. Ultimately, all but two Republicans supported the President Donald Trump-backed spending bill.

After House Republicans pushed through a measure to avert a shutdown, Democrats blocked it in the Senate, demanding more than $1 trillion for health programs.