Even by its own bleak standards, Washington’s new record is a monument to failure by leaders who are harming citizens they were elected to serve.

The government shutdown became the longest ever on Wednesday as it entered its 36th day. And while several groups of lawmakers are fumbling for a plan, there’s no clear way out.

This means, the extreme pain and fear being inflicted on millions of Americans will get worse in the bitterest confrontation yet between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats of his second term.

While the showdown is a fight over health care and a Democratic demand to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, it has an underlying cause that explains why it’s grinding on so long: It’s all about power.

Trump has become accustomed in nine months back in the White House to getting his own way on almost everything. He barely even recognizes Congress’ constitutional role. And now he’s demanding Democrats capitulate. He’s recently added another demand: that Republicans abolish the Senate filibuster rule that requires a 60-vote majority to pass most legislation.

This would be a simple way of passing a short-term funding bill to reopen the government, which Democrats refuse to support. But it would represent a fundamental reshaping of political life, and Republican leaders fear a future Democratic majority would use the new leeway to give the nation a liberal makeover.

But Trump is a man in a hurry.