Obama Scolds House Republicans Over Possible Shutdown
Source: New York Times
President Obama castigated House Republicans for failing to perform a basic function by not providing money for the government. He said a shutdown would harm the economic recovery. The idea of putting the American peoples hard-earned progress at risk is the height of irresponsibility and doesnt have to happen, he said. Let me repeat that: It does not have to happen. All of this is entirely preventable.
Mr. Obama urged Republican lawmakers not to make extraneous and controversial ideological demands in exchange for keeping the federal government open, and said the impact of a shutdown on Tuesday would be harmful to millions of Americans. One faction of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government doesnt get to shut down the entire government, Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House on Monday afternoon. You dont get to extract a ransom for doing your job.
The president scolded opponents of the Affordable Care Act for insisting that the law be delayed or rolled back. He said that it will eventually provide affordable insurance to millions of people who have lived in fear of huge medical bills. He said that the insurance marketplaces where people can shop for new coverage will open for business on Tuesday regardless of what Congress does. And he bluntly told critics of the law that they will not win in their crusade to undo his signature achievement.
An important part of the Affordable Care Act takes effect tomorrow, Mr. Obama said. That funding is already in place. You cant shut it down. In remarks that took about ten minutes, Mr. Obama sought to describe the painful impact of a government shutdown, not only on federal employees but also on people who depend on services that the government would stop providing.
Read more: Link to sourcehttp://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-crisis/2013/09/30/obama-strongly-criticizes-house-republicans
Breaking News Headline Was: Obama: Keeping the Peoples Government Open Is Not a Concession to Me
Cha
(297,229 posts)gademocrat7
(10,657 posts)phantom power
(25,966 posts)that is: "the GOP is fucking nuts, and engaging in rank extortion"
sheshe2
(83,765 posts)Well done!
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)That website has problems with its video
SunSeeker
(51,557 posts)Summary:
2:04 PM PT: "If you are on Social Security, you will keep on receiving checks. If you are on Medicare, your doctor will still see you." Troops will still serve, homeland security will etc. "NASA will shut down almost entirely. ... Offices will close ... Paychecks will be delayed ... Vital services...will be hamstrung ... Veterans will find support centers unstaffed ... Tourists will find national parks immediately closed.
"2:05 PM PT: Hundreds of thousands of Federal employees will be indefinitely furloughed, Obama says.
2:05 PM PT: "A very real economic impact on real people right away.
"2:07 PM PT: Says what a shutdown "is the height of responsibility" and "it does not have to happen." It's "preventable if the House chooses to do what the Senate has already done." Points at "extreme right wing" of Republican Party.
2:08 PM PT: President Obama uses the fact that Republicans are targeting Obamacare to talk about the benefits of the law, including on the availability of insurance plans starting tomorrow through exchanges.
2:09 PM PT: Obama: If we give in to GOP hostage taking now, "does anybody truly believe we won't have this fight again in a couple of months?"
2:11 PM PT: "One faction of one party in one House of Congress in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of an election. Keeping the government running is not a concession to me. [...] It's a basic responsibility.
"2:12 PM PT: "You don't get to exctract a ransom for doing your job.
"2:14 PM PT: "Congress needs to keep our government open, it needs pay our bills on time, and never, ever threaten the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and time is running out. My hope and expecation is that, in the eleventh hour once again, that Congress will choose to do the right thing, and that the House of Representatives will choose to do the right thing.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/30/12462662/-Obama-statement-on-government--nbsp-shutdown
SunSeeker
(51,557 posts)Exactly. Thank you, Mr . President.
tnlurker
(1,020 posts)Big Surprise!
They did not show any of the speech. I think Chuck Todd mentioned the speech but did not show any of it.
Not really a surprise. Just our corporate media at it's worst.
alp227
(32,025 posts)See the disconnect there?
meow2u3
(24,764 posts)Demanding ransom is a crime and should be treated as such.