U.S Government Shut Down 1st Time in 17 Years Over Obamacare & Spending Bill Disagreements
Reported By AP: Congress plunged the nation into a partial government shutdown Tuesday as a long-running dispute over President Barack Obama’s health care law stalled a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job and suspending most non-essential federal programs and services.
“You don’t get to extract a ransom for doing your job, for doing what you’re supposed to be doing anyway, or just because there’s a law there that you don’t like,” Obama said Monday, delivering a similar message in private phone calls later to Republican House Speaker John Boehner and other lawmakers.
Boehner said he didn’t want a government shutdown, but added the health care law “is having a devastating impact. … Something has to be done.”
We can’t win,” said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., adding that “sooner or later” the House would have to agree to Democrats’ demands for a simple, straightforward funding bill reopening the government
The shutdown, the first since the winter of 1995-96, closed national parks, museums along the Washington Mall and the U.S. Capitol visitors center. This Would cost the ecomncy up to $55 Billion Dollars.
A new poll released Tuesday showed Americans really aren’t crazy about Obamacare — but hate the Republican approach of closing the government in an effort to repeal it. 77%-.22% Reject GOP Strategy
And Obama isn’t popular — but he’s apparently blessed by his enemies. Here’s how he does against Republicans in Congress on several core issues:
– He’s up 47 percent-42 percent on handling the economy.
– He’s up 51 percent-38 percent on helping the middle class
– He’s up 63 percent-26 percent on helping low-income families.
– He’s up 47 percent-38 percent on handling health care.
– He’s statistically tied on the deficit, 43-percent-42 percent.
– Republicans have a slight edge on guns, 45 percent to 42 percent.
“On almost all questions, voters see President Obama as more reasonable, and better able to handle the issues,”
Credit Source: AP/Yahoo News