#HarryReidsShutdown starts as Dem Senate refuses to compromise w/ GOP House

Congress missed a midnight deadline to avert a shutdown of the federal government, as the Republican-led House and the Democratic-led Senate battled through the night on legislation to keep the lights on.

National parks and museums were set to shutter Tuesday morning, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will stay home on furlough with no financing in place at the start of a new fiscal year.

Just before midnight, President Obama’s budget director Sylvia Matthews Burwell issued guidance to agencies directing them to execute their plans for an orderly shutdown of the government.

“Unfortunately, we do not have a clear indication that Congress will act in time for the president to sign a continuing resolution before the end of the day tomorrow, October 1, 2013,” the memo said. “Therefore, agencies should now execute plans for an orderly shutdown due to the absence of appropriations.”

Less than two hours before the deadline, House GOP leaders moved to set up a House-Senate conference committee, acknowledging that the two chambers had been unable to resolve their differences.

Debate on the motion had not ended when the clock struck midnight, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Democrats would not agree to a formal conference until the House passed its continuing resolution.

“The Senate has continued to reject our offers, but under the Constitution there’s a way to resolve this process, and that’s to go to conference and talk through your differences,” he continued, “and I would hope that the Senate would accept our offer to go to conference and discuss this so that we can resolve this for the American people.”

The House approved the conference committee at about 1:30 a.m. and in a brief appearance before reporters after the final House vote, Boehner made no reference to the government shutdown.

“The House has made its position known very clearly,” he said. “We believe that we should fund the government and we think there ought to be basic fairness for all Americans under ObamaCare.

Earlier on Monday, last-minute efforts to resolve the stalemate failed, as the Senate rejected multiple attempts by House Republicans to dismantle President Obama’s signature healthcare law as a condition of funding the government.

Why did this shutdown happen? Because jerks like Harry Reid would rather play political games than to offer up a compromise from the Senate end that would keep the government open. Republicans have made multiple offers to avoid a shutdown (and unlike the Senate, has actually passed a budget), but the dum dums in the majority party in the Senate won’t have any part of it. The media won’t hold him accountable, but this shutdown is all on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He wanted it. President Obama wanted it, because they both believe ultimately the American people will blame the GOP for the shutdown come the 2014 elections. Polls are mixed on the issue.

Regardless, Republicans need to press the point home about Reid and the Democrats in the Senate in every single interview, public appearance, and comment they make, even after the shutdown is over. Senate Democrats need to own this, including the red state Democrats vulnerable in 2014 (like NC’s US Senator Kay Hagan) who decided to side with Reid in the battle over the CR rather than avoid a shutdown.

Memeorandum has more.

Tex says:

October 1, 2013 at 3:00 pm

The House Republicans ought to use this opportunity to show the American people who the real culprits of this shutdown are. Just offer another bill that refunds the government but ONLY if members of Congress repeal their exemption from Obamacare and take the same medicine they’ve forced on everyone else in this country.

My guess is that nearly all the Democrats would still vote it down since they refuse to live under the same rules they expect everyone else to live under. But at least it will be crystal clear who is responsible for the shutdown, and why.

Drew the Infidel says:

October 1, 2013 at 8:06 pm

Agreed. If Obhammudcare is good enough for we of “the great unwashed”, it s certainly fit for those who are shoving it down our throats.

When your job performance is as poor as that Obhammud has demonstrated you cannot be looking down your nose at anybody.

Mike says:

October 3, 2013 at 7:14 pm

Wow, I guess you both don’t have much of a clue at all. Compromise? let’s see the Paul Ryan 2014 budget sat at 967 billion… the Dems wanted 1,058 trillion. The Dems COMPROMISED and it is now at 986 Billion, within 20 billion of the Ryan budget. But, no… republican compromise is “all the way to our side or no vote”.

“Obamacare”… your extreme ideological bias and ignorance shines strong with “obhummudcare”………the Affordable Care Act… is not a “health insurance plan”…..Furthermore, it hasn’t even begun yet (starts in 2014, oh, except for now insurance companies can no longer deny based on preexisting condition, or “spelling error on application”…Kids can stay on their parents insurance until they are 26… that is about it until 2014). So for anyone to say that “obamacare” doesn’t work or isn’t working…. is just plain ignorant. It’s like getting a brand new computer in the box… not opening it and saying it doesn’t work because you don’t like the brand.

Do you have insurance already? Maybe through your employer? Good for you! You do nothing. In fact, your monthly premiums will more than likely go down over the next few years. Especially once the insurance companies get 30 to 40 million NEW customers!!! That’s right, private insurance companies is still the way this works. Keep your current insurance, if you wish. Companies with 50 or more employees must offer insurance to full time workers (as most ALL with 50 or more employees already do). Less than 50, don’t HAVE to, but will get very nice tax incentives to do so if that’s what they choose. The marketplace that opened on Oct. 1st allows those without insurance, or those who maybe are looking for a better deal and/or coverage, to shop among the private insurance companies in their state. Comparing prices and plans side by side seeing EXACTLY what you get for your $$$. See this is competition… the free market at work. Those who work but either aren’t offered or don’t qualify for insurance through their employer, now finally have the opportunity to buy affordable health insurance. I know, the end of America.

Ronald Regan released a record warning of the dangers of medicare. How it would destroy America and lead to socialism, the end of the free market. Boy he sure changed his tune. Because he went on to EXPAND Medicare!!! Try to take away senior’s medicare now. Won’t be long before republicans STOP calling the Affordable Care Act “obamacare”….. As of now they are petrified. Petrified that it will work and that the public will like it, once it’s finally moving (just like medicare)…If they are SO sure it will fail, why not let it and win back the senate and the presidency in 2016? Time will tell…. and the term “obamacare” will be abandoned by the right quicker than they did Romney!