Politics & Government
Inland Empire Lawmakers Offer Different Reasons For Government Shutdown
Rep. Mark Takano (D) and Rep. Ken Calvert (R) are each pointing a finger across the political aisle.
Two Inland Empire congressmen have released statements on the government shutdown, and, no surprise, their comments are contrasting.
Takano called the shutdown a "fiasco" precipitated by hard-line politics of Tea Party Republicans, and Calvert, who represents Murrieta, took aim at ObamaCare.
"Time and time again, House Republicans have shown their eagerness to hold our economy captive so they can score political points," Takano said. "Not only will this shutdown cost taxpayers over $150 million a day, but it will also cut many essential services that American families rely on."
Calvert said Senate Democrats slammed the door shut on talks to keep the government open.
Find out what's happening in Murrietawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"A prolonged government shut down will undoubtedly have significant impacts on Americans, federal workers, and our economy. ... There is simply no excuse for the President and Senate Democrats to refuse to sit down and discuss how to protect Americans from the harmful provisions in ObamaCare," Calvert said.
The last national government shutdown occurred in 1996 when then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich and then-President Bill Clinton were at loggerheads over federal spending.
Find out what's happening in Murrietawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As a component of ObamaCare, a state exchange called California Covered opened today. Click here for more on that story.
For a fact check on ObamaCare, click here.
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