Democrats deserve blame for government shutdown

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Democrats deserve blame for government shutdown
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By Ellen Latane Tabb, Alexandria
(File Photo) 

To the editor:

Who bears the responsibility for the shutdown? Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his cohorts who play along with him — including President Barack Obama — that’s who. This is the case, despite the claims of the liberal media who say it’s the Republicans’ fault.

Note that the House of Representatives under Speaker John Boehner passed several continuing resolutions to fund the government, but Reid refused to take up any of them, even the bills on which he admits the Democrats agree with the Republicans. His excuse that passing individual bills is too time-consuming is patently absurd. Bills pass in an instant by unanimous consent.

The president’s announcement that he would veto such bills was sadly manipulative and foolish. And his vetoes could have been overridden in a jiffy. The president should put the good of the country first and lead efforts to pass a reasonable budget, as well as set a better example for his party.

Refusing to negotiate is what dictators do. We want to keep our federal republic operating. The Constitution was the product of hard compromising. Surely our representatives, who have sworn to uphold the Constitution, know about that precedent. We expect our legislators to work hard to find the best solutions, not refuse to meet with those with whom they disagree.

Shame on Reid, his Democratic cohorts and the president. It’s time for them to do the job for which they continue to draw handsome salaries.

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