Just as GOP leaders prepare a “Government Shutdown Prevention Act” as a way to pressure Senate Democrats into passing long-term spending bill, a group of freshman members have sent a strongly worded letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) announcing that they will “rally on the Senate steps every day until you pass a long-term Continuing Resolution.” The letter was authored by Rep. Rick Crawford (R., Ark.) and has so far been signed by 30 members of the freshman class.
“Make no mistake,” the letter admonishes Reid. “Any government shutdown is the result of your lack of leadership.”
“Mr. Reid, it’s time to pass a bill,” they conclude, before signing off in telling fashion: “Bound together and determined.”
Full text:
Mr. Reid,
We the undersigned call on you and the Senate to pass a long-term Continuing Resolution; a resolution that hears the calls of the American people and makes reasonable, responsible spending cuts.
Mr. Reid, your record on spending in the Senate is one of failure. You have failed to pass a budget, failed to restrain spending, and failed to put our country on sound fiscal footing.
We do not accept your failure as our own.
The American people did not send us here to fail. Make no mistake: any government shutdown is the result of your lack of leadership. America has a $14 trillion debt and you offered a mere $6 billion in cuts. The House heard the calls of the American people and offered $61 billion in cuts, but the Senate has not sent us a Continuing Resolution in return.
We have received nothing from the Senate except denials of the dire straits of our nation’s fiscal health.
The House of Representatives is accomplishing what we were elected to do. We’ve cut spending. We’ve terminated wasteful programs. We’ve funded the government.
Mr. Reid, we are letting you know that we will rally on the Senate steps every day until you pass a long-term Continuing Resolution. We call on all Americans to join our fight in restoring our country’s fiscal health.
The House of Representatives is doing our job, Mr. Reid. The Senate needs to start doing theirs.
Mr. Reid, it’s time to pass a bill.
Bound together and determined,
[Signatures]
No matter what the GOP puts out in a way of defense, the Dems and media cohorts will always resort to the tried and true response: "GOP is extreme".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBurton, who cares. I'm so beyond fed up with with the paranoia about what the media will say. Not saying you're paranoid, just saying in general.
Wish the leadership had the freshmen cajones. And what the freshmen are doing isn't even staggering. It's how the dopes in Washington should behave in the first place.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOoooh... a sternly worded letter! I bet Reid is quaking in his boots. They're going to rally on the steps? Wow. Yeah, that'll show 'em! Wait... these are Representatives, not Senators? Oh, so Reid will care sooooo much more.
How about, instead, you get out there selling the public on why we have to make these paltry cuts? How about you spend your time making the case for cutting off the welfare class from the federal teat?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGreat Comment Colonel Travis. I'm sick and tired of conservatives and the republicans in Congress being afraid of the "mainstream" media. Obviously, if we cleaned out so many State Houses and cleaned the clocks of so many D's in Congress in November, Americans are savvy enough to know to get their news and the truth elsewhere. We know the truth exists outside of the network hacks and, this goes without saying, the D's.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe real problem, Travis and Colorado, is that the conservative Republicans so seldom actually go all out to make their case. The Tea Parties made such an impact because they - not the Republican establishment - got out there and made the case. When they made the case, the people responded. When the Senators and Congressmen sort of stand there and mumble, giving up once the statists begin to talk about feeding Grandma dog food or some such, then the liberal media does win.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn response to the make the case crowd, while I agree, anyone who tries to make the case is only picked up by news outlets who already believe in the case.
You can't make the case to the CNN and MSNBC viewer because CNN and MSNBC will misrepresent your case, refuse to air it, and drown it out with the opposing view.
The people who listen to talk radio and visit online political blogs are the only ones hearing the case, and they are already believers.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWay to fight back. Don't worry about the media, people who are listening to them are sold anyway. You have to do what's right. And to stand out there and force yourselves to be heard is a good way to start.
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