Deadlock between President Barack Obama and Republicans reaches fifth day as US government shutdown continues. Obama cancelled his week long 4-nations Asia tour over the US government shutdown which requires him to stay in Washington.
“The president made this decision based on the difficulty in moving forward with foreign travel in the face of a shutdown, and his determination to continue pressing his case that Republicans should immediately allow a vote to reopen the government,” the White House said.
Meanwhile responding to a quote in The Wall Street Journal by anonymous White House staff who claimed, “We are winning … It doesn’t really matter to us’ how long the shutdown lasts ‘because what matters is the end result,” the US President Barack Obama on Friday rejected the “winning” claims.
“There is no winning when people are not at work and being paid”, Obama told reporters. “Nobody’s winning. We should get this over with as soon as possible.”
Obama blaming House Speaker, John Boehner, over the shutdown for not allowing a vote on a new spending plan that includes no health care restrictions.
“The shutdown could be over today. We know there are the votes,” Obama said.
The Republican-run Congress has cleared the budget bills which include a one-year delay of part of the new health care bill, a provision Obama says is unacceptable.
“I’m happy to have negotiations, but we can’t do it with a gun held to the head of the American people,” Obama said.
Earlier Boehner slammed Obama’s no-negotiation stand.
“You know, when we have a crisis like we’re in the middle of this week, the American people expect their leaders to sit down and try to resolve their differences,” Boehner said.
Tags: Barack Obama Congress budget government shutdown House Speaker John Boehner The Republican new health care bill Obama shutdown US US President
