Obama’s meet with lawmakers of little avail; mounting concern over debt-ceiling issue
As President Barack Obama’s much-touted meeting with the top four Congressional leaders ended without any sign of forward movement, the US Government shutdown spilled over to Day 3, appearing to confirm dire predictions that it could easily stretch for a week or two and cast its shadow on the critical debt-ceiling issue.
During his 70-minute meeting with the Congressional quartet on Wednesday evening, Obama had little to offer except a grim warning that what would be in store for the US economy if Congress failed to reverse the shutdown and raise the debt-ceiling before its October 17 deadline.
Having already made clear that he would make no compromises over “Obamacare”, which the Republicans want defunded or at least delayed by a year, Obama took the stand that it was for the Congress to get its act together.
That grim message was promptly resented by Republican Speaker John Boehner, who is under intense pressure from the far-right of his own party, made up of Tea Party conservatives.
In a separate television interview, Obama said he was “exasperated” by the developments, commenting: “When you have a situation in which a faction is willing to default on US obligations, then we are in trouble.”
“The President made clear to the leaders that he is not going to negotiate over the need for Congress to act to reopen the Government or to raise the debt limit to pay the bills Congress has already incurred,” a White House statement said after the meeting.
In a firm tone, the statement went on to say that “the President remains hopeful that common sense will prevail, and that Congress will not only do its job to reopen the government, but also act to pay the bills it has racked up and spare the nation from a devastating default”.
Emerging from the meeting, Boehner told reporters: “The President reiterated one more time that he will not negotiate.” As the Speaker put it, “All we’re asking for is a discussion and fairness for the American people under Obamacare….I would hope the President, and my Democratic colleagues in the Senate would listen to the American people and sit down and have a serious discussion about resolving these issues.”