Senate Democrats Tell Lazy Republicans To Get To Work If They Want The Government To Stay Open

Senate Democrats are not going to let Republicans pass a short-term CR and leave Washington without doing their jobs. The Democrats are demanding that Republicans stay in Washington and work as part of keeping the government open.

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Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) told Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s MTP Daily, “I don’t think there is any magic to a particular number. What we need to have is — is a way in which we stay here and get the matters resolved. That we don’t take a break even for one week before we get on to the issues. These issues are urgent. Our defense department needs a budget. Listen to what secretary Mattis is saying. They can’t operate on a continuing resolution. Where is the urgency? So I’m sug — suggesting, we see the urgency and stay here and work to resolve the issues and we can get work done. Let’s do it.”

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Democrats are saying, sure, we’ll vote to keep the government open, but if the government is open, you’re going to stay here and work on passing funding for CHIP and community hospitals. You’re going to stay in Washington and come to an agreement on DACA.

Republicans won’t agree to stay in Washington and do their jobs. They would rather pass a CR, go back home, and not deal with any of these issues until the next deadline arrives. Senate Democrats are the adults in the room. Republicans are the children who are looking for an extension on their book reports that are due tomorrow.

All of these issues could have been resolved by Republicans months ago. They refused to do so, and now they want a CR so that they can go home for a week. That’s not going to happen. Republicans are going to have to work if they want to keep the government open because Senate Democrats aren’t going to budge.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association