Rep. Suzanne Bonamici: U.S. economy should not be bargaining chip in health care debate - Opinion

[Coyotl]

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici: U.S. economy should not be bargaining chip in health care debate: Guest opinion
http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/10/rep_suzanne_bonamici_us_econom.html

The American economy should never be used as a bargaining chip, but that’s exactly what is happening now in Washington, D.C. The refusal by some in the House of Representatives to fund the government or pay the nation’s bills threatens to send the our country into a new recession that some economists say could be worse than what we went through after the 2008 financial collapse.

The government shutdown is already causing damage. Veterans’ benefits have been held up, national parks and museums are closed, federal research has been halted, and small business loan applications are not being processed. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees, including nearly 30,000 in Oregon, have been furloughed, and millions more continue to do their jobs without knowing when they’ll receive a paycheck. Private businesses, like Leupold in Beaverton, are being affected because they need the federal government to approve licenses.

Worse yet is what will happen if we are unable to raise the debt ceiling by Oct. 17. To be clear, this is not additional debt; it’s the authorization needed to pay existing bills. If we default, our credit rating would be downgraded and the interest rate on our debt would skyrocket. Domestic and global financial markets could free-fall if the full faith and credit of the United States was suddenly rendered meaningless. This would result in an extremely discouraging fiscal outlook just as we are seeing signs of recovery.

The good news is that we can put an end to this unnecessary crisis immediately. A majority of the House, a majority of the Senate, and President Obama support compromise legislation that would reopen the government and prevent the United States from a catastrophic default. ...........

[Coyotl]

1. gotta kick this

[Cha]

2. Thanks Coyotl for this compelling piece from Rep Suzanne Bonamici

It's heinous that our Economy is being used as extortion by teabagger-republicons. And, that's exactly why PBO is not negotiating with them until they open the Gov and Raise the "Debt Ceiling".

Yeah, the Majority want it.. but, the weeper of the house is too scared to make a move without teabagger approval.

No shame in Kicking our owns threads. We wouldn't post them if we didn't want others to read it.

OPEN OUR GOVERNMENT AND PAY OUR BILLS-

[starroute]

3. It also prevents the introduction of new varieties of craft beer

My son was complaining about it this morning. That'll set the Millennials against them like nothing else could.

[gopiscrap]

4. I agree

[ffr]

5. Absolutely agree, but we are seeing how twisted the rethugs want this to end