WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) appeared on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes to discuss the threat of a MAGA government shutdown. Below are highlights from her interview:
On the possibility of a government shutdown:
“We are in chaos because there is no leadership. When Kevin McCarthy gave the gavel to Marjorie Taylor Greene in order to become speaker, this was the inevitable outcome.
“Let's remember, we have a bipartisan deal — that you just referenced — that was made when they took the economy hostage back in May. And so we have the blueprint. It is what the Senate is acting on in a bipartisan way. The only people who are not upholding this deal are the House GOP. And that is a very bad outcome for the American people who they have left out of the whole discussion while they argue among themselves.”
On Kevin McCarthy’s decision to walk back the deal he negotiated with President Biden and risk American livelihoods:
“This is Kevin McCarthy's deal. And he — before the ink was even barely dry — was the one who allowed the most extreme part of his extreme caucus to undo that. And so he has driven this process into this place where he cannot get out of this in a way that is centered around the needs.
“And what's at stake? We are looking at wildfires in this country and, with the shutdown, saying to our firefighters: ‘You are not going to get paid.’ We’re saying to our troops: ‘You are not going to get paid.’ The disasters, I was recently in Maui. There is no way you can see that kind of loss and devastation and turn around and say: ‘We shouldn't be funding disaster aid for this country’ — whether it's from hurricanes or floods or fires.
“So what are we doing here? This has become a GOP in the House that is isolated in their extremism — that are walking back a deal that their speaker negotiated with the President — and it is time that they live up to it.
“They are having a three-ring circus where they're arguing with each other and making threats to each other. And the American people are outside of the tent saying: ‘Focus on us.’”
On the difference in priorities between House Democrats and MAGA Republicans:
“Democrats get up every day, come to Congress, and worry about people keeping the jobs they have, getting paid a decent wage, being able to make their family's quality of life work. That's the job we're worried about.
“Meanwhile, we have a Republican caucus that is obsessed with Kevin McCarthy and using his speakership as leverage. The problem with having a speaker whose sole goal is to remain speaker is the American people get left out.
“And what we're seeing here is we are on the edge of a shutdown when we already have a bipartisan deal. And so, this whole theater of the absurd, we could just sit back and just be amazed if the consequences weren't so real. And to hear my colleagues come out and say: ‘A shutdown, doesn’t it matter.’ You know, you look at our troops in the eye and say: ‘We think you should work serving our country. We'll pay you when we're getting ready to.’ This is so devoid of the work here — our fundamental responsibility to put a budget forward. It can be a difficult and contentious process, but this year, we already have the deal. And it's only House Republicans who are walking away from it.”
To view the complete interview, click HERE.
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