A federal government shutdown is matter of national security and the wrong strategy for Republicans to take, says U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers.
Rogers, a Howell Republican and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, advocates a temporary resolution to fund the government, putting him at odds with tea party conservatives who want Obamacare defunded or delayed in exchange for passing a federal budget.
“Removing government funding is impacting intelligence staff which is making our nation less safe,” Rogers’ spokeswoman Kelsey Knight said Thursday. “He believes shutting down is putting America’s national security at risk.”
A partial federal shutdown began Tuesday and there’s been no movement since between Democrats who control the Senate and the White House and want the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, to take effect as scheduled, and the Republican-led House, who want the new health care law scrapped or unfunded.
Rogers is no supporter of Obamacare, and a critic of the 2010 law that created it.
“He’s negotiated with the president on many issues and he knows this isn’t a winning strategy,” Knight said of the government shutdown.
Republicans continue to offer up legislation to in small pieces to temporarily restore funding for government operations like national parks, but “Democrats are not budging on this,” Knight said.
Rogers appeared on the radio show of former Arkansas governor and former conservative presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Tuesday.
Rogers said the shutdown means 70 percent of the civilian workforce in intelligence has been furloughed.
“That means America’s a little more vulnerable today,” Rogers said.
“Pick your fights where you can win,” he said. “I’m not sure we’ve got ourselves in the best position to win the fight.”
Meanwhile, congressional staff are digging in for what could become a prolonged shutdown. Some believe government could be shut down at least until Congress takes up raising the national debt ceiling Oct. 17, perhaps complicating the situation even more.
Staffers for U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, are furloughed and working on a rotating basis.
The shutdown was also used as ammo for political races next year.
The Michigan Republican Party
“While President Obama and Senate Democrats attempt to deflect blame onto House Republicans, there is one Democrat in the House who would do anything to join his role model Harry Reid in the Senate: Big Government Gary Peters,” said Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak. “He would rather stand with the Senate majority leader than deal with the concerns of Michigan families and unions regarding Obamacare.”
Peters is running for U.S. Senate next in 2014. His likely opponent is Republican Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan secretary of state and member of the Republican National Committee, who Democrats criticize for supporting the government shutdown until Obamacare is defunded.
The Michigan Federation of College Democrats President Darrin Camilleri accused Land of pandering to the tea party groups.
“This federal shutdown is causing more economic uncertainty at a time we need Washington to focus on making it stronger, but Republican National Committeewoman Terri Lynn Land would rather pander to the Tea Party than stand up for us,” Camilleri said.
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