With four days to go before some bipartisan agreement is necessary to avoid a government shutdown, President Barack Obama blasted “far-right Republicans in Congress,” in an email to supporters -- just a day after he criticized his opponents for their “cranked up” rhetoric.
President Barack Obama waves to the crowd after speaking about health care at the Prince George's Community College, Sept. 26, 2013 in Largo, Md. Obama spoke about the benefits of the Affordable Healthcare Act that will become available next month. (Getty Images)
Organizing for Action, the political advocacy group that grew out of Obama's presidential campaigns, has been firing out emails all week, but on Friday, a message directly from the president asked for supporters to add their name to a list on the OFA site, mybarackobama.com, and contact their member of Congress. After adding their email address and zip code, it immediately goes to an Organizing for Action fundraising form.
“Right now, the hard work we've put in to get our economy back on track is at risk,” Obama said in the email message. “And there's only one reason for it: A group of far-right Republicans in Congress is obsessed with making an ideological point. They refuse to pass a budget unless I let them sabotage Obamacare, something they know is not going to happen. Now, we're left with only four days before a government shutdown."
“This is reckless and irresponsible. Republicans are not focused on what's best for you. They're playing political games,” Obama further said in the message. “They refuse to pass a budget unless I let them sabotage Obamacare, something they know is not going to happen. Now, we're left with only four days before a government shutdown.”
Last week, the Republican-controlled House passed a continuing resolution to fully fund the federal government – except for Obamacare. The Democrat-controlled Senate on Friday passed its own continuing resolution – that keeps funding for Obamacare intact. The continuing resolution would fund the government from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15.
If the House and Senate can't reach an agreement by Oct. 1, all non-essential functions of the federal government will shutdown.
Speaking Thursday to a crowd in Largo, Md., Obama said that Republicans are using overheated rhetoric.
“The closer we get, the more desperate they get,” Obama said in Maryland. “I mean, over the last few weeks the rhetoric has just been cranked up to a place I’ve never seen before. One congressman said that Obamacare is 'the most dangerous piece of legislation ever passed. ' Ever. In the history of America, this is the most dangerous piece of legislation.”
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