US government on brink of shutdown over divisive healthcare reforms

Unless the congress reaches an agreement to avert the situation, the US government will shut down, potentially costing the US economy more than a bill

16:59 30 September 2013

The likelihood of the US government shutting down has increased immensely after House Republicans refused to pass a budget unless Barack Obama’s signature healthcare reforms will be delayed. 

Should the government shut down on Monday night, it would result in hundreds of federal workers being placed on unpaid leaves. Also, this will cost the US economy more than a billion dollars.  

President Barack Obama has immediately rejected Republicans' proposal and has repeatedly said that he will not compromise over the main legislative achievement of his first term. Meanwhile, Democrat-controlled senate said that on Monday, they will reject the Republican’s proposal.

As the deadline comes closer, both sides are starting to blame each other. Democrat Senate and the White House leaders have accused anti-government Republicans of putting the US government and federal workers on the line to roll back healthcare reform.

Harry Reid, the Democrat leader in the Senate said, “After weeks of futile political games from Republicans, we are still at square one.”

 

Meanwhile, President Obama said in his weekly address to the nation: “No one gets to threaten the full faith and credit of the United States of America just to extract ideological concessions.”

 

“No one gets to hurt our economy and millions of innocent people just because there are a couple laws you don’t like. It hasn’t been done in the past, and we’re not going to start doing it now.”