President Obama is blaming the GOP for the government shut down and accuses Republicans of holding the nation hostage out of anger over the Affordable Care Act better known as Obama-care. As of midnight Tuesday the United States government has shut down. Republicans have been trying since it was first proposed to abolish the Affordable Care Act but Obama's health care act has been signed into law and the president says it is "here to stay." The Affordable Care Act will go into effect in January 2014 but the program started enrolling millions of Americans Tuesday.
"This republican shutdown didn't have to happen," Obama said in an address from the White House Rose Garden. "They shut down the government over an ideological crusade." President Obama said the house Republicans need to figure out a solution so they can fund the federal government and end the shutdown. The last time the United States government shutdown was in 1996. Obama said that the length of the shutdown will no doubt have a negative effect on the U.S but he also said no matter how long the shutdown lasts it will impact the country's economy.
"The longer this shutdown continues, the worse the effects will be," Obama said. "So once again I urge the House Republicans to reopen the government." Congress will no doubt feel the pressure to strike a deal and restore the government since the debt ceiling limit will be reached by the middle of October. No matter what kind of deal is struck the president is resolved in that he will not budge on the GOP's demands to delay the Affordable Health Care Act.
As a result of the federal shutdown almost one-million workers will be forced to go on unpaid leave until the government is back up and running. Despite the president's statement that the Affordable Care Act is not going anywhere Republicans are saying that they only way they will be able to agree on a funding plan for the federal government is if the act is delayed or altered. The Daily Mail is reporting that hours prior to the government shutdown Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said the members of the House GOP had "lost their minds."
The battle between democrats and the House GOP is waging on. On Monday the senate rejected a 54-46 party line vote that would be a House approved committee assigned to negotiate a deal, before the government shut down. The Senate rejected the deal because of the GOP's demands over Obama-care. Republicans are firm in their belief that their opposition of the Affordable Care Act is what the American people wants them to do. According to Time the GOP believes the people are urging them to "stay strong and stop the runaway train called the federal government." Reports suggest the government shutdown will last at least until Thursday.
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