Posted on 10/05/2013 9:14:23 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
PANAMA CITY — For U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, the federal government shutdown is a fight to hold every American to the same standard under the country’s new health care law.
Along with the House Republican majority, Southerland, R-Panama City, has backed resolutions to eliminate Affordable Care Act subsidies for members of Congress and delay the individual mandate for a year to avert a government shutdown. Democrats have said they will not negotiate until the government is reopened and the debt limit raised.
Southerland said the Democratic-controlled Senate’s rejection of the proposal and refusal to negotiate is setting a dangerous precedent for the country.
“That is a glaring statement to America that we know you’re in pain, we know you’re hurting, but we don’t have to step down in your pain with you,” Southerland said. “That is unacceptable.”
The sophomore congressman cited Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid’s actions as a refusal to believe in the principles of democracy and the nation at large.
“I think it’s very germane to the existence of our republic that no one receive special treatment and we hold everyone to the same standard,” he said. “I think this is very critical to how we move forward in this country.”
As the blame game continues in Washington, Southerland, too, questioned the motives of the Democratic Party, stating he believed they wanted the government to shut down.
“It’s kind of like committing a crime and planting someone else’s fingerprints on the weapon,” he said. “It’s called framing someone.”
Amid the finger-pointing, Democratic political action committees (PACs) used the shutdown to label Republicans as irrational and irresponsible.
House Majority PAC, a group working to help Democrats win back the House of Representatives, announced a multimedia campaign Thursday with Southerland, who has been dubbed a “tea party insider” by the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, as the main target.
Gwen Graham, who is running for Southerland’s seat in 2014, urged the congressman to donate his congressional salary to charity until a budget is passed to keep the government open.
“I think that would be the right statement to make, when literally hundreds of thousands of Americans aren’t being paid,” said Graham, a Leon County Democrat whose father is former Florida Gov. Bob Graham. “Southerland talks about special benefits not being available for members of Congress, and it is special to be able to behave like children and still keep their jobs.”
Graham described the shutdown as a “human disaster,” citing it as a budgetary issue and not an issue with the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare.
“People are fed up with Congress acting like children,” she said. “We need to fund the government and get the doors back open, get the parks back open and get the people back to work.”
Southerland, however, maintained the House has passed a budget every year he’s held the seat.
“The fact is, each and every year we have passed a budget, but it has been Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats who have refused to do so,” Southerland said.
Southerland noted the country has instead been operating through a continuing resolution with what he called “ridiculously irresponsible” spending limits.
“We are going bankrupt,” he said. “That’s where we are.”
In response to Graham’s pay challenge, Southerland said he also has co-sponsored a bill to withhold his Congressional pay during the shutdown.
Southerland urged people to connect with his office and other lawmakers to weigh in on the issue.
“I think when you fight for a principle that every American should be treated equally, I think that’s a moral issue,” he said. “What happens to America if we become a country where we have special interests? Freedom doesn’t look like that.”
this can go on forever as far as i care.
83% of the frickin fedgov beast is still operational. hardly shutdown.
shut it all down. stop president cornhole’s paycheck.
* Compliance with Obamacare violates Doctor Patient Confidentiality.
* Obamacare is in violation of the Doctors Hippocratic Oath as follows:
” - - - All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. - - - “
Another line of legal reasoning involves comparing Obamacare to all the do’s and don’ts the Federal Government has put into Law about our “privacy rights” such as HIPPA, questions that future employers can and cannot ask at one’s job interview, etc.
A criminal at arrest time has the “right to remain silent” which is not an option for any of us - - - , as our Doctors have been forced by the damn Federal Government to betray us over our very loud protests.
Class Action Suit anyone?
Might be something for Senators Cruz and Lee to file for us!
Democrats have said they will not negotiate until the government is reopened and the debt limit raised.
In other words, we give them everything they want and they give us a promise to talks. Sure, great deal.
exactly. but it’s not like it’s awful for anyone when only 17% of the fedgov monster is shut down. if only 17% were working and 83% were shut down then the dems would feel a lot more pressure.
After the gub'mint is reopened and the debt limit raised, what would be left to negotiate? Complete surrender and disbanding of the Repub Party?
Southerland is my Congressman. He is another Marco Rubio. Bought and paid for by big agriculture. A champion of amnesty.
This is the winning message that every single Republican should be POUNDING every time they are near a camera or a microphone.
Actually, this is a good theme for us to hammer. We’re not asking for the world, just that Congress — and obummer’s buddies — be ruled by the same laws as everyone else.
Southerland, too, questioned the motives of the Democratic Party, stating he believed they wanted the government to shut down. "It's kind of like committing a crime and planting someone else's fingerprints on the weapon," he said. "It's called framing someone."
He used to be mine. He is “sorta conservative.” I’d rather he be beholden to agriculture than the unions and he is a big step up from Allen Boyd.
But, as long as Allen Bense is alive, that district will follow his lead.
It is one of those situations where you’d have to vote for the least evil.
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