Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has joined the growing chorus of moderate discontent. Hatch believes Obama’s refusal to negotiate with Republicans on the budget is the main reason for the government shutdown. Democrats plan to use Republicans to get back into the good graces of low informed Americans.
Sen. Hatch told Newsmax TV he had never seen anything like what the president has wrought in his 37-year career in government service. "Republicans think there's lots of room for consensus, but you've got to get Democrats to talk to you. We haven't had the president engaged, he's the only president in my 37-years in the Congress who just hasn't engaged, and he wants his way above all things.
Hatch is the Senate's most senior Republican and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.
Hatch confirmed Republicans have offered any number of concessions attempting to gain a budget deal. Not one was debated or even considered by the Democrats. That includes the proposal to delay Obamacare for a year, as the president has already done with the employer mandate clause of the law.
Hatch went on to say, "Presidents should work with Congress to stop fiscal impasses like this. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all negotiated over raising the debt ceiling, and ultimately included budget reforms. President Clinton and then Speaker Gingrich negotiated over the last government shutdown back in 1996. This president is unwilling to do it; the Democrats are unwilling to do it. They said take their position or leave and they've basically wanted this shutdown so they can blame Republicans for it."
"Frankly, it's very frustrating," Hatch said.
And it’s that frustration that will eventually pull moderate senators on the Democratic side into the national outrage. That is, if they wish to be re-elected next November.
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