As the threat of a federal government shutdown looms, members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation are pointing to a lack of leadership, but who gets tarred with that allegation depends on the accuser’s party affiliation.
“fundamentally I see a lack of leadership. We can point fingers both ways, but what bothers me the most is the president knows we have a budget problem, he knows we have a fiscal problem, he knows the economy is not growing like it needs to, and he needs to engage on these issues,” said 1st District Representative Paul Ryan, a Republican. “And yes, he has to engage with the other party.”
But 2nd District Representative, Madison Democrat Mark Pocan, suggests the real negotiations need to be between the House Republican leadership and the chamber’s Tea Party faction. “Republicans who aren’t the Tea Party extremists are just kind of grasping at how to explain this hostage taking,” Pocan said. “It’s hard to explain why they continue to vote with the hostage takers when they know it’s wrong. It’s a tough place to be, and I understand that, but at the same time they have to show some leadership.”
Republicans tied a one year delay in implementation of the affordable Care Act to a continuing resolution to fund the federal government. The Senate voted Monday to kill the amendment delaying Obamacare, putting the measure back before the House with a midnight deadline.