Sen.
Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is glad that the government shutdown is over, but
she’s angry that a reckless faction pulled a political stunt that was so costly
to so many.
I agree
with Warren totally. Here’s the e-mail she sent out about the shutdown and near
government default:
I'm glad
that the government shutdown has ended, and I'm relieved that we didn't default
on our debt.But I want to be clear: I am not
celebrating tonight.Yes, we prevented an economic
catastrophe that would have put a huge hole in our fragile economic recovery.
But the reason we were in this mess in the first place is that a reckless
faction in Congress took the government and the economy hostage for no good
purpose and to no productive end.According to the S&P index, the
government shutdown had delivered a powerful blow to the U.S. economy. By their
estimates, $24 billion has been flushed down the drain for a completely
unnecessary political stunt.$24 billion dollars. How many children
could have been back in Head Start classes? How many seniors could have had a
hot lunch through Meals on Wheels? How many scientists could have gotten their
research funded? How many bridges could have been repaired and trains upgraded?
The Republicans keep saying,
"Leave the sequester in place and cut all those budgets." They keep
trying to cut funding for the things that would help us build a future. But
they are ready to flush away $24 billion on a political stunt.So I'm relieved, but I'm also pretty
angry.We have serious problems that need to
be fixed, and we have hard choices to make about taxes and spending. I hope we
never see our country flush money away like this again. Not ever.It's time for the hostage taking to
end. It's time for every one of us to say, "No more."
Thanks, Elizabeth. You are such a great
voice for American consumers.
