President Romney Warns Against Government Shutdown Threats
WOLFEBORO, N.H. –The White House has released a speech the President gave last August Purging his fellow Republicans not to shut down the government over the funding for the Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Romney jumped into the debate oon August sixth, warning congressional Republicans against forcing a government shutdown in their quest to stop the health care law patterned after Romney’s successful plan on Massachusetts.
Romney addressed more than 200 donors on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee at a fundraiser for the New Hampshire Republican Party, staged just four miles from the summer White House where the President spent much of the summer with his family. The event was closed to the media, but Press Secretary Tag Romney released the prepared remarks.
Romney warned his fellow Republicans against letting their hatred for President Obama drive their decisions.
“I too want Obamacare to go away, and stripping it of funds has appeal. But we need to exercise great care about any talk of shutting down government,” Romney said in the first speech of its kind since his November election loss to Obama. “What would come next when soldiers aren’t paid, when seniors fear for their Medicare and Social Security, and when the FBI is off duty?”
He continued: “I’m afraid that in the final analysis, Obamacare would get its funding, our party would suffer in the next elections, and the people of the nation would not be happy. I think there are better ways to remove Obamacare.”
Romney did not criticize anyone by name, but he dismissed the very strategy employed by some of his party’s biggest names – potential 2016 presidential candidates among them. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah are urging Republicans to swear off voting for any year-end spending bill that includes money for the president’s health care law. Parts of the federal government would shut down on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn’t approve a short-term funding bill before then.
In his speech, Romney acknowledged that some Republicans may not care for his perspective given the President’s role as Governor of neighboring Massachusetts.
“I’m probably not the first person you’d ask for advice,” he said. “But because we all learn from our mistakes, I may have a thought or two of value.”
Given the upcoming mid term election, the President warned that many of the GOP’s candidates my not be a electable. “My guess is that every one of our candidates d be better than whoever the Democrats put up,” he said. “But there will only be few who actually could win election in November.”