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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Shut Government? Watch It, GOP

There have got to be at least 2016 reasons why anybody in Congress with a lick of sense should avoid association with Government Shutdown II (GSII) should it come to that on Friday or next week. The GOP - your "New Republican Congress," which is how Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst dubbed this 214th assembly as she gave her State of the Union response last month - introduced this group as a body that was going to govern and get things done. We hope she and her colleagues are at the ready to explain the compromising of the Department of Homeland Security by not funding it during a time of heightened terror threats.

Even though much of the DHS would still report for work - "essential" personnel covers a lot of what DHS does - it still would be a needless disruption that political leaders will own. We remind the GOP that Obama is not running for re-election in 2016, but most of your "New Republican Congress" and a GOP presidential nominee will be. If they allow GSII, they will deserve all repercussions/Idaho Statesman Editorial Board. More here.

Question: Do you agree/disagree with the editorial that the new Republican Congress will face repercussions if it shuts down government again?


Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/02/25/3663035_shut-it-down-watch-it-gop.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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