Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Democrats are prepared to keep the government shut down for at least several more weeks, Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told Newsmax on Monday.
Appearing on "Wake Up America," McCormick told co-hosts Marc Lotter and Sharla McBride that Schumer is "willing to dig in" and appears intent on extending the standoff.
"From what I’ve understood, Schumer has cleared his schedule for November," McCormick said. "In other words, he’s really willing to dig in.
"He wants the pain. He wants this fight."
McCormick criticized Democrats for holding out in negotiations, arguing they are seeking to achieve through a shutdown what they couldn’t accomplish even when they controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House.
"When they were in charge — when they had the House, the Senate, and the presidency — they could not pass what they’re asking for right now in the minority," he said.
"If they get their way for this, that means they could rule from the minority. We simply cannot give in because if we do, next year they’ll do exactly the same thing."
Calling the ongoing budget impasse "the longest complete shutdown of the government ever," McCormick said Democrats’ approach is irresponsible and harmful to the American people.
“To be held hostage by the minority is ridiculous,” he said. “Shame on them.
"We need to get back to the table so we can actually do it the constitutional way of fixing this budget.”
McCormick also warned against Senate Republicans’ reported consideration of scrapping the filibuster to pass the House’s continuing resolution and reopen the government, saying it would destroy a vital legislative safeguard.
"I think you have to be careful what you wish for," he said. "Any time a president has extreme power, both sides can use it.
"Same thing with Congress, same thing with the Senate. I’m very concerned with taking that away because it’s great when you’re in power — it is horrible when you’re in the minority. It was put there for a reason."
He cautioned that eliminating the 60-vote threshold would “mess with fire,” undermining checks and balances designed to protect minority viewpoints in the Senate.
Turning to foreign policy, McCormick praised President Donald Trump’s diplomatic achievements in Southeast Asia.
He highlighted his recent trip to Cambodia and Thailand, where he said Trump’s peace efforts had earned remarkable goodwill.
"To have those prisoners of war exchanged, to have peace in that area — only President Trump could get that done," said McCormick, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
"In Cambodia, monks who had taken a vow of silence broke it just to praise Trump."
McCormick also lauded Trump’s upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying Trump remains uniquely suited to confront Beijing on trade and security.
"It should surprise nobody that President Trump is high energy, still circling the world," McCormick said. "What he’s doing in China is really important.
"I don’t really trust them, but President Trump is the right guy to deal with them."
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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