Dem Congressman: ‘Absurd’ to Hold State of the Union Address During Shutdown
Congressman Max Rose (D-NY) used an interview on Wednesday with Fox News’ Harris Faulkner to rail against the practice of government shutdowns being used to drive political agendas.
The conversation revolved around the news that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is asking President Trump to postpone his address to the nation while the battle over the government shutdown continues. Ross found it incredulous that the address could still end up happening in the middle of a shutdown, even if he was optimistic that the Secret Service would be prepared for it.
“Are we honestly going to have a State of the Union address during a shutdown?” Rose asked. “The State of the Union is that we are not open for business. Okay? Let’s open this government back up, then I am more than happy to attend my first State of the Union address. I would be incredibly excited to do so. This is absurd, though.”
“You might have wanted to tell your House Speaker that,” Faulkner replied as she asked him about whether Democrats will ever work with Republicans on this. Rose responded that there’s bipartisan support in having the government re-open with ongoing negotiations on border security, though he reiterated that “we cannot use shutdowns as a tool of negotiation.”
“We cannot bring our government up to this brink of crisis,” Rose said. “This is a national crisis right now.”
“You’re calling the shutdown that?” Faulkner asked.
“It absolutely is a national crisis,” Rose replied. “You cannot catalyze one so as to advance what is a political agenda in the end.”
“Do you say that to members of your own party? Are you telling Democrats that?” Faulkner asked.
Rose answered that he doesn’t owe his allegiance to the Democratic Party, and any future Democratic presidents shouldn’t use a shutdown to get their way either.
“This is just wrong!” he concluded.
Watch above, via Fox News.
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