Sen. Schumer: GOP Threat To Shut Down Government Is “Playing With Fire”

Senator Chuck Schumer appeared on CNN‘s State of the Union to sound some alarm bells and warn Republicans that their threats regarding a government shutdown are similar to “playing with fire.” Furthermore, he even suggested a depression would be possible if the Republicans were not willing to compromise.

Schumer argued that a shutdown “was a mistake when Newt Gingrich tried it in 1995. It’ll be a bigger mistake now.” He seemed most concerned with the fact that a shutdown or a failure to raise the debt ceiling could risk the credit markets losing confidence in the U.S. treasury, which could “create a deeper recession than we had over the last several years – god forbid, even a depression”

Also in a bit of an awkward moment, Schumer referred to the “three branches of government” as the House, the Senate and the President, and despite some feelings being hurt with the Supreme Court, such little verbal mistakes should not ruffle too many feathers. In the end Schumer reiterated his plea to Republicans over and over again, “I would urge my Republican colleagues that no matter how strongly they feel, it is playing with fire to risk the shutting down of the government just as it is playing with fire to not raise the debt ceiling.”

Watch the clip from CNN below:

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