CNN’s Chris Cuomo put Republican Representative Mo Brooks’ feet to the fire in this interview on the heels of a House vote to avert a government shutdown. Whether or not that will come to pass is still in the hands of the Senate.
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While we wait to see if the Senate will push the whole thing over the cliff, Cuomo asked Brooks the operative question: Should he get paid if the government shuts down? Watch his response.
Should Congress get paid during a government shutdown? CNN's Chris Cuomo and Rep. Mo Brooks discuss https://t.co/ANa8kScl5e pic.twitter.com/Ct08K2WA6w
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2018
Brooks’ response is indicative of how Republicans look at this whole mess. He dodges responsibility for their actions and shifts both the conversation and the onus onto someone else. In this case, it’s the hardworking cadre of civil servants who keep the government up and running.
These are people with careers in government who simply need to pay their mortgages. Brooks describes forcing them to forgo pay as an opportunity to “enjoy the benefits of vacation.” He completely ignores the fact that Republicans forcing this government shutdown denies hardworking Americans the pay they rely on to keep the lights on.
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The least he can do is to stand by in solidarity, take responsibility, and forgo his own pay. But his dodgy response shows he’s nowhere near capable of taking the high road.