Al Gore: Threat of shutdown is 'political terrorism'
Washington (CNN) - Former Vice President Al Gore unleashed some biting words Friday on the Republican-led strategy to defund Obamacare or risk a government shutdown.
"The only phrase that describes it is political terrorism," he said at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
[twitter-follow screen_name='politicalticker'] [twitter-follow screen_name='KilloughCNN']
"Nice global economy you get there," he continued, imitating what he sees as the GOP position. "It'd be a shame if we had to destroy it. We have a list of demands. If you don't meet them all by our deadline, we'll blow up the global economy."
The Democratic-led Senate voted Friday to strip language from a House bill that funds the government but defunds the federal health care law. The Senate version no longer includes the Obamacare provision, and the bill now goes back to the House. If Congress doesn't reach a deal by midnight Monday, the so-called non-essential parts of government go into shutdown.
Conservatives say they're not trying to shut down the government; rather, they say their plan keeps the government afloat. If the measure fails, it's the Democrats who are voting against it, they say. Many Senate Republicans, however, say the plan is too dangerous.
Gore laid out the legislative process through which the health care law passed in 2010 and referred to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the law last year. He called conservatives' strategy "despicable" and "dishonorable," insisting a government shutdown would have far-reaching effects.
"You want to threaten not only to shut down our government but to blow up the world economy unless we go back and undo what we did according to the processes of our democracy? How dare you," he said forcefully.
Recalling his experience growing up around and working in politics, Gore said he has a distinct view of how the U.S. political climate has changed over the last six decades.
"Our democracy has been hacked," he argued, saying the growing influence of special interest money has festered in the country's "very sick political culture."
"Most of our elected officials are forced by this system, to spend five hours a day on the telephone raising money or going to cocktail parties and events to raise money from special interests," he added. "It's a kabuki routine."
The former vice president also managed to slip in a veiled swipe against Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who staged a nearly 22 hour marathon speech on the Senate floor in protest of Obamacare this week.
"Many men and women who I wish were in politics aren't in politics now. Why would they be? And some who I wish weren't in Congress are speaking for long stretches of time," he said, to laughter.
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Isn't this the same loser that said that he invented the internet and that we are responsible for global warming? A loser from the get go, but a forever hero the the democrat liberals and the liberal media.
Most of the stuff he is mocked about is turning out to be true,
@ the real Fair is Fair
Fair is fair
Manbearpig! Lol
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Ummmmmm... would it be too much to ask for you to get your own handle?
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Its regretable the our vapid tea folks will commondere the "handle" of someone whose intelligence I respect, just can't understand her politics to a once proud party that is now dead and gone. I hope you get it back "the real Fair is Fair" but your party is now home to those that respect no one and nothing...just hate, division and destruction. "strapping bombs to their chest is very appropo" Just get out of the way "Fair"
Osama Bin Laden's main goal for the 9/11 attacks was to damage our economy. The Tea Party seems bent on doing the same. If Ted Cruz decides to run for President in 2016 and birthers support him, it will be interesting to see why the feel Cruz is eligible for the White House and Obama wasn't.
Allow me to translate, when you require a law that has been upheld by the supreme court to be repealed before you pass a budget or cr, that is calling for you to get your way or else, say good bye to the gop
don in albuquerque
@FaIr is Fair-Are you on drugs. Manbearpig. I'm serial. Drugs or just stupid.
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Anyone want to explain it to don? Apparently he should have taken that left turn at alburquerque.
@Mike in Texas
Osama Bin Laden's main goal for the 9/11 attacks was to damage our economy. The Tea Party seems bent on doing the same. If Ted Cruz decides to run for President in 2016 and birthers support him, it will be interesting to see why the feel Cruz is eligible for the White House and Obama wasn't.
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you are 100% spot on....but don't start speaking facts you will totally confuse the "wacko bird" Tea Trolls we have posting this site. They don't need no stinking facts....SHUT UR' DOWN!
I was right....Stupid.
it looks like bloated al gore has taken a moment out of his busy day of pounding down potato chips and milk shakes in order to slur a few words to the media.... i just wanna say is it getting warm around here or am i getting fat?!
What's in that tea anyway?
@ the real Fair is Fair
Fair is fair
Manbearpig! Lol
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Ummmmmm... would it be too much to ask for you to get your own handle?
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Handle names are CASE SENSITIVE. Note the spelling difference.
I thinik the Moderators are well aware of hijacking, particularly for Fair.
I have not seen anyone hijack the exact spelling in months, but they used to do it.
@Mike in Texas
Thanks to volatile words like yours this is the type of country we live in. By your reasoning Obama is also damaging the economy by his uncontrolled government spending, right? Obamacare, as predicted by the Republicans, is not estimated as over twice the projected cost from what the Democrats were willing to admit to. In addition, they view Obamacare as a revenue source instead of what it should really have done which was address key medical insurance issues and close loopholes of insurance companies. All of which could have been done without a massive, unread, pork project that it has become. It seems that fact is only convenient when the Democrats are able to redefine it to their liking. Such a disgrace...
Don in Albuquerque.
Manbearpig was Al Gore on South Park if I remember correctly. It's been some years since my kid basically forced me to watch it.
ladyjag
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, will show the Teaparty and the idiots in CONGRESS, we will vote you out, and you can be fired. WE NEED TERM LIMITS.
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typical delusional liberal/leftist/democrat/progressive/socialist/communist/obamadroid.... these people were just elected by the american people and they were elected to do exactly what they are doing. elections have conseuences and the democrats lost the house in record fashion in 2010 because of obamacare. just wait until 2014! another huge bunch of democrts are getting the boot thanks to obama and obamacare. his approval ratings should be down around 20% by then.