President Obama is urging long-time backers to pressure House Speaker
John Boehner and other congressional Republicans over health care, the
budget and the prospects of a government shutdown and credit default.
"Add
your voice," Obama said in an e-mail to members of Organizing For
Action. "Remind Speaker Boehner that Congress has a job to do."
If the White House and Congress are unable to agree on a new spending plan by Tuesday, parts of the government will shut down.
If Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling by mid-October, the government may default on some of its bills.
Some
Republicans say they will opposed any spending plan or a debt ceiling
increase unless one or the other defunds the Obama health care plan.
Obama's e-mail:
"One
Republican senator said that trying to shut down the government to
sabotage Obamacare is 'the dumbest idea I've ever heard.'
"I agree.
"But
that's the strategy of some far-right Republicans in Congress. They
know they risk creating another economic crisis if Congress doesn't pass
a budget in the next four days. That hasn't stopped them from pushing
us closer to the brink, obsessing over a proposal they know will never
pass.
"I called House Speaker John Boehner the other night to tell
him that Americans like you have worked too long and too hard to dig
our nation out of the financial crisis, and the last thing we need is
for Washington to manufacture another.
"I want to make sure that message gets through. Add your voice -- remind Speaker Boehner that Congress has a job to do.
"Every minute of every day, I'm focused on building a strong, secure middle class.
"Right
now, few things are more important than keeping our economy growing
from the middle out -- giving more Americans a chance at success.
"Washington
is full of powerful interests trying to stand in the way. They're
focused on making the right political moves, not on what's best for you.
"It's a part of Washington that is truly broken.
"We
won't fix it overnight, but folks like you at OFA have the power to
change politics as usual -- all because you've believed from the start
that, together, our voices can be powerful enough to make real change.
"The current standoff in Congress is no match for that.
"Over
the next few days, OFA will be asking a lot of you because there's a
lot at stake -- I hope you'll take this moment to get more involved and
inspire your friends and neighbors to speak out. Remind Congress who
sent them there in the first place.
"Start today by telling Speaker Boehner that Congress must come together to pass a budget:"
Thanks,
Barack