Gingrich To House: There Are Fates Worse Than A Shutdown

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is urging his Republican colleagues to stick to their guns over spending, even in the face of a government shut down.

“Work to keep the government open, unless it requires breaking your word to the American people and giving up your principles,” Gingrich said Friday in a Washington Post op-ed. “Becoming one more promise-breaking, Washington-dominated, sellout group is a much worse fate - politically and ethically - than having the government close for a few days.”

Added Gingrich, “Another shutdown of the federal government is not an ideal result, but for House Republicans, breaking their word would be far worse.”

Gingrich oversaw two government shutdowns in the 1990’s after President Bill Clinton vetoed Republican’s spending proposals. While the shutdowns are widely believed to have hurt the GOP politically, Gingrich argued the effort was ultimately worth it since it ended with a series of balanced budgets.

Both parties have clashed over funding the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, with Republicans demanding deeper cuts than Democrats are willing to accept. Current funding is scheduled to expire on March 4th if a compromise is not reached.