Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval  Watch |  Listen

Tennant: Reopen government first

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, said the first step toward ending the political stalemate on Capitol Hill is to fully reopen the government.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant is a Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate.

“We have to open it with a clean CR (continuing resolution),” said Tennant on Wednesday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”

After that, she said, negotiations involving all sides could begin on a long term spending plan that would also include raising the debt ceiling before the Oct. 17 deadline.

“We cannot go into default.  We’ve never done that in our country’s history.  We cannot do that,” she said.

Tennant said there have been plenty of missed chances for negotiations involving Democrats and Republicans before now, more than a week into the partial federal government shutdown.

“As I watch and as I read and as I follow this, there were a lot of opportunities for both sides to negotiate and now, here we are, coulda, woulda, shoulda,” she said.

“We needed to have the negotiations at that period, long before the deadline, and long before the deadline takes place of Oct. 17.”

President Barack Obama has proposed temporarily reopening the government and raising the debt limit and, only then, beginning longer-term budget negotiations.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner has rejected that and has, instead, called on Democrats to negotiate on additional GOP terms before a House vote on a full spending bill.

Tennant launched her U.S. Senate campaign last month.  If she wins the Democratic nomination in the May Primary Election, she’ll likely face Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito in the 2014 November General Election.





More News

News
Governor signs bill phasing out state taxes on Social Security and receives praise
The phase-out would mean a 35% cut retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024; 65% in 2025 and 100% in 2026.
March 28, 2024 - 11:46 am
News
West Virginia Parkways Authority prepares for Easter travelers on the Turnpike
More than 500,000 transactions are projected at the West Virginia Turnpike through Monday.
March 28, 2024 - 11:30 am
News
Governor vetoes vaccination exemption bill, and now that debate is primed to get even bigger
House Bill 5105 would have removed vaccination requirements for students in virtual public schools, and it also would have allowed private and parochial schools to set their own standards.
March 28, 2024 - 11:14 am
News
Lottery reports $50,000 Powerball ticket sold in Charleston
Four numbers and Power Ball matched.
March 28, 2024 - 10:24 am


Your Comments