Ed Markey: “radical Republicans in Congress are preparing again to take political hostages in order to force President Clinton to…”

“radical Republicans in Congress are preparing again to take political hostages in order to force President Clinton to accept their extreme agenda. If insanity consists of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, legislative lunacy is shutting down the Federal Government for a third time and expecting public support. Having learned nothing from the two Government shutdowns they manufactured last year, key Republican leaders are threatening to force yet another fiscal crisis unless they get a substantial share of their agenda. They're threatening to load up funding bills with extremist riders and let the United States go into default unless the President agrees to give massive tax breaks for the rich paid for by deep cuts in Medicare, education, and the environment. Last fall, the Republicans launched their first fiscal strike, shutting down the Government for 5 days. In December, the GOP launched their second strike, shutting down the Government for 3 weeks. If there is another Government shutdown or a default, the American people have every right to go to the polls in November and tell the GOP: "Three Strikes and You're Out."”