Rep. Mike Johnson: GOP Doesn’t Want Gov. Shutdown but Americans Have ‘Had Enough’ of Destructive Democrat Policies

Americans have “had enough” of Democrat policies “destroying” our economy and security, according to House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who asserted that the GOP seeks a change in how Washington works and is genuinely trying to prevent a government shutdown.

Addressing the House on Tuesday, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized a shutdown is not something the Republican Party wants.

“I just heard one of our colleagues over here suggest that somehow Republicans are in favor of a government shutdown — no one desires a government shutdown,” he stated. 

“What we desire and what we are working towards is changing how Washington works,” he explained. “That’s the commitment that we made to the American people; that’s why they gave us the majority.”

This fight is about changing the way Washington works — to force an end to the reckless spending, corruption, weaponization of federal agencies, and open borders that are destroying our country's liberty, opportunity, and security. pic.twitter.com/ijezLCh83Q

— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) September 27, 2023

According to Rep. Johnson, that can only happen by changing the “decades of reckless spending and corruption,” as he called for various other changes. 

“We have to change the weaponization of the federal agencies that are designed to protect and serve the American people and instead are being used against them. We have to change the opening of the borders that is destroying our communities and contributing to the rising crime wave. We have to change the way that the Biden administration is administering the economy,” he argued.

“We have to change the radical shift, the forced transition, that they’re trying to push us into [with] this radical green energy transition — it’s nonsense,” the conservative lawmaker added.

He concluded by noting that the American people “have had enough.” 

“They see the Democrat policies destroying our economy, destroying our security, destroying opportunity for their children and grandchildren — and we are taking a stand here,” the GOP representative stated. 

“We’re operating in good faith [and] we’re negotiating together for the best outcome for the people and we do not desire a shutdown,” he added.

The matter comes as both the Congress and the White House have until Saturday to reach a consensus on the budgetary legislation to support the government in order to avoid a shutdown. 

On Monday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) weighed in on the possibility of a federal government shutdown, saying she gives the scenario a 50-50 chance of occurring.

In the event of a shutdown, the South Carolina Republican lawmaker expressed her belief that Republicans would take the fall.

“Well, it’s always going to be blamed on the Republicans,” she said. “But if you are watching and you’re paying attention to what the federal government and Congress has done over the last 20 or 30 years, you would know that this problem was created by both sides of the aisle.” 

“And if we avoid a shutdown, it’ll be because Republicans teamed up with Democrats to spend more money than ever in the history of the United States to keep the government open,” she added. “And so that’s where I have a lot of concern and trepidation and frustration that all of this could have been avoided with leadership on spending.”