Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks for watching. Ive been just Walking Around the office all day long, saying i cant believe they did it. I mean, they actually shut down the government. They actually have decided to hurt people because they didnt legislatively get their way. Elections dont matter. Oh, its the money that matters. You know, the backdrop of this is that the Republican Party always says that, oh, theyre for the private sector. The private sector. Theyre the champions of small business. Yet today theyre hurting small business. Theyre the champions of the entrepreneurs out there. You know what, folks, i come from the private sector. And you cant eat pr, okay . And if you dont do the work, you dont get paid. So a lot of americans, i think, are out there wondering, well, if the government is shut down, why are congressional members still on the payroll . Oh, wait a minute. They got this essential nonessential thing going on. What do you think . Health care essential to you . Oh, but theres a few out there that dont want to take the money. Lo and behold, unspoiled from the prairie, one of them is newly elected senator heidi hide camp who says she will not take the money. Her money is going to go to charity. I believe ted cruz said something about that. Here we get into the trust but verify, his money is probably going to go to sarah pac. Why are they on the payroll . Thats a side bar issue, but i think a lot of americans are kind of sorting this whole thing out. Because we know last night the republicans for the first time in 17 years shut down the United States government, because they didnt like the way it was all unfolding. It is truly a radical attempt to crush obama care. And these are the bad guys. These are the guys who want to hurt americans. Obama care went into effect today. Let me see if i can remember the number. 18003182596. See how easy that is . Dont get confused. The government shut down impacts real americans, average workers, your next door neighbor, 800,000 across america. And the economy will slowly drip. Average americans, im not convinced theyre sitting at home saying whats the next amendment . Its the day to day minutia that people arent paying attention to. Theyre not in this legislative wrangling. I believe this is where americans are right now. Theyre sitting at home, wondering, okay, whats this shutdown mean to me. How long is it going to last, who the heck is going to fix it, and are they really serious about us not having a functional government . The conservative mission all along has been to torpedo the economy and now we know at all costs. The first step, of course, is obstruction. The second step, this is phase two, shutting down the government. Thats what this is all about. President obama is playing it exactly the way he has to. Hes not impressed with House Republicans reckless behavior, and he placed the became earlier today right where it has to be. Add at midnight last night for the first time in 17 years, the republicans in congress chose to shut down the federal government. Let me be more specific. One faction of one party in one house of congress in one branch of government shut down major parts of the government. All because they didnt like one law. I urge House Republicans to reopen the government. Restart the Services Americans depend on. And allow the Public Servants who have been sent home to return to work. This is only going to happen when republicans realize, they dont get to hold the entire economy hostage over ideological demands. But they support the troops. Guys like this have been running around for years, saying that they support the troops. Theyre all about the troops. But today disabled veterans are being told that their checks wont be there on time. There will be some services that are cut. And in the long run, dont ever forget, these people dont give a damn about the troops. Theyre just a damn good prop. These antigovernment extremist republicans, well, they got their wish. Their mission has been accomplished. They shut down the government. Arent they huge . I guess you could say that sarah palins america is finally being realized. But the American People are rejecting it. 72 of americans oppose shutting down the government to stop obama care. And congressional approval is at a whopping 10 . Barely double figures. We now enter the next stage of what you could call the assignment of blame. The blame game is going to be upon us now. And make no mistake, this man right here, he is responsible for the shutdown. John boehner could have brought the senate bill to the floor, funding obama care, and the government could have brought it up for a vote, but he refused to do it. Republicans would have voted for it, and the government would have been funded. Instead, he caved canadian senator ted cruz and rest of the tea partiers in the house caucus, and boehner actually had the nerve to go on the floor, just couldnt say were not going to do it. He mocked the president of the United States. I talked to the president earlier tonight. Im not going to negotiate. Im not going to negotiate. Were not going to do this. Well, i would say to the president , this is not about me. And its not about republicans here in congress. Its about fairness for the American People. What . Fairness to who . This is anything but fair. Obama care is the law of the land. Congress has voted for t the American People voted for it a couple of times in reelecting the president. The Supreme Court has ruled on it. They upheld the law that the righties hate. Saying it was constitutional. President obama is exactly right. Not to go back and negotiate with the likes of boehner. All these republicans want to do is crush obama, thats right, the president , and his signature legislative accomplishment, which is obama care. Tarnish his legacy and just drive him right into the ground. Thats really what theyre all about, because you see, they dont like him. Last night congress and john larson took to the house floor. He had no problem giving republicans a piece of his mind. The American People in the greatest land, the greatest country in the world, deserve to have their government open. And they deserve to know where their members stand do you stand with your country . Do you stand for your country . Or do you want to take it down this evening . Stand up for your country stand up for america stand with us this evening and keep this government going in the name of fairness. No such thing as fairness anymore. Its all about winning. Just win, baby. Just win. The driving force behind all of this. And nobody is really pointing to it as much. Maybe we cant see the force because of the trees. Its citizens united. Republicans special Interest Groups. Theyve got this web around these guys. Theyve got this protectional protectionnary force around them called huge frickin money. These groups are calling the shots. There are literally hundreds of special Interest Groups out there just shouting out big bucks to these republicans and giving them cover. Controlling them like puppets. And, of course, were talking about wellknown players, big oil, which you subsidized. Big phrma, crossroads gps. The Heritage Foundation is out there. Americans for prosperity. And oh, by the way, lets not forget the koch brothers. They have never seen a liberal they wanted to see in office. Citizens united has given them the muscle and the guts to do whatever they want to do and dont Pay Attention to what the American People want or the election. This is all about election rejection. Polls . Who knows anything about polls . They dont know about polls. 95 of the American People wanted something done on Gun Legislation and background checks. That didnt matter to republicans. Theyve got citizens undered. They have all of this money behind them, all they have to do is vote. The way the big boys want them to and to hell with the American People. They are giving these wacko politicians cover and license to circumvent democracy in this country. And you know who is trying to save this . The democrats. The Democrats Holding their caucus together is the key right now. And i can tell you, as this showdown unfolds, somebody is going to lose. You and i are losing right now. Were just the taxpayers. But somebody is going to lose. We know that polls dont move the republicans, only big money does. The big loss is going to be definitely for the progressives if the democrats move. They think the the republicans think the game is over and we lost, but we want another set of downs. This is election rejection. Thats all it is. They dont care about dp accuracy. They only care about power. And all of us liberals out there are just kicking ourselves that when we had the white house, the house in the senate, we didnt go for the jugular, the way these guys do. Get your cell phones out. I want to know what you think. Tonights question. Are republicans special Interest Groups dangerous for democracy . A for yes, b for no to 67622. Always go to our blog at ed. Msnbc. Com. Well bring the results later in the show. For more, let me bring in steny hoyer of maryland. My sources are telling me behind closed doors this is the man very responsible for holding the democrats together. There have been no breaks in ranks for the democrats. And its almost like its a moment of real severity for the Progressive Movement in america. They cannot allow obama care to be taken down in any form or fashion. Congressman, great to have you with us tonight. Good to be with you, ed. Thank you. Is there any way democrats are going to let boehner chip away at obama care . No. This bill was hardfought. We now see the first day in my state literally tens of thousands of people were signing up early this morning. They were so excited about having finally access to Affordable Quality Health care and have insurance so democrats are going to stand strong on this bill. We think its good for america. We think its good for the people. We think its good for our families and children. And were not going to allow this to be turned around and to be repealed. I might say, ed, the irresponsibility that were seeing on the other side of the aisle, shutting down government, taking hostage a bill which, as you pointed out, was supported by the president of the United States, the issue in the last president ial election was this very bill. Obama was reelected. But elections apparently dont make a difference to this crowd. They dont care. So worry going to fight to make sure that the Affordable Care act goes into effect, gives the kind of protection and security that people in this country need. I want all americans healthy, because well be a better, stronger country, and our economy will grow, and well create jobs if thats the case. Congressman, is this John Boehners fault . Its certainly the fault of the Republican Leadership of which john boehner is one. Okay. He has the ability to put on the floor the continuing resolution which funds government and, by the way, ed, and this is important for your viewers to know. At the levels set by the republicans. Yes. They wont take yes for an answer. Yeah. The sequester level. And, by the way, in the next few months, we have to change the sequester, because it will undermine the National Security of our country, undermine the economy and job creation. And so is this the pregame show . The big play is going to be, you know, the debt ceiling coming down the road and the budget and what not. Is this just going to be the way the country is going to be running . Whats the solution here, steny . The solution is to reason together and to stop simply following unreasonable, ideological courses that says my way or the highway. That doesnt work in a democracy. In a democracy, we come together, and reach an agreement. Realizing that some were elected by republicans, some were elected by democrats, some were more independent. But the fact of the matter is, the American People expect a democracy to work. And the only way our families work and our democracy works is if we work together. Congressman, keep that caucus together. That is the real key. I hear it on radio all day long. Progressives in this country are concerned that theres going to be a break in the ranks and that the republicans will get something on obama care. Its great to hear you say thats not going to happen tonight. I appreciate what youre doing. Thanks so much. Were working on it, thank you, ed. Thank you, sir. Congressman steny hoyer with us, minority whip for the democrats in the house. Keep in mind, it is citizens united. Its the big money behind all of this. Polls dont matter. We can throw out 72 all day long. The thing thats going to make a difference right now as i see it, are progressives and liberals in this country who are going to get behind the people that have stood up for them all along. And that is president obama. I thought the president was very strong yesterday. Lets bring in congressman john larson of connecticut, who told it like it is. Last night on the house floor. Congressman, good to have you with us. Always good to be with you, ed. No one could have done it any better. You laid it right there. Its about the country. Why cant they realize that . Well, you know, it is about the country. And it breaks my heart, both as a student of history and to know that this is totally preventible. And, you know, when you have one person in a small minority, ted cruz, id logically is driving this train, its got to be confounding. I know there are good republicans that are out there. Peter king and others who have been quite vocal. We need that part of the caucus, the moderate wing, however many of them are left in the Republican Party, to stand up. You think theyll do it . And recognize we cant take this country this way. You think theyll do it . I hope so. They keep on saying they will. But you pointed out on your show, money has a lot to do with this, and the influence of money pouring into that. You agree with that . Yes, i do. I think that money and threats of primaries, if they go against the grain, if they do anything other than what ted cruz tells them to do. Right now cruz is both Senate Minority leader and speaker of the house. Well, i want to play a clip from Senate Minority leader mitch mcconnell. Here it is. Democratic leaders in Congress Finally have their prize. A Government Shutdown that no one seems to want. But them. So we know the democrats who shut down the government will yell and point fingers. They have already started that particular routine. They will say it was the mean old republicans. Congressman, whats your reaction to that . Well, you know, ed, im an old history teacher. And i remember George Washingtons fair well address. And in that address, his admonition to the country was as follows, he was concerned about excessive party spirit. But most of all, concerned about what would happen when a small group within the government was at war with its own government. Thats what were witnessing. Mitch mcconnell, a traditionalist, is trying to fend it off. John boehner, an institutionalist, is trying to fend it off. But ted cruz is whats driving this train. They are at war with their own government, and theyre seeking to take it down. And john boehner thats a shame. And john boehner wont bring it to the floor house, because he knows it will pass but that would be bad, bad stuff for the republicans, right . John boehner is either going to go down in history as one of the courageous speakers, or hes going to go down as one of the worst, based on how he handles this going forward. I have Great Respect for him. He is a decent person. And i know this must really drive him crazy at his core, because he is an institutionalist. But its his responsibility. He is the speaker of the entire house. Yeah. Congressman john larson, good to have with you us tonight. Appreciate your time. Thank you for your passion. It motivated me. Thank you. Coming up, fox news stages a glitch watch on obama care and the big rollout today. Plus, Womens Health is under attack by republicans again. Thats right. Stay with us. 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