President Obama again analogized workers walking off the job and “shutting down the plant” to House Republicans refusing to raise the debt ceiling Tuesday on the White House press conference:
Q: (Off mic) — if you enter into a series of short-term funding bills or a debt ceiling bill, you would be back in the same place, presumably, with these — the same members of Congress.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Again, I think –
Q: So what has changed in the political dynamic if you do the short-term — (inaudible) –
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I think — I think what has changed is they’re aware of the fact that I’m not budging when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States, that that has to be dealt with, that you don’t d– you don’t pay a ransom, you don’t provide concessions for Congress doing its job and America paying its bills.
And — and I think most people understand that. I mean, you know, I — I was at a small business the other day and talking to a bunch of workers, and I said, you know, when you’re at the plant and you’re in the middle of your job, do you ever say to your boss, you know what, unless I get a raise right now and more vacation pay, I’m going to just shut down the plant; I’m not going to just walk off the job, I’m going to break the equipment — I said, how do you think that would go?
They all thought they’d be fired. And I think most of us think that. You know, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise or asking for more time off. But you can’t burn down the plant or your office if you don’t get your way. Well, the same thing is true here. And I think most Americans understand that. All right?
Thank you very much, everybody.
The president used the same analogy last week which to many observers sounds curiously similar to labor unions and striking workers, a key liberal constituency:
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