Lawmakers Getting Earful From Constituents After Shutdown
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Lawmakers ended the government shutdown earlier this week with a last-minute deal.
But it could all happen again early next year if a long-term deal isn't reached.
The government is up and running, default on the nation's credit card has been averted, but it's just a temporary three-month fix.
After voting to end the government shutdown, members of Congress are back in their home districts. And they're getting an earful from their constituents who never want this to happen again.
Sen. Bob Casey says he and others were made aware of the outrage and concern of the shut-down.
"We had something on the order of 25,000 pieces of mail during the shutdown and the overwhelming percentage of that are folks expressing concern or outrage about what was happening," Casey says.
Casey also says no elected official should support a shutdown.
Democrat Casey says the image of Congress suffered another hit because of Republicans.
"I think that got a lot worse because of the Tea Party shutdown," Casey says.
Republican Congressman Tim Murphy won't predict the future, saying compromise depends on Democrats.
"We also have to stop the days when the President says he's not going to work with us, not going to compromise," says Congressman Murphy.
Both sides continue to blame each other, although lawmakers do understand.
According to Casey, Murphy and others, the key is hearing from more constituents because special interests like shutdowns and credit defaults as weapons.
"We really need to make sure we are representing locally, so these outside groups from Washington DC or wherever they're coming from, I don't pay attention to them. I pay attention to what people in my district are saying," Murphy says.
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