Today, Democratic candidate for United States Congress in Maryland’s First District Bill Tilghman issued a statement about the agreement reached in Congress to avoid federal default and end the two week shutdown of the federal government. “I join many Americans today in breathing a sigh of relief that Congress has finally agreed to suspend the nation’s debt limit and reopen the federal government. However, given the fact that Congress has set the table for another manufactured debt ceiling crisis in February, I fear that our nation will be forced to the brink of catastrophe once again,” said Tilghman.
“One person who appears dismayed that America did not default on paying our bills is First District incumbent Andy Harris, who when given the clear choice between extremism and pragmatism, again has chosen extremism, voting to plunge our country into unthinkable turmoil,” Tilghman stated. “Mr. Harris has a track record of obstructionism that makes him part of the problem in Washington. When considering how to vote, Mr. Harris cares more about his score from extremists groups than he does about the voters of the First District,” Tilghman said.
“American democracy works, this much we know; but this latest crisis represents not a failure of the American system of government, but a failure on the part of those elected to lead that democracy,” Tilghman said. “We should not expect different results from the people in Washington, until we change the people in Washington,” Tilghman said.
“While major catastrophe has for now been avoided, these political antics have needlessly risked the full faith and credit of the United States and threatened our economic recovery. They represent the height of irresponsibility. The fact remains that our current government functions only in the shadow of catastrophe. What we need are real conversations about federal spending, about entitlement reform, and about health care and those conversations will only happen if obstructionists like Mr. Harris learn the lesson of this nationally embarrassing moment.” Tilghman said.
For Immediate Release
October 17, 2013
Contact: 410-758-7055
Paula Ruckelshaus says
Editor,
Both Mr. Tilghman and Dr. La Ferla could not be more correct in their assessments of Congressman Harris’ positions on issues of concern to his constituents. In addition to voting for the government shutdown and his adamant, dogged efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act that will deliver affordable health insurance to millions of Americans, Mr. Harris is also a co-sponsor of House Bill 2767 – Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners ( PATH Act) that would extinguish Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, phase out government guarantees on mortgage loans and dramatically restructure and target the purpose of FHA. Adoption of this legislation – which is opposed by the National Association of Realtors and many others in the housing industry – would effectively hinder families access to quality homeownership.
It is clear that Mr. Harris is more focused on garnering points on his Tea Party-based voting record scorecards than he is on addressing the needs and interests of the majority of his First District constituents. It’s time for a change.