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SUMMERVILLE — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Republicans have plenty of room to negotiate with Democrats but will not compromise to end the government shutdown. He warned that giving in now to Democratic demands on health care would only perpetuate the pattern of both parties using shutdowns for political leverage. “There’s plenty of things we can do, but we’re just not doing the government shutdown,” Graham, R-S.C., told The Post and Courier Oct. 27 following a lunchtime speaking appearance in Dorchester County. “If you do it now, it never ends.” He later put a finer point on it, saying, “You just don’t want to start rewarding taking hostages.” As the federal shutdown stretches into its fourth week, Graham said Congress must first pass a short-term spending measure to reopen the government, then lawmakers can debate broader policy issues. He blamed both Democrats and Republicans for using shutdowns as a political weapon, including the longest shutdown on record, the 35-day standoff in 2018 when Republicans tried to get funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. “That turned out to be a mistake,” Graham said. “If the only way you can get your agenda passed is to shut the government down, then that’s not a healthy thing for the country,” he said ahead of the legislative lunch hosted by the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce. He went on to propose a sharp consequence for lawmakers: If the government shuts down on their watch, they should forfeit a month’s pay for each week it remains closed with no backpay once it reopens. It’s an idea Graham plans to introduce as a bill. It received a round of applause when he floated it in his speech to area-business leaders. “We need to fix this. This is dangerous. It’s irresponsible,” he said. “I’m hoping this will be the week that we have a breakthrough.” Others are hoping the same. The country’s largest union representing federal workers on the same day called on lawmakers to pass a short-term spending measure to immediately end the government shutdown. Its president also urged Democrats to abandon their current position and join Republicans in supporting a stopgap solution.
