August 01, 2013 02:43 PM UTC

This time Gardner says he's ready to allow government shutdown to repeal Obamacare

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• by: Jason Salzman

(Priorities – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Last month, Rep. Cory Gardner said he'd block an extension of the federal debt ceiling to "reduce the size and scope of government."

Today, Gardner stated on the radio that he'd allow the government to shut down, by holding up annual budget negotiations, in order to repeal Obamacare, explaining that "if the government gets shut down, it's going to be the President's decision to do so."

KOA's Mike Rosen let Gardner's salvo go by as if Gardner were talking about the weather.

Rosen: "Perhaps we can talk about some other items on the agenda, such as the current dispute, even with the Republican Party, about whether Republicans, who have a majority in the House, ought to take a stand now, as the continuing resolution question comes up, take a stand on Obamacare, and refuse to fund it, while at the same time, agreeing with a continuing resolution that would allow the rest of the federal government to operate. Have you got a position on that?

Gardner: I want to do anything and everything I can to stop Obamacare from destroying our health care, from driving up increases in costs. Whether that's through the continuing resolution, I want to defund everything that we can….

Rosen: There's a political concern that if the Republicans stand their ground on this [repealing Obamacare], they are going to be blamed for shutting down the government.

Gardner: Well, I think if the government gets shut down, it's going to be the President's decision to do so. I believe that we don't need to shut down the government because we ought to just lift this health-care bill out of the way and let America work.

Listen to Gardner saying he'll shut down government to repeal Obamacare 8.1.13

Rosen should invite Gardner back for a full discussion about the economic and political ramifications of a move by the House Republicans to block funding Obamacare and shut down the government in the process.