White House: GOP 'ideological' agenda threatens global economy

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The White House said Tuesday Republicans are "hitching the fate of the economy -- the American economy and the global economy -- to their ideological agenda."

During the daily briefing with reporters, White House press secretary Jay Carney said President Barack Obama would accept a short-term continuing resolution to fund government operations and avert a shutdown "that would allow Congress the time to reach a broader agreement" on a budget.

"Unfortunately what we have seen from some Republicans is a desire to refight and relitigate old battles, and to be willing to shut down the government -- doing harm to the middle class -- and to be willing, even to allow the United States to default -- something we have never done in our history -- if they don't get what they want," Carney said.

He said Republican congressional leaders, in the interest of serving "the ideological agenda of a faction of the Republican Party," are intent on sabotaging implementation of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, while the president has proposed a compromise budget that "represents hard choices by a Democratic president when it comes to entitlement savings, and asks for in return hard choices by Republicans when it comes to a balanced approach to reducing our deficit."

"Instead, they are talking about basically hitching the fate of the economy -- the American economy and the global economy -- to their ideological agenda," Carney said.

"We have made clear our willingness to be reasonable and compromise," he said.

"What we haven't seen ... thus far is anything from the Republicans that represents a similar willingness to compromise when it comes to a broader, more comprehensive budget agreement."