Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., on Fox News Sunday, spoke in favor of a hard line on spending, to the extent that government shutdown should be part of the discussion.
Chris Wallace spoke with Christie about his confrontation with New Jersey Democrats over a possible shutdown of the state government over the budget: ""Last year, when New Jersey Democrats threatened to shut down the government because you had a disagreement with them about a tax they wanted to re-impose on the wealthy, you said fine. I'll veto the budget. I'll go back to the governor's mansion and I'll order a pizza."
It was one thing, Wallace said, to consider shutdown of a state government. But it was another matter for the U.S. government to "default on its credit and go into debt." Should Republicans in Washington, he asked, "take the same hard line in opposing the president about raising the debt limit and on federal spending?"
Christie responded, "Well, what I would suggest is that Republicans in Washington should do what we did in New Jersey." Republicans, he added, should "go out to the public and make their case." Then, he said, they should "have the guts to put up or shut up."
