USA: Veterans storm WW II DC memorial amid govt shutdown

[Umair Nawaz]

Thousands of protesters pushed through barriers to make their way to the World War II Memorial closed under government shutdown in Washington DC. Local police donned riot gear as they tried to control the protesting veterans.

The crowd chanted “Tear down these walls” and sang patriotic songs in protest to the closing of monument during the government crisis, according to local news coverage.


About fifteen tractor trailer trucks from the Ride for the Constitution protest, which took place two days ago, joined the rally by a group called the Million Vet March to show their support.

According to a statement on the group’s website, they feel military personnel and veterans are “being used a political pawns in the ongoing government shutdown and budget crisis.” Organizers called the shutting down of memorials “a despicable act of cowardice.”


Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas as well as former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin joined the crowds.


A group of protesters assembled at the barriers to the WW II Memorial and headed to the Capitol building, others moved the rally to other parts of the capital. Some of the protestors made their way to the White House where they threw barricades aside.


The organizers also launched a petition asking that the memorials be immediately opened and also for legislation so that these monuments can never be closed again.

The first US government shutdown in 17 years closed major landmarks and halted many services, suspending as many as 800,000 federal employees from work.

http://rt.com/usa/veterans-storm-memorial-washington-152/

WOW just WOW........i really suspect now that America maybe be nearing a civil war.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

 

[Kamikaze Pilot]

US lawmakers close to deal to end 14-day-old shutdown

PTI | Oct 15, 2013, 05.22 PM IST

WASHINGTON: As the US inched closer to an unprecedented debt default, US lawmakers held a flurry of negotiations and expressed optimism over a potential deal that could end the government shutdown, raise the debt ceiling and avert a crisis that may trigger a global economic turmoil.

US senators say they are closing in on a deal that would reopen the government and push back a possible debt default for several months, though many hurdles remain.

Senate majority leader Harry Reid said he and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, have "made tremendous progress. We are not there yet".

"We hope that with good fortune ... that perhaps tomorrow will be a bright day," he said from the Senate floor.

Reid and McConnell are trying to reach an agreement that would end the 14-day-old shutdown and lift the debt limit before the US Treasury exhausts the nation's remaining borrowing capacity on October 17, raising the risk of default.

"We've had a good day, we had a good day yesterday," McConnell said.

"It's safe to say we've made substantial progress and we look forward to making more progress in the near future.

"I share [Reid's] optimism that we we're going to get a result that will be acceptable to both sides," he said on the Senate floor.

The new deal, if struck, would last until February 2014.

The plan under discussion would raise the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling by enough to cover the nation's borrowing needs at least through until mid-February 2014.

According to US media, the deal currently under discussion would fund the government until January 15 while raising the debt ceiling until early to mid-February.

Any deal would also have to win approval in the House of Representatives, where conservative Republicans have insisted any continued government funding must include measures to undercut president Barack Obama's signature health law - a nonstarter for Democrats.

The deal would not resolve the disagreements over long-term spending and health care that led to the crisis in the first place.

"If Republicans aren't willing to set aside their partisan concerns in order to do what's right for the country, we stand a good chance of defaulting, and defaulting could potentially have a devastating effect on our economy," Obama said earlier.

US lawmakers close to deal to end 14-day-old shutdown - The Times of India

 

[Umair Nawaz]

its rejected

http://www.defence.pk/forums/americas/283121-america-senate-stalls-bi-partisan-debt-ceiling-deal-end-government-shut.html