Rep. Mike Lawler on Government Shutdown, NYC Mayoral Race, and Political Hypocrisy

Averting a Government Shutdown

• 🎯 Rep. Mike Lawler criticizes Democrats for demanding increased government spending and healthcare for illegal immigrants as conditions for avoiding a shutdown.
• 💡 He highlights the perceived hypocrisy of Democrats, who previously decried shutdowns but now appear to be pushing for one.
• ⚠️ Lawler states that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's demands are "dead on arrival" and that Schumer is "petrified of AOC and the progressive base."
• 🚀 The Congressman advocates for passing the Continuing Resolution (CR) that has already passed the House to keep the government funded through November 21st, allowing for negotiations over the fiscal year 26 appropriations package.

Stance on Government Shutdowns

• ✅ Lawler reiterates his consistent opposition to government shutdowns, calling them "one of the dumbest things" as they save no money and create economic chaos.
• 🤝 He emphasizes his voting record of supporting every congressional continuing resolution to keep the government funded and open, regardless of the president.

New York City Mayoral Race Dynamics

• 📌 Lawler discusses the NYC mayoral race, noting that Eric Adams made the right decision to exit.
• 🗣️ He expresses skepticism about Andrew Cuomo as a solution, attributing many of New York State's problems to his policies, including cashless bail and the "sanctuary state" designation.
• ⚖️ Lawler believes consolidation among Republican candidates is the only way to defeat Zoran Mandani, whose policies he deems destructive.
• 🇺🇸 He supports Curtis Sliwa for the Republican line but stresses the need for candidates to unify for the best interest of New York City.

Impact of a Potential Shutdown

• 📉 Lawler disagrees with the notion of permanent layoffs, stating that the executive branch must decide on essential versus non-essential positions during a shutdown.
• 🗓️ He stresses that passing the CR is the straightforward solution to avoid any shutdown and potential firings, placing the onus on Chuck Schumer.