Dems call on ‘cult’ Tea Party to ‘stand down’ and open the government

She spoke on the 10th day of the partial government shutdown, which Democrats say was created by Republican demands to undermine ObamaCare as part of a 2014 spending resolution.

She said the shutdown was caused by “an extreme factor in the Republican Party.”

{mosads}On Thursday, GOP leaders in the House were considering a plan that again asks President Obama for talks about 2014 spending levels, something Obama has refused. The GOP is also looking to pass a six-week extension of the debt ceiling.

Jackson Lee followed Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), who accused House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) of following a “cult” of members within the GOP.

“I urge you, Mr. Speaker, to become the Speaker of the House and not spokesperson for a fringe cult within the GOP caucus,” she said.

Moore said that, while the GOP says it wants to negotiate, it still refuses to consider new taxes, which she said shows Republicans do not want to hold a serious negotiation.

It’s just obvious from your words and deeds, Mr. Speaker, since you … have blocked negotiations 18 times over the last year,” she said. “Mr. Speaker, you’re putting the country through this ‘shut ‘er down’ theater that you called for in the last Republican campaign.”