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Gingrich to GOP freshmen: Avoid government shutdown

By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who was in power when the last government shutdown occurred in 1995-96, had some advice this morning for Republican freshmen eager to cut federal spending.

USA TODAY's Jackie Kucinich reports:

"I said that in my view, that their goal should be to avoid a shutdown while not giving in on their core principles," Gingrich said after the closed-door meeting with lawmakers. "They can't walk into a room and have President Obama think that they can be blackmailed by yelling the word 'shutdown.' "

Gingrich, who is considering a run for the presidency next year, visited the U.S. Capitol today as the House and Senate approach an April 8 deadline that, if left to expire, will lead to a government shutdown.

He said he advised the GOP freshmen to "keep the government open" but push measures that will cut spending and advance their agenda.

"I don't think they can allow President Obama to reject the outcome of the 2010 election and dictate on his terms what he'll do," he said.

House Republicans leaving the meeting accused Democrats of pushing the rhetoric about a government shutdown.

"Definitely not something we want to happen," said Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Ill.

Congressional negotiators and the White House agreed on how much to cut in federal spending for the rest of the year. The fight comes on how to reach the proposed $33 billion in cuts.

"This isn't just about dollars and deficits," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said today. "What we cut is much more important than how much we cut."

Reid said a final agreement should "not come on the backs of middle-class families and the jobs they need. And it will not come if the other side continues to insist on unreasonable and unrealistic cuts."

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