Walsh: Federal government shutdown possible

The federal government may shut down next month if the Congress reaches an impasse on the budget, U.S. Rep Joe Walsh said during a Saturday town hall in Barrington.

The McHenry Republican was among those who earlier this month voted against a temporary budget extension expiring April 8, the sixth one passed by Congress this fiscal year. The resolution passed 271-158.

At the town hall held at Garlands of Barrington, a retirement community, Walsh called for deeper and more extensive spending cuts than the latest proposed $6 billion. He pointed to what he called a one-month record $225 billion added to the federal deficit in February.

“If we do not stop spending money like we are spending money, my grandkids who are not even born yet will never forgive me,” Walsh said to an enthusiastic audience of about 200 people.

Many Republicans who voted for the March 15 extension said this would be their last such vote, Walsh said. “I don't want to shut down government … but we're getting close right now — that may well happen.”

Walsh is pushing to repeal President Obama's health care law. He also called for raising the minimum retirement age for Social Security, and pursuing Medicare reform.

“Medicare and Medicaid were passed to be safety nets for the poor and the elderly,” he said. “They are now middle and upper-middle class entitlement programs.”

Saturday's was Walsh' third town hall meeting in a week, and the 16th he has held in the last few months. Walsh said goal is to hold more town hall meetings that any other congressman.

Barrington High School junior Steven Blake called Walsh “very charismatic” and said “this was a great way to spend my last Saturday during spring break.”