Sen. Angus King on Shutdown: ‘The Age-Old Principle Is You Don’t Negotiate with Hostage Takers’

EXCERPT:

KING: “We could negotiate with the White House, which is not easy to do, because the — their position changes day to day, but let’s say we could negotiate and say OK, it’s going to be 100 miles of wall, and here’s what it — this would be the size, this will be the design, this is the agreed upon cost. Let’s say that we could do that. If we do that in the context of the government being shut down, we are inviting this to happen again. Next year, we’ll have more budgets. We have got a debt ceiling debate coming that’s very important for the future of the country, for the economics of the country, for the soundness of our economy. And we have budgets coming next September. If this works, if this shutdown that’s been initiated by the president works as a tactic to get a portion of his wall, he’ll do it next time. That’s — that’s -- that's why the age-old principle is you don’t negotiate with hostage takers. Why? Because if you do, the next time they’ll do it again.”