Will not pay ransom to end shutdown crisis: Obama

October 05, 2013

Warning that an economic shutdown with default would be "dramatically worse", US President Barack Obama today appealed to the opposition to pass the federal budget with no partisan strings attached, but said he would not "pay a ransom" to end the crisis.

"There's only one way out of this reckless and damaging shutdown: pass a budget that funds our government, with no partisan strings attached," Obama said in his weekly address.

Making it clear that he would not change his position on the issue, Obama warned, "For as reckless as a government shutdown is, an economic shutdown that comes with default would be dramatically worse."