Dear Editor:

Re Cynthia Groopman’s Oct. 16 letter, “Peace, but not in DC”:

As a voter and taxpayer, I share Ms. Groopman’s outrage over the failure of Congress to end the federal government shutdown. But unlike letter writer and state Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (“Harmful GOP shutdown,” Oct. 9), I blame both parties for this pathetic political paralysis. Democrats and Republicans act like spiteful kids in a playground, playing a game of chicken. They don’t suffer the shutdown’s effects because they are still getting paid while thousands of federal workers are not.

Halting the pay for all 535 members of Congress would bring a speedy end to the shutdown. Loss of their salaries would pressure senators and House representatives to reach a compromise. If they don’t, voters should rephrase a li

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