Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on Sunday said that he would consider criticism from fellow Republicans a "compliment" after he threatened to shut down the government in order to stop President Barack Obama's health care reform law.
Last week, Lee had told Fox News that he was calling on Republicans to refuse to vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government as a way to prevent further implementation of Obamacare.
While a few tea party backed Republicans like Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) backed the effort, many others worried that Lee was tarnishing the GOP brand.
"I think it’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard," Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) insisted to radio host Todd Zwillich on Thursday. “Listen, as long as Barack Obama is president the Affordable Care Act is gonna be law.”
On Sunday, Lee told Fox News host Chris Wallace that the law was "not ready for primetime" and should not be funded.
"This is yet another instance of Washington vs. everyone else, and we've got to stop Washington from dividing the American people, we've got to stop Washington from hurting the American people, that's what's happening here," he explained. "The law's bad, the law's certainly not ready to implement. And we certainly shouldn't fund it."
"Look, I understand that there are some in the Washington establishment, some from both political parties who aren't happy with me on this, and in this instance, I'm going to take that as a compliment," the Utah Republican added. "I'm going to take that as an indication that I'm doing something right."
