Democrats target Kline and Paulsen on potential government shutdown

With Republicans in Washington torn over forcing a government shutdown to end Obamacare, Democrats are applying pressure on swing district lawmakers who might be persuaded to hold back from the fiscal precipice.

In Minnesota the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) launched an automated telephone campaign Tuesday aimed at Minnesota Republicans John Kline and Erik Paulsen.

The calls, going to grassroots supporters to get around the state's "robo" call restrictions, ask Minnesotans to "stop the nonsense and focus on common sense solutions that protect our health care and grow our economy."

It remains to be seen how far House Speaker John Boehner will go in the upcoming annual budget and debt ceiling debates to "defund" or delay implementation of the president's signature health care law. But the Democratic robo call script warns of the dire consequences of a potential government shutdown, with its attendant consequences:

"Seniors' Social Security checks would be up in the air and our military families couldn't count on getting paid."

For planning purposes, the current fiscal year ends Sept. 30, and the government is expected to max out on its debt limit in mid-October.

Update: Alleigh Marre of the National Republican Congressional Committee (RNCC) writes in with this response: "Instead of rooting for a shutdown President Obama and his political cronies should listen to the will of the American people and actually work with Republicans on solutions that will prevent ObamaCare from tanking our economy and eroding middle class families' health care."