Bill Clinton has some advice for Democrats and President Obama, learned during his own experience with government shutdowns.

Speaking to George Stephanopoulos on ABC, Clinton called the actions of the House Republicans “spiteful” and that they are “begging America to fail,” adding that “I think there are times when you have to call people’s bluff.”

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Clinton would not negotiate, he said. “The current price of stopping it is higher than the price of letting the Republicans do it and taking their medicine,” he said. “If they’re going to change the way the Constitution works and fundamentally alter the character of our country and damage the future of a lot of kids, you just have to say no.”

Watch Clinton dissect the shutdown strategy below.