You can follow the government shutdown news minute by minute by going to the National Review's
tweettracker but I can tell you that there's nothing of consequence going on.
- Republicans in the House of Representatives are going ahead with small appropriations bills covering a few agencies. The Senate will reject these.
- The polls look bad for the Republicans but those most committed to the confrontation over the Affordable Care Act believe that this will turn around.
- Democrats may insist that any solution to the government shutdown include a solution to the debt ceiling problem as well.
- There is much discussion about divisions within the Republican majority in the House of Representatives and divisions between House and Senate Republicans but no discussion about divisions among the Democrats.
- Republican pundits seize upon minor details such as the closure of the World War II Memorial in Washington.
- There is no sign of any significant discussions between Republicans and Democrats to resolve this crisis. Basically, each is waiting for the other to crack. Just about everyone, including most Republicans, believes the GOP will crack first.
I thought Obama and the democrats approve of tolerance and understanding for opposing views. I guess they approve of it in certain situations, such as for occupy wall street and illegal immigration. But for others, they prefer to make things painful rather than negotiate for a solution. The closure of D.C. memorials is not minor, but an obvious indicator of their ideas of command and control. Watch out for the next steps taken.
ReplyDeleteto Anon 12:34: Barcodes on our heads, eh???
ReplyDeleteActually,I'd say, watch out for the next steps taken by the Pubs. The ACA law passed, it was found constitutional and now the Pubs are trying to kill it by closing down the the govt. unfortunately two dozen teabagers are twisting the arms of the rest of the house republicans. My solution, Dems should go after moderate Pubs and Pubs in swing districts -if they're gone drink the tea, they need to be voted out- since the tea- boys/gals are to ensconced in their safe districts. As the President noted:
if we establish a pattern whereby one faction of one party controlling one chamber in Congress can threaten default, that the United States of America is no longer meeting its obligations and fulfilling the full faith and credit of the United States unless they get 100 percent of what they want, then we've established a pattern that fundamentally changes the nature of our government. At that point, any president — not just me — any president is subject to that kind of blackmail continuously.
Would bet a weeks pay that Obama caves. All we have to go on is his past behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe day that Social Security is cut in any way, shape or form while the program has a $2.8 trillion trust fund,
is the day the federal gov't officially becomes a criminal enterprise.
I don't think Obama will cave, and I don't think he should give away anything significant. If the GOP gets anything, then that will just encourage more shutdowns in the future. They don't even know what they want:
ReplyDelete(from http://washingtonexaminer.com/gop-stands-firm-against-funding-bill-will-link-to-debt-ceiling-fight/article/2536750)
“We’re not going to be disrespected,” conservative Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., added. “We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.”
End quote
In other words, they can shut down the government so they will, and then not rewarding them for that is disrespecting them. Well, I didn't respect them to begin with. They want to take food away from hungry people, and prevent the government from helping people get health insurance, among other things.