by Jack
The way I see it, and feel free to tell me if I’m wrong, is no matter what happens next there is still plenty of blame to go around. My gripe is if republicans had ONLY acted earlier when they had the chance and reformed some of the glaring defects in our healthcare system we would not be having this conversation. The GOP could have removed the reason for ObamaCare when they controlled the White House, Congress and the Senate. It’s not like this wasn’t an issue back them!
Now…regarding who is the most responsible for failing to fund government, only a few percentage points separate the two parties and this gives both sides some credibility for talking points. However, the republicans are still lagging in this area and as the days pass the media is doing their best to make sure they lag! (Time is not on their side)
At any moment the President can use his power to break the statement, he’s the decider-in-chief! All he has to say is, “Fund government, except for the ACA, and we can discuss that part later.” Or Harry Reid and Pelosi could do it, but they all refuse! The republicans want to open discussions and fund gov now! But, they might as well be talking to a wall.
But, here’s the part that gets me. This shutdown is happening because the federal government doesn’t have a budget for fiscal 2014, which starts today. The reason it doesn’t have a budget is because the Republican-led House passed a budget calling for $3.5 trillion in spending, the Democratically controlled Senate passed a budget calling for $3.7 trillion in spending, and President Obama issued a proposal calling for $3.77 trillion in spending. This happened back in the spring…what the heck have they been doing? Actually, Obama hasn’t created a budget since he’s been in office, it’s been left up to Congress. That makes it his problem we’re in a shutdown. Afterall, he’s the leader, but where’s the leadership?
Did I miss anything?
“Actually, Obama hasn’t created a budget since he’s been in office, it’s been left up to Congress. That makes it his problem we’re in a shutdown. Afterall, he’s the leader, but where’s the leadership?”
You missed that part where Congress “conference commmitee’s” to work out compromises between the two figures, and then passes a budget … something the House has flatly refused to do nine times since the two houses came up with their proposal.
Isn’t it exciting!? We’re having a Constitutional Crisis!
The Executive Branch will not allow a cabal of wildly ignorant ideologues in the Legislative to take the economy hostage and extort … anything at all.
I just learned something I didn’t know. (I wish those Tea Partiers in the House could be made to realize what they don’t know.)
If a soldier is killed, in Afghanistan say, the military ordinarily pays a death benefit to his family within three days. It’s not happening just now.
And then, for some mysterious reason, an unusual number of salmonella cases has arisen among the Foster Farms chicken eaters in the Midwest. The CDC employees looking into the matter … are not being paid … but they’re investigating anyway. That’s very big of them, don’t you think?
Let’s hear Tina crab again about the back pay !
This is from a Washington Post editorial yesterday:
“In a revealing moment Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos replayed a clip from last year in which House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) explained the foolishness of the tactic that he is now, a year later, pursuing. “It’s pretty clear that the president was reelected,” Mr. Boehner said then. “Obamacare is the law of the land. If we were to put Obamacare into the CR [continuing resolution] and send it over to the Senate, we were risking shutting down the government. That is not our goal.”
“Cowed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and bullied by the most conservative members of his caucus, Mr. Boehner has done exactly what he said made no sense. Now he doesn’t know how to get out of the predicament. A shutdown is bad; a default on the debt, which looms 10 days from now, could be catastrophic. The speaker is demanding that President Obama negotiate, while setting “red lines” for those hypothetical talks (“Very simple. We’re not raising taxes.”). It’s not an impressive strategy.
“At some point, Mr. Obama and the Democrats will have to throw the speaker a lifeline. As tempted as they may be to see the Republicans blamed for economic disaster, giving the Democrats a chance to recapture the House in 2014, the potential damage to the nation is too great — and Americans could end up blaming everyone who seems to have a hand in this mess. A temporary extension of the debt ceiling, a reopening of the government and a commitment to engage in a process that leads to budget and tax reform: The ingredients of a deal are there.
“But throwing a lifeline is pointless until the victim realizes he may be drowning. It’s not clear the Republicans have reached that point. The danger is they will take the country down with them.”
If today’s flailings are any indication, Boehner ain’t figured it out yet.
At this point I am blaming Republicans. They are acting like idiots. Why doesn’t Boehner just hand the gavel to Nancy Pelosi right now? It becomes more and more clear to me every day that they do not have a plan for this. They cannot defund Obamacare, and they refuse to work to improve some of the parts that could use improvement. I would rather they spend this time and energy working on that law to make it functional for the millions of Americans who are stuck with it. They have voted to repeal it 40 times, why can’t they bring it to the floor today?
I have heard so many people say they don’t even notice the shutdown. That is crazy. Duck season is set to open on the 19th. Not if you hunt at Sacramento Wildlife Refuge or Delevan. Websites are closed and services can’t be accessed. We pay for those services with our taxes. These are public things that we should have.
Another thing that makes me mad is a few ignorant idiots from Oklahoma and Arkansas are making the whole party look stupid. They guy from Oklahoma who says people can’t sign up for Obamacare. WRONG. People are doing it every day. The longer this goes on the easier it is for a biased media to find the few morons who don’t know what they are talking about and getting them right in front of the camera to embarrass us.
Is this going to go on until the debt ceiling crisis starts up again? We have the sequester because these clowns can’t work anything out and that actually has been pretty good. And maybe these guys can all work more than 137 days a year and maybe they shouldn’t have taken August off if they are just going to act like this. And that light work schedule again is 100% on Boehner.
We can sit back and blame Democrats and Obama and Harry Reid all we want, but it is the House of Representatives that can’t get their crap together and it is Boehner who could not lead his way out of a paper bag. Thanks a lot Ohio. Thanks for sucking.
Now this is really quite interesting —
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/10/08/Pro-amnesty-forces-rally-on-National-Mall
PRO ILLEGAL ALIEN RALLY GRANTED ACCESS TO FEDERAL PROPERTY WHILE AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE THROWN OFF OR DENIED?
There is you Obama administration for you.
Some people are more equal than others, especially illegal aliens in “government shutdown” conditions.
I guess you should be commended for blaming both parties; I just wish Democrats got the blame more often…there are times when I feel like a one woman show.
I have to admit I missed the Senate budget being passed, maybe that’s because it just barely passed in the wee hours on the last day with 4 Democrats voting against it and another Democrat abstaining.
The two budgets were never resolved. The problem then is the same problem we face now. Democrats refused to consider cuts and wanted to add one trillion in tax increases over ten years. (Remember there are trillions in new taxes in Obamacare already…they wanted more!)
With full knowledge that he was not working with Nancy Pelosi anymore, Reid added a trillion in taxes with zero compromise on spending cuts…and the cranky old goat expected agreement from the House? Don’t believe it…Harry Reid was just playing games. He was not approaching America’s debt problem seriously.
Democrats and the media hammered Bush on spending and debt and deficits. See here. A few quotes:
These are the guys that are constantly screaming about compromise and working together in bipartisan fashion…THEY DON’T…THEY LIE! It’s an old tradition…even when they promise cuts they don’t follow through…remember when Tip O’Neill promised future spending cuts in exchange for tax hikes and then welched on the deal:
Tea Party Republicans have learned from history. They are the extremists that Obama referred to in his remarks today.
The President used the bombastic language of a street thug to describe the situation and again said he would not talk unless he gets his way first:
Unfortunately quite a few Americans never see that Democrats don’t work in a bipartisan fashion. Look at the history over the last seventy years…count the redistribution programs…the two big ones being the main source of our debt! I would wager almost all were pushed by Democrats and they won because Republicans were willing to compromise.
The rise in our debt has slowed because Republicans held their ground during the sequester “crisis”. Our debt currently stands at $16.968 trillion…that’s $148,225. per taxpayer. This fight is not just about the budget or raising the debt ceiling. While Washing continues to play political games the American people are exerting their authority through the Tea Party putting pressure on Republicans…and I hope a few Democrats and the President are hearing from us too.
ef=China today basically said, “Get your s*#t together”:
Part of that responsibility is putting together reforms and budgets that bring down the debt…adding another expensive government program (Obamacare) at a time like this was stupid…especially since it lacks the kind of free market principles that would save taxpayer money and come in under budget.
We need to get serious. Cruz and the Tea Party are serious…hope America gets behind it because a reasonable budget can be written IF The Old Goat was willing to work on the problem instead of playing games.
Re al-Libby: “Cowed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and bullied by the most conservative members of his caucus, Mr. Boehner has done exactly what he said made no sense.”
Like George Stephanopoulos our friend al-Libby is factually challenged.
The Republican controlled House sent the budget to the Senate with the defunding Obamacrap attachment. Boehner was hardly “cowed” by Cruz to do that.
I agree with the president, the government “shutdown” IS A COMPLETE FARCE. (I think George Will agrees with me on this.) The US is meeting can meet, and will meet its obligations. The Obama Administration is using the “shutdown” pretext for a cruel, manipulative, and heartless political theater that absurdly throws senior citizens out of their homes.
Compromise?
The House has the purse strings. Deferring a budget to the Senate is pathetic. Boehner is allowing the inmates to run the asylum. For some reason they want to make defunding Obamacare their hill to die on which hurts the entire country. In California we are spoiled because most of our Republican Representatives are not insane idiots unlike Oklahoma and Arkansas and South Carolina. I’m very unhappy with LaMalfa for voting for farm subsidies in the farm bill but at least he isn’t on television showing the country how dumb he is.
Three miners have died since the shutdown. I doubt it is because of the shutdown, but it is another reminder that we do have safety inspections for a reason and it is because business owners don’t always follow the best practices unless forced to.
http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2013/10/08/can-miners-afford-for-msha-to-miss-inspections/
http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2013/10/08/can-miners-afford-for-msha-to-miss-inspections/
“Cruz and the Tea Party are serious…hope America gets behind it ….”
We know you do, Tina … but it’s not going to happen. We don’t agree with you.
We don’t. We really don’t. And there are more of us than there are of you.
It’s a poop, I know, but extortion is not the answer. Extortion is criminal, and if you resort to crime to “further your argument”, then we will have even less respect for your character, position, and intellect than we already … don’t.
I read a new phrase earlier: “Neo-confederate insurrectionists.” Cool, huh?
Constitution requires a budget be passed. All 3 budgets submitted by Obumble have gone down in flames in the Senate, yet NOT ONE lawfully House-passed budget has been allowed a vote in the Senate – complements of Harry Reid.
Can’t blame the GOP for no budget, Mr. Prez. YOU built that!
And here is another thing I am mad at Republicans about: the NSA data center in Utah. A multi-billion dollar facility that NO ONE in America wants. At least some people want Obamacare. There hasn’t been a peep from Republicans about defunding this disaster. And now right in the middle of a government shutdown we are hearing this data center might not open. Why? Because of a water problem, not a problem of no funding.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56973004-78/center-utah-data-corps.html.csp
from the article: “When operational, the Utah Data Center is expected to consume 1.7 million gallons a day in order to cool the people and technology inside. ”
and
“the Utah Data Center has been plagued by power surges that have ruined “hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of machinery” and “delayed the center’s opening for a year.”
So, thanks a lot Congress and Obama, you have sure kept us all safe wasting billions of tax dollars. And unlike Obamacare, this center is not a law, they could defund it with a snap of their fingers.
SHUTDOWN UPDATE!
Capitol police pick up trash at National Mall pro-illegal alien rally.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/10/08/Democratic-congressmen-amnesty-activists-get-arrested-in-immigration-protest
They must have feared veterans would be more messy.
By the way Jack, no you didn’t miss a thing.
Ultimately this minor political tuffle will pass and the President will wear the legacy of his term in office. BO has managed to out-fail the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter.
THE BO RECORD:
Policies have failed to create a strong recovery. Growth has bumped along at between 1% and 3%.
We are suffering unprecedented levels of long term unemployment, declining wages and incomes, soaring poverty and dependency, increasing inequality and years of lost opportunity.
The debt increased by $6 trillion a significant problem since the economy is stagnant and unemployment is high.
This president has taken scandal to unprecedented levels as well…Benghazi…Fast and Furious…IRS…Spying on citizens and journalists…Changing Obamacare law by fiat and breaking nearly every promise he made in 2007 about spending and debt and about transparency.
Obama has earned the contempt of our allies and our enemies. He is not respected and has made America a into a nation easily mocked. He has presided over the rise in power of China, Russia, and Iran and his weakness has allowed al Qaeda and associated terror groups to grow stronger and bolder.
The President has added another big government program that the people will have to feed with taxes. Like Medicare and Social Security it will put tremendous upward pressure on debt. The more revenue (money) government takes from the private sector to pay just the interest on that growing debt will further stifle the sputtering economy. the rich will still be able to get rich but the middle class will die and the needy and dependent will grow and grow…all of them with hands out expecting government to care.
BUT…”it’s the Republicans fault.”
You people are nuts.
Re Pie @#8 “The Obama Administration is using the “shutdown” pretext…”
It is also a great distraction from the IT problems keeping people from signing up for his signature program. They had three years to get it right and it shouldn’t have been launched if it wasn’t ready. A good reason to delay implementation for a year.
Princess the House passed a budget. So…they have not “deferred” it to the Senate.
Wikipedia:
Reading the entire Wiki entry is a great reminder of of how complex the process has become…since 1921;
a reminder that the Presidents budget proposals have been a joke:
A September 2011 article in National Review recalls the President deferred making a budget proposal and instead appointed a commission to do his thinking for him…Bowles/Simpson were supposed to make recommendations to reduce spending and the debt. Obama later proceeded to ignore their recommendations:
BUT…its all the Republicans fault!
Eric Cantor offers his opinion along with a little history in the Washington Post:
We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by this con man.
Paul Ryan discusses ways to “end the stalemate” and find agreement using ideas both sides have agreed to in former talks, including ideas favored by the President.
Why all the game playing?
Why all the game playing?
They need to give the msm talking points to help them with the 2014 election. Without the lies and misinformation being spread the democrats won’t be able to finish transforming our country into a socialist state without a lot of resistance.
Seen this before but still have to laugh……….
I have often wondered why it is that Conservatives are called the “right” and Liberals are called the “left”.
By chance I stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)
Thus sayeth the Lord. Amen.
Can’t get any simpler than that.
Now A Spelling Lesson.
The last four letters in American……….I Can
The last four letters in Republican……..I Can
The last four letters in Democrats………Rats
End of lesson. Test to follow in November, 2014
Remember, November is to be set aside as rodent removal month.
“3 budgets submitted by Obumble have gone down in flames in the Senate, ….”
Yet more Tea Party, uh, misconceptions about how our government works. Did none of you people pay attention in civics?
Neither house is, in any way shape or form, required or even expected to conform to the Executive’s proposed budget. Budgets ALWAYS get revamped … oodles of times.
Unhappily, it becomes more and more apparent that the true agenda of the House maniacs has nothing at all to do with spending or budgets or even the ACA. Very sad.
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”
That derives from superstitious horsepucky (and that book is rife with such nonsense, Paul being particularly prone to spout such stuff).
From this derived the custom (among many, many others) of thrashing left-handed children into right-handedness.
Savage, and absolute drivel.
Libby: Yet more Tea Party, uh, misconceptions about how our government works. Did none of you people pay attention in civics?
Neither house is, in any way shape or form, required or even expected to conform to the Executive’s proposed budget.”
She didn’t say they were required. Presidential budgets are considered, however, and so were Obama’s.
The Hill:
Libby Democrats have shown their colors quite well. Writing laws in secret, using bribes and dirty tricks, picking winners and losers. The radicals that have taken over the Democrat Party have no respect for the American process of government and they fool no one that bothers to look.
The Republicans have proposed budgets and reforms to get Americans working again and reign in spending and debt. They have demonstrated that they are willing to work together with Democrats and have. Your radical buddies thwart these efforts every time.
Obama,Pelosi, Reid and their radical cabal have no interest in creating a budget or in bringing down our debt. They don’t care that Americans are not working, can’t find work, have been reduced to part time jobs or they would have done something about it in 5 years. Instead they have put their party and their radical ambitions ahead of the people.
The federal government has been out of control for quite a few decades. This bunch is something else entirely.
@ #22 Libby blames the Book for the ignorant actions of the human being…typical of a leftist!
Economics!
Tea Party Republican Shutdown has increased gov spending forcing high Tbill interest rates, We are spending on the shutdown not saving.
Bottom line the Koch Bros spent over 220 million on this ACA charade. Now they are trying to explain to the Tea Party Circus why they have to raise the debt ceiling.
It is amusing watching these clowns. What is not amusing is their sheeple who believe everything should be privatized for wall street profits and the markets are the grand wizards of freedom.
Good luck in 2014 Americans are sick of these low info tea Party politicians and their fear mongering for the billionaires.
Americans have been embarrassed enough. I do not know a single Independent, republican, nor Democrat who is not ready to vote these idiots out of our area before the decimate the State of California.
Politicians are bought out and the SCOTUS is about to let 1 Billionaire completely support a single candidate.
Tea party Politicians Blatantly work to destroy Democracy. #VoteThemOut