The Government Has Shut Down [01OCT2013]

I don't get this whole negotiating thing. Republicans lost two Presidential elections, two Senate Elections and Supreme Court Case where the deciding vote cast against them was by the conservative Supreme Court Chief Justice. Look I don't like Obamacare, but people are entitled to a government ran by the people that won the elections.

Picture this there are two high school football teams playing a game on a Friday night. One is called the Democrats the other is called the Republicans. As the final buzzer goes off it is Democrats 21 and Republicans 7.

Instead of walking to the center of the field to shake the opposing team member's hands the Republicans hastily run towards the stadium gates, chain and lock them. Then they stand watch to prevent anyone from leaving. Over the PA they issue a statement that nobody is going home until the Democrats concede defeat. When the spectators start to boo and hiss at them they issue more statements," come on we just want to negotiate" , "everyone here knows we would have won, but for the refs making bad calls" and finally "we tried to reach the principal of the Democrats' school but can you believe it he is out of town out on a golf weekend and can't be reached how un-reasonable".

Finally after hours go by and after having heard many spectators mumble about leaving by force the Republicans issue another statement "seeing how reasonable and willing to negotiate we are we have decided to no longer demand the Democrats conceded defeat instead we request the Democrats play us two more games and the winner will be chosen by the best two out of three".

That is where we are now.

The governing of this nation is not a football game. With the present administration now in charge, we are all losers.

You are correct we are a system of checks and balances. We cannot have a functioning government where one half of one branch of Government refuses to do anything other than sit on their hands unless their constant and unending blackmail demands are met. If you want to end Obamacare you do it by winning elections, putting your people into power and offering alternatives. You don't threaten to burn the whole country down unless your demands are met.

You just described Harry Reid and the US Senate.

Sure, I see you aren't reality based. Demanding guys that won the election to concede to those that lost. I guess when Bush was in charge of things and Harry was just in charge of the Senate he should have demanded a repeal of the Bush tax cuts before he allowed the Senate to vote on anything that related to the ongoing operation of the government. If that were the case you would have an appropriate point, but that was not the case and you know it.

Give Boehner some credit. We've been waiting over three years for his Congress to address the unemployment problem. ANd today they did. They added 800K more people to it.

The s*** load of mischaracterization of Federal employees, not to mention incorrect statements about furloughs e.g. "workers expected to work without pay" are shameful and show how folks make blatent but misinformed declarations as if they know anything at all.

Everybody here benefits big time from the work of Federal employees, who in many cases are at the low end of the pay scale as compared with the private sector. I have worked almost 34 years to provide the best care possible for Veterans on dialysis, and feel privileged to do so. I'm on year #4 (or is it 5?) without a cost of living salary increase.

And, by the way, if you get furloughed, you are not permitted to work, period, even voluntarily.

You aren't paying attention. Reid rejected any discussion of a compromise with the House throughout the weekend, and he continues to do so now. He is the road block to any compromise. He won't even allow the Senate to read any compromise legislation sent by the House. Absolute control is what this about. Reid will keep this going as long as he can and blame his actions on others. The liar-in-chief did the same today. He blamed the Republicans for the shut down that the Senate caused by refusing to consider any legislation coming from the House.. The bucks stopped at Harry Reid's desk. Period. And they will continue to stop at his desk until his power trip comes to an end. The one half of one branch of government has not refused to do anything other than sit on their hands isn't the House. Senate Democrats could and should go home. They don't have to read or vote on anything concerning these matters. As long as Harry and Barry say they aren't responsible for their actions, go on vacation. Harry and Barry got you covered.

Nor should he. Shutting down the government should be non-negotiable. Otherwise, they'll use this hostage-taking over the next issue and the next, right?

Besides, if Boehner had allowed an up or down vote in the House, there would not have been a shutdown. What does Boehner have against democracy?

I like how Republicans say keeping the government open is a token of compromise offered to Democrats - like that's something exclusively in Democrats interest.

On second thought..maybe it is.