Government Shutdown
by Donald Frye on 10/01/13
John Boehner and the Tea Party Republicans have gotten their wish of the past couple of years, and shut down the US Government for the first time in 17 years. And by the way, it was Republicans who had the Government shut down under President Bill Clinton, those 17 years ago. It appears to me that the Republican Party is in disarray and have no clear leader with no clear direction on what they stand for.
It is the height of insanity and insensitivity toward the American people by some Republicans in The House of Representatives, lead by Speaker John Boehner, who has been ruled irrelevant by his own party. Speaker Boehner does not have enough control of his party to say "No" and at this most volatile time in our history, stand up and do what is right for the American people.
On what should be a very proud day for tens of millions of people across the country, who could finally begin signing up for health care under the Affordable Care Act, Republicans in the House, led by Ted Cruz and the Tea Party wing of the House, instead, chose to shut down the government. Which, by the way, had no effect on the Health Care Law, which was approved by both houses of Congress, signed into law by the President, and validated by The Supreme Court. The law was also re-validated with the re-election of President Obama by a majority of the American people. To attach defunding of the ACA to the CR was a battle that did not need to be waged.
As I stated in "Changing Guard of American Politics," in so many words, when a government can no longer function to the benefit of the people they were sworn to serve, then that government is broken... and we now sit in that proof that our government, or a part of our government is broken. Does the hatred for this president run so deep within the hearts of bigots and racists within our government that they would continue to act with such disregard toward the poor and middle class in this country? It is absurd to allow this kind of governing to continue within the United States of America. We must stop electing incompetence going forward, which means, take names and notes and vote your interest in the mid-term elections.
We are better than what is being represented in Congress. It is simply a disgrace for simple legislation to take the country to the brink every time there needs to be a simple vote to keep moving forward. Republicans tout that they are the party of little to no government and deficit reduction remains a high priority for them, but, do everything they can to created turmoil and run the economy into the ground. This shut down of the government if it continues will cost the country upwards of 150 million dollars a day, which will add tremendously to the deficit... where is the logic?
Say hello to the results of the hidden factor in all of this... the Supreme Court decision of "Citizens United." As long as politicians in Washington feel no obligation to the average American citizen, but are subsidized by Big Pharma, Big Business, Big Oil and individuals like the Koch Brothers, then, we are in for a long ride in this country. And unfortunately, that ride is in a stage coach riding over unevenly laid stone. This does not have to be, nor does it have to continue as long as we still have the right to vote in this country and let our voices be heard and our voting results be felt!
