Is there really a difference? I wasn't necessarily trying to imply self-interest, although of course that's involved. barfo
It's difficult for many to understand because Washington is a bubble. I lived there long enough to know it's an alternate reality. It's easy for them to get sucked into it and believe it's reality. What should have happened is that Boehner and McConnell should have sent their members home to talk with them and see what they thought. Instead, they let themselves be controlled and guided by the polls, which can be massaged. It's no accident that there were 41 stories on the shutdown, 41 of them blaming the Republicans and 0 blaming the Democrats. Yet, in the original post, it was shown that those same Republicans tried 11 times to give something to the Senate. However, your point about the 14th Amendment is critical. Congress has the power of the purse. It's not the Executive Branch's. And President Obama certainly does not have the right to threaten default when we have the money to pay for it.
No he does not have the power to take this nation into default. It would be mismanagement if by accident and a high crime if intentional. I do believe he actually threaten to do just that and they (republicans rhinos) let him get away with it by pretending it is a political consideration. This nation needs firm control over it's spending and this ADA is a very piss poor beginning. The republican fold is not what this nation needed. If they do not get this horrific problem fixed before interest rates on US treasure notes climb and at some point they must, we will be beyond the point of no return. The next Congress must be a Republican majority in both house and they must have the balls to set the course right, fiscal solvency, or that's it, we will have run too far to turn in time to avoid running hard on the rocks.
Uh, good luck with that. Anything could happen in the next 12 months, but it seems less and less likely. Republicans don't seem to be very good at politics lately. barfo
The shutdown cost $24 billion. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...s-that-cost-less-than-the-government-shutdown
Seems like it costs us about $10B a day to run the government. So it cost us $24B for 16 days to shut it down or $160B to run it. $24B is cheap.
First, most of the government wasn't shut down, so obviously costs didn't fall from $160 to $24. Second, $24B is not the cost of government during the shutdown, it's an estimate of the decrease in GDP caused by the shutdown. Based on prior shutdowns, it is expected that the actual cost of running the government increased somewhat during the shutdown. barfo
Discretionary spending is about 1/3 of the government. So $160/3 is still > $24 Forget the B for billions. Your guys throw around $trillions like they are nickels. I throw around nickels like they are manhole covers. it only costs more because they're paying people unemployment and then back pay on top of it. And to pay guys to put up barricades around open air monuments.
Republicans always play the victim card. Here you go, 41 stories blaming Democrats for the government shutdown: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/20...ernment-shutdown-government-workers-obamacare http://www.nationalreview.com/campa...d-about-de-fault-instead-default-jim-geraghty http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/09/rand-paul-government-shutdown-will-entirely-barack-obamas-fault/ http://www.policymic.com/articles/6...shutdown-obama-and-the-democrats-are-at-fault http://www.ktracy.com/politics/government-shutdown-100-democrats-fault http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/b...tdown-explains-democrats-fault/#axzz2i5O1KnAG http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-co...shutdown-will-be-democrats-fault-2723748.html http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2013/10/02/shutdown-john-sivolella http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/10/06/gop-the-shutdown-is-awesome-and-popular-and-obamas-fault/ http://spectator.org/archives/2013/10/02/its-the-presidents-fault http://www.newsmax.com/Murdock/GOP-Shutdown-Obamacare-Reid/2013/10/15/id/531089 http://www.thesecularconservative.com/2013/10/government-shutdown-is-democrats-fault.html http://alextimes.com/2013/10/democrats-deserve-blame-for-government-shutdown/ http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/10/college-students-blame-obama-democrats-government-shutdown/ http://www.teapartynation.com/forum/topics/rino-republicans-breaking-rank http://www.newsmax.com/US/Arkansas-poll-democrats-shutdown/2013/10/14/id/531011 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ar..._obama_needlessly_scaring_seniors_120252.html http://reason.com/blog/2013/09/24/dont-forget-to-blame-senate-democrats-an http://www.policymic.com/articles/6...vernment-shutdown-you-should-be-thanking-them http://onlineathens.com/election/2013-10-03/poll-most-georgians-blame-democrats-government-shutdown http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/articles/2013/10/05/opinion/doc524f086e30eb0637857693.txt http://reason.com/archives/2013/10/01/let-us-be-clear-obama-deserves-chief-res http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/10/01/opinion-obama-deserves-chief-responsibility-govt-shutdown http://www.newsmax.com/MediaWire/limbaugh-government-shutdown-obama/2013/08/19/id/521159 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/blaming-obama-for-government-shutdown/ http://www.postindependent.com/opinion/8473292-113/government-leader-obama-president http://prairiepundit.blogspot.com/2013/10/perry-says-shutdown-is-obamas-fault-for.html http://www.cps-news.com/2013/10/07/like-government-shutdown-obamas-fault/ http://beforeitsnews.com/obama/2013...-be-entirely-barack-obamas-fault-2456124.html http://punditfromanotherplanet.com/...ny-americans-blame-both-parties-for-shutdown/ http://www.redstate.com/2013/10/18/the-budget-shutdown-was-about-ideology-not-tactics/ http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/10/18/Actually-Obama-Manufactured-the-Crisis http://www.redstate.com/2013/10/15/power-and-obedience/ http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs...ally-matter-us-when-shutdown-ends_759185.html http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/10/04/who_shut_down_the_government_120206.html http://news.investors.com/ibd-edito...closed-but-congress-gym-stays-open.htm?p=full http://www.reviewjournal.com/opinio...deral-officials-should-end-theater-open-parks http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ar...in_rejects_cutting_deals_with_gop_120246.html http://www.nationalreview.com/campa...uld-nudge-democrats-they-couldnt-jim-geraghty http://pjmedia.com/blog/shutdown-autopsy/ http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304373104579105483307740074
To clarify maxiep's claim: http://washingtonexaminer.com/netwo...-gop-in-41-stories-0-for-dems/article/2537363 Republicans never expected to get a fair shake in the Big Three networks' coverage of the 16-day government shutdown, but the final tally of stories blaming the GOP is stunning: 41 stories blamed Republicans and zero blamed Democrats. Nightly, 20 million Americans heard “a version of the shutdown story that could easily have emanated from Barack Obama's own White House,” said the new report from the Media Research Center. The report, provided to Secrets, found that a total of 41 stories blamed Republicans for the shutdown. None blamed the Democrats. Another 17 blamed both sides. In addition, those interviewed by the night news broadcasts by ABC, CBS and NBC whacked the Republicans by a six-to-one ratio, said the report. “The broadcast networks invariably blamed Republicans for the impasse; spotlighted dozens of examples of how Americans were being victimized; and ran scores of soundbites from furloughed federal workers and others harmed by the shutdown — even as they ignored examples of how the Obama administration and Senate Democrats were working to make the shutdown as painful as possible,” said the report.
What do you think a 'fair shake' would be? 50/50? If Republicans say the moon is made of cheese, and the democrats say it is made of rock, should the media report that the moon is 50% cheese, 50% rock? I kind of think truth should actually matter in reporting, and the truth is that the Republicans planned the government shutdown and executed on that plan. So yes, it's their fault. A further point is that you guys (and many of the republicans in congress) actually think the shutdown was a good thing, so how can you complain that the papers should have blamed it on the democrats? That seems a little bit, uhm, hypocritical? barfo
The media should report "republicans say the moon is made of cheese, democrats say it's made of rocks." If those are the facts report them. No "blame" involved. It's only partially republicans' responsibility. In a government where compromise is required to get things done, the president and Harry Reid consistently stated their refusal to negotiate, pass and sign bills to fund parts of the govt., etc. They were ALL clearly willing to let govt. shutdown through inaction. So wouldn't it be hypocrisy to whine about the govt. being shutdown, while doing nothing to prevent it?
Should the media mention that the moon isn't actually made of cheese, or should they just present the two claims with no commentary? barfo
Listening to different podcasts, reading news stories, watching clips online. Sure looks like not only is this a huge blunder for republicans, but that it's leaving the republicans more scattered then ever while bringing together the democrats. I have no idea how long these effects will linger, or how they will play out over the long haul, but it sure seems like this could have a major effect on future elections. Time will tell.
