Originally Posted By ecdc <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/01/why-boehner-doesnt-just-ditch-the-right/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/...e-right/</a> This is an excellent, brief read on House Republican thinking, and how John Boehner has to operate in a world of insanity. If you want to know why Republicans do what they do, then read this.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 From the article, and something we talked about yesterday: "When you hear members talk candidly about their biggest victory, it wasn’t winning the House in 2010. It was winning the state legislatures in 2010 because they were able to redraw their districts so they had many more conservative voters. The members get heat from the press but they don't get heat from back home."
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I'm a little bit skeptical now that the obstruction in the GOP House leadership is coming from an isolated group of lunatic crazies. I was on board for a while until I realized that the Republican wing of the House votes unanimously on almost every point. They've been playing this game ever since Obama took office.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Not only do they not get heat from the people back home, they get wild applause and cheering. Many in conservative districts just don't care that the government is shut down. When they hear all non-essential employees have been furloughed, they say "So what? If they are non-essential they should have never been hired in the first place!" Obviously they don't understand just how limited the definition of an "essential employee" is, but I'm just telling you how this whole thing is playing out here in the boondocks.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip The liberal politicians and media haven't helped matters by "crying wolf" so often in the past. We were told that the credit rating downgrade from the previous debt ceiling fight would result in severe economic hardship. Instead, there remained a ready market for T-bills and the stock market went on to have one of its best years ever. Gloom and doom was again preached about what the sequester would result in. Instead, the result has been nothing but a big yawn. The stock market continues to go up, unemployment continues to go down. Many Americans have become immune to warnings of impending disaster when it comes to government action or inaction.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Many in conservative districts just don't care that the government is shut down.> Michele Bachmann said flat out, in fact, that "we got what we wanted."
Originally Posted By andyll <<Not only do they not get heat from the people back home, they get wild applause and cheering.>> And funding... the most important thing. <<Many in conservative districts just don't care that the government is shut down.>> Go to foxnews.com . It's not a shutdown... it's a slimdown. And that's not just a single headline. Every reference to the shutdown was changed to 'slimdown'
Originally Posted By mawnck >>And that's not just a single headline. Every reference to the shutdown was changed to 'slimdown'<< George Orwell snickers in the 9th circle ...
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<Every reference to the shutdown was changed to 'slimdown'>> This sick thing is that I'm now hearing people where I work agreeing with this sentiment. And the scary thing is that I work at a company where many people are effected by this shutdown as we're government contractors. And yet, people still nod their heads and agree with the idea that a "slimdown" is what's needed, and that the GOP is right to do this. Crazy!
Originally Posted By Ivan45 what a bunch of babies around here. you guys just LOOOOOVE the government so much dont you. well see how much you love it when they come and do things to you. i rule the day when that happens and so will you
Originally Posted By ecdc >>i rule the day when that happens and so will you<< The most offensive thing about your posts is the atrocious grammar. The farther to the right you are, the worse you spell.
Originally Posted By mawnck Was hoping today was the day we wouldn't feed the troll. I am disappoint.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip But he looks HUNGRY!! <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://media3.onsugar.com/files/2013/09/25/781/n/1922398/45d6489560fa3fb1_ted-cruz.preview.jpg">http://media3.onsugar.com/file...view.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By fkurucz "And yet, people still nod their heads and agree with the idea that a "slimdown" is what's needed, and that the GOP is right to do this." Because they believe their services are "essential" and that the slimdown will happen elsewhere. Just like is isn't "excessive government spending" when one is the recipient the benefits, because one "deserves it."
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I don't think I've ever been this worried about the collective sanity of our nation. Someone please tell me it'll all be okay. Or just lie and say it will.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "well see how much you love it when they come and do things to you" Sounds romantic
Originally Posted By andyll <<when they come and do things to you.>> I normally have to pay for that...
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >> Someone please tell me it'll all be okay. Or just lie and say it will. << It will all be okay. Not a lie, just trying to take the longterm view. I do believe that the GOP will tire of the tea baggers constantly painting them into unwinnable corners. At the very least, they're going to tire of losing national elections by listening to that nonsense. Eventually compromise will return and it'll all be okay.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip What do you mean by OK? Will we survive? Yes. Will it be pretty? No. People in the U.S. will become increasingly polarized. Negative reaction to immigration (legal or illegal) will increase just as it has in Europe. Good employment opportunities for young adults will continue to decline, again as has happened in many European countries. Current medical programs like Medicare, Medicaid and ACA will become impossible to support, and health care will finally be nationalized. That will finally guarantee access for all, but will also result in rationing and longer waits to see a doctor. Student Loans will face a meltdown similar to what happened to mortgages and will require a massive government bailout. Student loans will be tightly limited, making higher education available only to those of extremely high ability or considerable wealth. As far as I'm concerned that is not necessarily a bad thing. We can go back to the days when a college degree was not required to be a secretary.
