So unless a continuing resolution or a budget is passed before March 4th, the government will shut down. Tea Partiers will see just how valuable the 200,000 civil servants who work in the "big government" are to our security and comfort as a nation. Civil Servants aren't paid when on furlough and many of us won't be shopping in our time off. Boehner had the audacity to say that he really didn't care about civil servants being unemployed. That means he doesn't care about the rest of America either. Everything is linked together. So if the government closes, Social Security isn't paid, taxes aren't filed or returns paid, contractors who work for the government aren't paid (many of them small businesses). A shut down would devastate the economy-especially if it goes on 5 days like the last shut down did.
I think this is a game of chicken. The Republicans will blink first. It would look real bad to get a majority in the House and then shutdown government. But then, I am convinced that some of these people care way too little about Americans.
Barbara Boxer co-sponsored a bill today that would prevent the President and Congress from being paid in the event of a shutdown and would prevent them from being retroactively paid. Good for her. Let's hope it doesn't have to be implemented.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Government Shut Down
Posted by USWest at 5:08 PM
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5 comments:
I'd be shocked if the Republicans were dumb enough to force another government shut down. It was a political disaster for them last time.
I expect them to put up some crummy bill that no one will possibly pass. Then say, "look, we tried and those Democrats refused."
Only time will tell.
Given how Republicans are behaving at the state level in Wisconsin and other states, I suppose what you say could well be on their mind. :-(
I think the Republican leadership definitely does not want a government shutdown, but the Tea Partiers who make them a majority in the House would be fine with it. This makes their situation difficult. Democrats are doing a good job playing it cool, being reasonable, putting out proposals, while the GOP spins around talking about how to demonize rape victims and restrict abortion.
Combine this with Wisconsin and the GOP is facing a real problem. Know who union members are in the midwest? "Reagan Democrats." Their divided votes have elected the GOP. Union folks - a higher % in the midwest than elsewhere - are angry at the GOP and they will pay a price for their hard-right governance.
"Combine this with Wisconsin and the GOP is facing a real problem. Know who union members are in the midwest? "Reagan Democrats." Their divided votes have elected the GOP. Union folks - a higher % in the midwest than elsewhere - are angry at the GOP and they will pay a price for their hard-right governance."
Yep.
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