The US Government Shut-Down - Whom to Blame

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Really? The Republican party is home to the people who deny evolution, and the geologic age of the earth. And instead of just putting such persons on the sidelines with a pat on the head, the Republican party has allowed itself to be dominated by them. That hardly sounds logical or intelligent to me.

Amen. It is as ridiculous as if they believed the earth is flat or claimed gravity doesn't happen. Perhaps denial of demonstrable reality could be used to exclude idiots from holding public office? Some leading Republican members of SCIENCE committees in Congress have publicly stated how ignorant and in denial they are of science. The corporate masters may not be as stupid but like what is happening to our country because ignorant and fearful people are easier to manipulate.

Based on my personal observations of the past forty years, the Republicans also give extremely unfair advantages and breaks to the wealthy allowing them to not pay their fair share of the burden and to exploit the poor and rape and poison the environment without legal consequences (of course there are real consequences to people and the planet, generally not good ones). This of course is not in the best interests of society, our nation, our species or our planet but for those in the 1% life can be sweet at least in the short term. It won't be so nice for future generations though including their own descendants (if any) because of their unbridled shortsighted greed.

Eleanor Holmes Norton confronts Obama on D.C. budget bill
By Ed O'Keefe, Updated: October 9, 2013

Updated 9:30 p.m.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) had what some colleagues called "a heated exchange" and what she described as "a conversation" with President Obama during a White House meeting Wednesday afternoon regarding the District's budget constraints as a result of the partial government shutdown.

Norton attended the meeting in the White House East Room with nearly 200 House Democrats and was one of a handful given the opportunity to ask the president a question. When she was called upon, Norton pressed Obama to support a House-passed bill that would permit the District to use its locally raised tax funds to maintain operations until Dec. 15.

Democrats, including Obama, have held fast in opposition to such piecemeal funding bills, saying Republicans must come to a deal to fund the entire government, not just favored segments.

Making her point, Norton spoke over the president and refused to yield the microphone, according to a lawmaker who attended the event. The lawmaker described Norton as "strident," "self-absorbed" and "parochial" in her exchange with Obama.

But Obama held firm to his belief that Republicans should work to reopen the entire federal government and not pass stand-alone spending measures, said the lawmaker, who asked not to be identified in order to speak frankly and maintain relationships with colleagues.

Norton confirmed in an interview that she pressed Obama to support the bill and that she doesn't care whether some colleagues felt uncomfortable about the exchange.

"I wasn’t picking a fight with the president, I think the people of the District would expect me to have a conversation with him rather than just asking a question," Norton said.

While most lawmakers might not interrupt Obama as he answered their question, Norton said she was compelled to interject when Obama suggested in his response to her that the budget crunch facing the District is similar to how other congressional districts are adjusting during the shutdown.

"That demanded that I give a response," she said. "Obviously we’re the only District in the United States. We’re uniquely in this position."

Norton insisted she meant no disrespect towards the president. "He’s a big boy and I’m a big girl," she said.

When the meeting ended, Norton said "I went up to him and we had a wonderful conversation, it was very collegial,. And I told him that I’m just trying to make sure that the District isn’t brought to its knees."

Addressing a crowd at a gala event for the D.C. Vote nonprofit Wednesday night, Norton said: "I had to take issue with the president today,"

She said she had to remind Obama that the District is seeking to spend local funds during the shutdown, not federal funds.

Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), accepting an award at the event, described the scene at the White House: "I thought you were going to hit him or something," he cracked after Norton introduced him.

The exchange with Obama came just hours after Norton and Washington Mayor Vincent C. Gray confronted Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and pressed him to support the House bill.

“I’m on your side, don’t screw it up, okay? Don’t screw it up,” Reid told Gray.

Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.

horsepuckey- the TP wants the dems to fall en masse on their swords.

the TP are going at this like they are blameless. the nerve. they are the ones trying to undo the results of the last election. this is a case of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object, only the explosion will be over the heads of the 99%. the top 1%, as always, are above it all, which is just what the TP counts on. they have engineered a new and peculiarly American kind of bloodless coup, via procedure. and all because they want people like me to basically get sick and die.

Last time I checked the GOP still controlled the House of Representatives. Elections do have consequences and you can't just ignore the House and say you won't negotiate with them. That's not how it works. Obama and Harry Reid are the ones punishing the American people to continuing this government shutdown. They could reopen the national parks, the NIH, DC city services, or whatever else tomorrow if they wanted to but Harry Reid and Barack Obama have declared they do not compromise or negotiate. How can anyone say the purpose of closing these monuments and parks is anything back a deliberate punishment? They spend more money keeping them close, it's ridiculous. They think these public displays are advantageous for them and that they will go without the blame, the GOP will capitulate.

This is a Democrat led shutdown of government. They demand total capitulation by the GOP, no compromises, no negotiations. The Democrats want this shutdown since they think it will be held against the GOP and not them.

ACA is LAW!!

So was prohibition. And it even had a Constitutional Amendment.

So was prohibition. And it even had a Constitutional Amendment.

ACA is LAW!! non-negotiable. get rid of corporate welfare and those damned rich folks' tax cuts first, then maybe there will be room for some kind of non-ACA compromise. but to expect one side [and 10s of millions of American citizens who need health care just like you do] to just lie down and die is the unreasonable thing on the part of the TP and their sympathizers.

And?

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer