John Boehner, the Republicans, and the Tea Party have succeeded in shutting down the government. Just think, they have succeeded in putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work in their effort to eliminate healthcare benefits for millions of Americans. That’s quite a legacy.
EDITORIAL: by John P. Reisman – October 2, 2013
Here’s a hint: if you want to help America, make sure you are doing things that help America. Healthcare is actually important and human suffering is the result of not having healthcare. In doing what the Republicans are doing, they are voting for human suffering for Americans. That ‘should’ be considered un-American.
Case 1
Just last night I had dinner with a couple whom shall remain unnamed. They said they had a friend that was a doctor in Pennsylvania. She told them that if she did not give free healthcare to the children she was able to see in her community those children would have died.
Case 2
A person is brought to a public clinic with multiple issues and high fever. After many hours of waiting that person is examined and prescribed antacids and sent home. Luckily that person’s father was a doctor who just happened to be coming to visit the next day. The parent/doctor examined the patient and determined that there was a systemic infection and that antibiotics were needed immediately. The patient son was told that he most likely would have died within days had he not received the antibiotics. That patient was me.
The issue at the heart of the government shutdown?
Healthcare. Or more specifically Obamacare, which used to be called Romneycare in its younger days.
The Republicans attached a rider to the bill that would continue funding the operation of our government. They won’t fund the government unless healthcare is removed for millions of Americans.
They say Obamacare is a job-killer. Well, actually being unhealthy can be a human-killer. Here’s a poser for us. If a person dies because they could not get healthcare, should John Boehner and his cohorts be tried for manslaughter if they are successful in delaying, or killing, Obamacare? Besides, according to statistics Many western countries (not including America) have a more efficient and effective healthcare system. Some countries even ‘require’ people to be responsible by paying for their healthcare. In the end it costs less, works better, and is government regulated.
What are the Risks of A Government Shutdown?
- 800,000 federal employees will go without pay — and it’s unclear if they’ll receive back pay for time missed.
- 3.6 million veterans may not receive benefits if the shutdown lasts over two weeks.
- The Centers for Disease Control will have to stop its flu prevention program, just as flu season begins.
- Food safety inspections will scale back their work, exposing millions to risk.
- About nine million moms and pregnant women will no longer receive nutritional assistance from the Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants, and Children program.
- The Small Business Administration will be unable to process new loans, potentially slowing new small business growth.
- National parks and museums will close across the country, damaging our travel and tourism industries by millions for each day the government remains shut down. (Yes, that means the Statue of Liberty is closed for business…)
- Head Start programs across the country will start closing, ending educational and health benefits for low-income children.
- Disability benefits could be interrupted, leaving vulnerable Americans without the support they rely on.
Critical Issues
- The strong potential of a credit downgrade for America,
- which will then force interest rates up,
- which will make everything more expensive,
- which will force the government to raise taxes,
- which potentially will force millions more out of work,
- which would leave millions more without healthcare.
Sometimes me thinks these folks don’t think things through very much.
Think about this: If America gets a global reputation for not paying it’s bills because it’s politicians act like little children by saying if people get healthcare, we are going to shut down the government… Well, then our credit rating will go down. And we will end up with a weaker economy; all because the GOP had a temper tantrum because they didn’t get their way.
Why is the Congress/Senate Paid During The Shutdown?
Our representatives are still getting paid during the shutdown “at a cost of $10,583.85 per hour”.
We pay our legislative representatives to keep our government open. To manage the needs of the country and the people. Well, at least that is what I thought?
Congress should be at the head of the line for not getting paid.
But the legislators are still paid during a government shutdown? Why? Wouldn’t it be smarter to keep the Center for Disease Control (CDC) open and not pay congress? At least the CDC ‘does’ look out for the interests of the people. Congress is too busy looking out for themselves to be bothered by something as petty and unimportant as the American people. There is a particular irony in the legislature shutting down the government, while they are in fact ‘the government’, yet they still get paid by the government during a government shutdown? I thought they worked for the government? Our representatives have consistently proven themselves to be one of the most useless aspects of our government. I would have thought they would have been at the head of the line for not getting paid? I’m confused.
“For the People”?
Someone remind me again why these people are getting paid? Isn’t it their job to keep things going and fix things? Isn’t it their job to work out issues in the most reasonable manner possible? Isn’t it their job to keep the government not only open, but running well? You know what, I heard that in some ‘other’ countries that are ‘not’ America the legislation is in service of the public and the common good. They actually have government “Of the people by the people for the people“. Why not America too? Have we really abandoned our principles that much?
So here we are…
The government is shut down. America as a nation is closing service. The evidence indicates that the fault lies with John Boehner, the Republicans, and the Tea Party, which apparently has great influence over the Republican Party.
Shutdown
I went to the Center for Disease Control 24-7 page. Here’s the message on top:
Due to the lapse in government funding, only web sites supporting excepted functions will be updated unless otherwise funded. As a result, the information on this website may not be up to date, the transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found athttp://www.usa.gov.
You will find this message on many government web sites as of this morning, Tuesday, October 2nd, 2013.
What was that issue again?
They don’t want millions of American citizens to have health insurance because it will cost their corporate welfare friends too much money. And if they don’t shut down the government they will not get as much in campaign contributions.
Many Republican politicians are no longer “Of the people by the people for the people“. They are ‘of the Corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation’. In this action, the GOP has abandoned America. And they are doing this in the name of America and the people?
The ‘Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’ was passed into law and the supreme court has deemed that it is constitutional as is. The best way to describe what the Republicans are saying in regard to it being ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘against’ America is that they are lying.
If they want to repeal the law, then do it through congressional procedure for changing a law. Don’t do it like an petulant child having a tantrum and holding America hostage. We’ve had enough terrorism lately and we actually don’t like being held hostage.
Bill Stacking
…that just means they are too lazy to fight out each issue.
Bill stacking has long been a problem in the legislature. It allows the wiggle room politicians need for their horse trading to get what they want. Such horse trading should likely be banned though. This horse trading is how politicians and special interests slip things into bills and get them passed. Often these things get past the public eye because it’s just a rider attached to a larger issue that is the focus of the bill. But really, that just means they are too lazy to fight out each issue… But that is probably because they don’t have time for such things as attending to the business of America; they are usually too busy working on fundraising for their next election.
John Boehner, the GOP, and the Tea Party…
have succeeded in shutting down the government putting our entire country and citizenry at higher risk for a worse economy and a more unhealthy future. They might even be responsible for killing a few innocent people in the process. Bravo!
What’s their next trick?
Links
Unite America with The Centrist Party
- Enough is enough. We must unite to reclaim our government. Join the Centrist Party. Work together to heal our nation and return balance in governance and common sense for the nation and the people.
The Centrist News
Check out Centrist News & Perspectives for centrist media intelligence:
Recent Comments