The Year of Manufactured Crises

After all the huffing and puffing and strutting and screaming, it happened. A deal was struck. The votes were rounded up. And after weeks of mindless speculation, Congress' latest and greatest manufactured crisis finally came to an end.

How many times have we had to talk about it here? Frankly, I lost count some time in March. However, I remember that our very first conversation of 2013 was about "The Fiscal Cliff"... And what the end of that manufactured crisis revealed to us about how Congress would (not) work in 2013.

Even while "The Fiscal Cliff" has been averted, this is still just a temporary solution. G-O-TEA extremists will be demanding whole pounds of "fiscal flesh" when the debt ceiling is taken hostage yet again again up for debate. So there will be another round of insanity to witness in the new Congress this spring.

Yet even with that being said, it may just end up being a bunch of meaningless Sturm und Drang. Why, you ask? Remember that for most of the past decade-plus in Congress (that is, when Republicans have controlled the House), Republicans have operated under the "Hastert Rule" of only bringing legislation to the House floor if it has the support of most of the Republican caucus. However, that did not happen last night. Instead, this bill passed despite most House Republicans opposing it. And in letting this happen, Boehner implicitly admitted that budget solutions can now be reached by actually reaching across the aisle for a change and bringing in Democratic votes (as opposed to simply grinding Congress to a halt just so he can engage in "tea party circle jerks").

This may be the key to unlocking the potential for better productivity in the new Congress. Both President Obama and Harry Reid see it. We'll just have to see how long House Republicans try denying this "new rule"... And how long we will have to endure the next round of meaningless "tea party circle jerks" before something (else) is actually accomplished.

Actually, it is the key... But it's yet to be used to solve anything other than manufactured crises. Instead, we've seen Congress stuck in epic gridlock thanks to endless G-O-TEA intransigence.

Comprehensive immigration reform (CIR)? Oh, no. They can't do that. It's too "big and complicated" for one bill (despite the fact that the Senate passed one in June).

Farm bill? Oh, no. They can't do that. They'd rather let American consumers suffer unnecessary higher food prices than let the working poor eat.

ENDA? Oh, no. They can't do that. They still refuse to accept that LGBTQ Americans exist, let alone contribute to the American Economy. [...]

Time and time again, Republican "leaders" have chosen cheap and crass political games over real governance. It's why major policy goals, such as CIR & ENDA, are about to be left unmet. And it's why we doubt this Congress can even "succeed" at such basic tasks as passing longer term budgets.

After all, some Republican politicians are now bragging about their vision of "government that does less". Why would they want to abandon that vision to allow for a government that actually functions properly?

Never mind that we actually have real crises to solve. Because Congressional Republican "leaders" long ago lost control of their Crazy Caucus, they've manufactured crises, such as "The Fiscal Cliff", the Shutdown Shitfest, and a slew of near default debacles, in a desperate attempt to mollify them. It hasn't worked. Instead, it's revealed just how reckless and feckless the G-O-TEA has become.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year. 

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions. [...]

It doesn't matter that this whole Shutdown Shitfest made for absolutely awful economics. And it doesn't matter that it ultimately made for crappy politics. For today's G-O-TEA, all that matters is that crazy is in charge. And that's what caused this whole crazy fiasco in the first place.

Ultimately, this and the other manufactured crises came to an end. Senator Harry Reid (D-The Boss) was able to find just enough not-so-crazy Republicans to force "leadership" to stand down at the 11th hour of each and every manufactured crisis of 2013. Yet with that being said, this string of crises has taken its toll on the nation. America has been forced into an era of austerity, and people are suffering as a result of this series of budget cuts. Even now, even more American families are about to become victims of the next round of austerity madness.

And speaking of austerity madness, the big 2014-15 Ryan-Murray Budget Deal is on track to pass the Senate today. It easily overcame a G-O-TEA led filibuster on a 67-33 vote. For the record, Senator Reid voted for cloture while Senator Dean Heller (R) voted to sustain the filibuster.

Even though this budget deal offers plenty of austerity, a number of Republicans (including Heller & Rep. Joe Heck) still oppose it. Why? It doesn't have enough austerity to please the Crazy Caucus, so expect another round of battles in the ongoing G-O-TEA Civil War as 2013 comes to a close.

And what about the new year? Believe it or not, 2014 may begin with (drumroll, please) yet another manufactured crisis over the debt ceiling thanks to continuing teabagger angst over the Ryan-Murray Sequester Remix. So this shitfest over manufactured crises built upon voodoo economics and political hogwash may not actually be completely over just yet. Happy Holidays!

Ball's in Their Court

Were you planning to head to Red Rock some time soon? Or Lake Mead? Or maybe even the Grand Canyon or Yosemite? Forget it!

Why? Rep. Joe Heck (R-Born Again TEA-liever) refuses to acknowledge reality. And Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Boo-TEA-licious) is never truly "tired of the drama".




The nation is losing at least $300 million a day in economic output thanks to the G-O-TEA's much desired government shutdown. 800,000 people have needlessly and carelessly been thrown out of work. And the global economy (and America's standing in it) is now at risk.

Just here in Nevada, we're already beginning to feel the effects. From tourism to the military, the federal government plays a major role in holding up the state’s economy. So what are we supposed to do without it?

And why are we at this point now? Why has this manufactured crisis become a real source of pain and suffering? Oh, it's because Reps. Heck & Amodei have joined the rest of the House G-O-TEA Caucus in displaying petulant and downright bratty behavior for the sole purpose of hurting people. And now, they are out to hurt even more people.

Yet as these G-O-TEA sadists keep hurting the Ameeican people, they're also hurting their own political future. That may turn out to be their greatest miscalculation in this whole shutdown gambit. They failed to recognize that people want jobs, parks, passports, and pandas. They don't want an economic catastrophe caused by ideological lunacy.

Remember that Reps. Heck & Amodei can end this manufactured crisis whenever they want. All they have to do is demand a floor vote on the temporary budget extension that already passed the Senate. The ball's in their court.

House of Turds, Game of Bulls**t

So I was wrong. Monday last week, I was convinced the latest and greatest manufactured crisis would be over by now. That didn't happen. Instead, they forced America into a government shutdown that will hurt many millions of American families while making out nation the global laughingstock.

Because House Republicans refused to end their mean-spirited temper tantrum, they shut down the government. It's really that simple. They don't want "compromise". They want to humiliate and delegitimize the duly elected President.

Moments ago, Rep. John Larson (D-Connecticut) took to the House floor to tell his G-O-TEA colleagues to grow up.



And he's not alone. Shortly after midnight (Eastern Time), Senator Harry Reid (D) called out House Republicans for refusing to acknowledge reality.



And it's not just Democrats any more. Even former Republican leaders are calling on their party to knock it off! Republicans already got their austerity. What else do they expect?

Americans are sick and tired of this endless bullshit. The New York Daily News' cover spoke to the frustration of most Americans. And the latest Quinnipiac Poll shows just how unpopular Congressional Republicans have become.

Republicans can end this manufactured crisis whenever they want. Do they want to end it? Or do they want to continue punishing people for the "crime" of not voting for their failed policies and candidates?

Failed Culture War

Earlier today, we looked at the economic ramifications of a G-O-TEA led government shutdown and debt debacle. Now, let's examine why they're forcing us onto the brink of disaster. Of course, it's partially due to their ongoing temper tantrum over Obamacare (working despite their many sabotage attempts). However, there's more to this story than initially meets the eye.

Believe it or not, House Republicans not only threatened health care access for millions of Americans, but they also brought back to the forefront their other favorite war: the G-O-TEA War on Women. Oh, yes. That's right. It's back.

Late Saturday night, House Republicans slipped anti-contraception garbage into their giant garbage can of an "appropriations bill". Do they not remember how Mitt Romney joined in on the G-O-TEA attacks on contraception... And lost the last Presidential Election? Most Americans know contraception saves lives and saves money because most American women have used it. That's why most Americans got sick and tired of Rush Limbaugh's attacks on women's health care 18 months ago.

Don't believe me? Believe the latest Bloomberg Poll. Only 22% of Americans want even more restrictions on contraception and abortion. Oh, and that's not all.

Also according to that Bloomberg Poll conducted late this month, 55% of Americans support marriage equality while only 39% oppose. While the struggle for LGBTQ civil rights continues, the American people are increasingly acceptive. And the G-O-TEA's hangup over one word is causing another major problem for their party.

Republicans bet big on "TEH CUL'CHUR WARZZZ!!!" And now, they're losing. While demagoguery and xenophobia were able to win elections in the past, most Americans now are sick and tired of the same old homophobic diatribes and screeds against basic women's health care.

Yet instead of addressing their growing policy discontent, House Republicans are throwing a political temper tantrum. They're essentially forcing all of us to suffer because their policies cost them the last election. And they continue to deny they're losing their culture war.

Note to Republicans: Manufactured crises and unnecessary drama won't magically cause their failed culture war to disappear.

Shutdown Sh**fest

It was supposed to end by now. The federal government was supposed to be kept running. Will we be proven wrong tonight?

The latest and greatest manufactured crisis continues to rage on despite the Senate rejecting the House G-O-TEA shutdown agenda. But because G-O-TEA Congresscritters refuse to stop the drama, a government shutdown will happen tomorrow if the House can't pass the Senate approved temporary budget.

Even some House Republicans admit it's a political "loser" for their party. So far, recent polls are confirming their fear. And now, even Republican Senators are urging their party to stop the insani-TEA.

Here's Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine).

"What is abundantly clear is that the American people do not want dysfunction in Washington to lead to another government shutdown. A shutdown will only further damage our struggling economy and reverse an already slow climb out of recession.



"I voted against Obamacare and have repeatedly voted to repeal, reform, and replace it, but I disagree with the strategy of linking Obamacare with the continuing functioning of government-a strategy that cannot possibly work.  Instead, I urge the President and congressional leaders to sit down immediately and negotiate at least a stopgap funding measure to avoid a disruption in many vital programs on which our citizens rely.

And a Former President who has experience tackling manufactured crises spoke out yesterday on today's maelstrom of stupid.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” former President Bill Clinton had strong words for the GOP (and no words on his wife’s 2016 campaign). Commenting on the party’s fierce push for cuts and obsession with fighting Obamacare, Clinton noted, “”I’ve never seen a time– can you remember a time in your lifetime when a major political party was just sitting around, begging for America to fail?”

Clinton of triangulation fame also advised President Obama against negotiating with the GOP, describing Republican budget hawks as “spiteful”:

“If I were the president, I wouldn’t negotiate over these draconian cuts that are gonna take food off the table of low-income working people, while they leave all the agricultural subsidies in for high-income farmers and everything else,” he said. “It’s chilling to me. The entitlement spending is going down as the unemployment rate drops and the economy grows. Half of the deficit’s already disappeared. The rest of it just seems almost spiteful.”

Already, US and global stocks are falling amid worries of how this manufactured crisis could (further) harm the economy. No matter how much the usual G-O-TEA suspects want to deny reality, a government shutdown and possible debt default run huge economic risk. Yesterday, Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman tried to inject some sanity into the crazy "debate" on Capitol Hill.

Financial markets have long treated U.S. bonds as the ultimate safe asset; the assumption that America will always honor its debts is the bedrock on which the world financial system rests. In particular, Treasury bills — short-term U.S. bonds — are what investors demand when they want absolutely solid collateral against loans. Treasury bills are so essential for this role that in times of severe stress they sometimes pay slightlynegative interest rates — that is, they’re treated as being better than cash.

Now suppose it became clear that U.S. bonds weren’t safe, that America couldn’t be counted on to honor its debts after all. Suddenly, the whole system would be disrupted. Maybe, if we were lucky, financial institutions would quickly cobble together alternative arrangements. But it looks quite possible that default would create a huge financial crisis, dwarfing the crisis set off by the failure of Lehman Brothers five years ago.

No sane political system would run this kind of risk. But we don’t have a sane political system; we have a system in which a substantial number of Republicans believe that they can force President Obama to cancel health reform by threatening a government shutdown, a debt default, or both, and in which Republican leaders who know better are afraid to level with the party’s delusional wing. For they are delusional, about both the economics and the politics.

And this is why all the major world stock indices are tumbling today. The world has begun doubting its faith in the ability of our federal government to run itself. And it's all thanks to continued G-O-TEA intransigence.

For decades, America has been the top global economic leader. For decades, we've been the platinum standard in economic stability. But now, a few Republican hotheads on Capitol Hill are threatening to shut down the government and default on US debt. This would mean our government fails to live up to its promise to pay its bills and provide for the people. It's nonsense... And it's not what the world expects of the world's economic leader.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again now. This is fucking madness. This only hurts people. It helps no one. And it risks the world losing its faith in American leadership once and for all.

Are those gawd-damned G-O-TEA fuckers happy now?

Big Deal, Big Irony

Earlier this month, many were worried about the crisis in Syria. Then, after President Obama threatened use of military force against the Syrian Government for using chemical weapons against its own people, the real diplomacy began. And now, a deal is being reached.

The United States and Russia have been at odds on how to force the handover [of chemical weapons]. Those two countries negotiated the deal, and France played a large role in helping come up with compromise language, the sources said.

The deal includes a resolution with so-called Chapter 7 authority, a reference to a United Nations provision that allows member countries to take military and nonmilitary action to confront threats to peace and security.

The U.S. and Russia reached agreement earlier this month on the outlines of a plan to rid Syria of chemical weapons. Syria satisfied the first part of the plan last week, when it gave the world a catalog of its weapons stockpile.

The agreement envisions the removal of chemical weapons from Syria by the middle of next year.

Fortunately for everyone, the combination of tough talks and hard negotiations secured a real deal. A month ago, many were wondering when World War 3 would start. Now, all five permanent members of the UN Security Council have managed to agree on something... And something that truly is a big deal.

So why can't we feel good about this? The strange irony of today is that even when President Obama can forge agreements on the world stage, he can't even count on the G-O-TEA Mad House to agree with him on basic things like keeping the government open. Just as the Senate is about to finish a temporary federal budget agreement, House G-O-TEA "leaders" are threatening to blow it up and force a shutdown.

They're not even pretending to be sane any more. They're truly caving into pure batshit crazy.

The bill, obtained by the National Review, tacks on items including a one-year delay of Obamacare; tax reform in the image of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI); approval of the Keystone pipeline; expanded offshore drilling and other pro-oil and coal energy reforms; increases in military spending coupled with deeper cuts to domestic programs; repealing a fund in the financial regulatory reform bill; means testing for Medicare; repealing the Obamacare prevention and public health fund and medical malpractice reform.

One House GOP leadership aide didn't deny the contents of the summary but cautioned that it may not be final. The aims, however, reflect the direction the House of Representatives is taking and contains important clues as to how the debate will unfold. [...]

Democrats believe the Republican plan is [batshit] crazy. And President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have repeatedly vowed not to make concessions in order to lift the debt ceiling. But Boehner is in a bind because the debt limit is a very tough vote for conservatives and he needs to dangle all sorts of enticements before them in order to win over most Republicans.

It's been nearly a year since President Obama won reelection and Democrats made net gains in Congress. Republicans lost the 2012 Election. But now, they want to re-fight the 2012 Election and threaten to blow up the world economy if Barack Obama doesn’t kill himself after directing Mitt Romney be appointed President they don't get their way?

They truly are fucking nuts. Who would have guessed Russia and Syria would be more willing to prevent global disaster than Congressional Republicans? Wow, what irony...

Manufactured Lie-sis

Hey, we told you so. On Monday, we could see the end approaching for the latest and greatest G-O-TEA manufactured crisis. And now, the US Senate is moving as quickly as possible to avert a government shutdown by passing a temporary budget extension. As usual, Senator Harry Reid (D-Searchlight) has been busy piecing together the final deal.

But now, Republicans are more divided than ever. They don't know how far to go to achieve their supposed goals. And really, they don’t like that their mendacity has been exposed.

If they’d been sounding the tocsins of doom in earnest, the political consequences of a shutdown would have been worth bearing. Republicans would have joined him and turned what he did from a day-long oratory into a “real” filibuster.

Does that mean Cruz and his fellow speakers are the only true believers in the GOP? I don’t think so. I think they saw an opportunity to claim the spotlight and they took it. They know the movement they’re courting rewards those kinds of demonstrations. It wasn’t an earnest attempt at persuasion — it’s not like anti-Obamacare screeds are new to anyone. Which is why it’s correct to point out, as dozens of others including Harry Reid already have, that Cruz wasn’t filibustering anything.

I agree, but only because I don’t believe Cruz ever intended to convince any of his colleagues to change their votes.

And there’s no going back from this. You can’t claim to be a hero if you won’t run into a burning building to save a child. Cruz lit the building on fire. Nearly every Republican stood safely outside. And a lot of people are going to remember that the next time any of them claim Obamacare will ruin the country and only they can stop it.

If Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) is so horrible and life-threatening, then why are Republicans giving up on their effort to defund it this fall? May it be due to the reality of Obamacare not really being horrible and life-threatening? After all, the Affordable Care Act is largely based on the conservative Republican alternative to then President Clinton's 1994 health care reform proposal.

Now that the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare is being implemented, more Americans will have the chance to find affordable health insurance and better care. And it's happening thanks to a mix of stronger regulation of the insurance market, increased consumer buying power, a better social safety net for working poor in need of help, and private sector innovation. Keep in mind that most "Obamacare coverage" is actually coming from private companies or non-profit co-ops.

Wow. That doesn't sound life-threatening at all. In fact, this sounds pretty life-saving. And here we have why Republicans can't sustain their campaign to destroy the Affordable Care Act. Oh, and no wonder why they must resort to manufactured crises to spread fear, anger, and a whole lot of misinformation.

Next week, Obamacare exchanges will come online. Also next week, Congressional Republicans will start yet another debt ceiling fiasco. One crisis is simply manufactured, while the other is simply nonexistent.

Going for (Fili)bust

At last, the moment is nigh. Even though the drama on Capitol Hill hasn't subsided quite yet, the end is near. And for that matter, so is the beginning.

The Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare, or ACA) has been subject to nonstop political mud wrestling marathons since it was being debated in Congress four years ago. But now, it's a law that's being implemented. And in just six days, the ACA exchanges will be open for enrollment.



This is the centerpiece of the ACA. And this morning, the US Department of Health & Human Services released an eye-popping report on the ACA exchanges right before they become reality.

"We've done a pretty good job of getting affordable options on the shelves," Jeanne Lambrew, deputy assistant for health policy to Obama, told reporters Tuesday in advance of the report's public release. "That is success that we've gotten to the point where we can say that."

On average, people will have a choice of 56 different insurance plans -- depending on which state you live in, though, that figure could range from seven (in Alabama) to 106 (in Arizona). The average number of insurers in a state is eight, though that again ranges from one to 13 in different states.

As for premiums, before tax credits kick in, they will average 16 percent below the Congressional Budget Office's original estimates for a silver-level plan (which covers 70 percent of costs). The number of insurers in a state is directly tied to how low premiums will be, Lambrew noted. Arizona, with an average of 106 plans to choose from, had the lowest average premium for a 27-year-old adult: $166 a month. Wyoming, with an average of 16 plans, had the highest average premium at $342 a month.

But then the tax credits take effect. Those knock the premium for that 27-year-old, projected to earn $25,000, down to $145 in most states. For a family of four making $50,000, the credits take the premium price down from more than $1,000 in some states to $282.

As we've explained many times before, Obamacare is working. And it's working despite G-O-TEA obstruction.And it's working to lower health care costs while ensuring more and better coverage.

After all, the ACA provides the same health coverage that Members of Congress receive. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) explained this on the Senate floor.



So this is what some G-O-TEA crispy critters are going for (fili)bust over. And they're wondering why the cruel joke is now on them? Despite their nonsensical political games, Obamacare is becoming reality. And despite their misleading spin, more American families will soon discover how it helos them.

Congressional Republicans are still going for (fili)bust... And it won't be long before they just come out of this pointless melee looking awfully busted.

Manufactured Crisis v. Real Peril

The end is near! Finally, the end is near. The latest and greatest G-O-TEA manufactured crisis is finally coming to an end, and we can soon go on with life.

Yet as the current manufactured crisis approaches its inevitable conclusion, the nation and world must continue to wrestle with very real crises. In fact, there's one in particular making news again (for all the wrong reasons).

Food insecurity is set to rise 10-20% by 2050. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are about to become more common. And millions of people around the world are at risk of being trapped in epic poverty.



Sounds downright frightening, doesn't it? It should. Forget the stupid manufactured crises on Capitol Hill, climate change is the real crisis threatening global security.

We're risking our own future and our children's future by failing to solve this real crisis. But if we take the necessary steps to solve it, we can actually save lives. No really, we can save 3 million lives per year by 2100 by cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This is actually a rare case where cuts (in carbon emissions, that is) can save lives.

However, this is not just about cuts. It's also about growth. If Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Paraguay, and other nations can capitalize on the renewable energy revolution, why can't America? Well, we are to a certain extent... But we're still nowhere near our full potential.

So why aren't we taking advantage of this real opportunity? Why can't we actually solve this real crisis? Why must we keep wasting time on manufactured distractions? And why are we still debating real science?

Instead of obsessing over ridiculous manufactured crises, those "leaders" on Capitol Hill need to start focusing on solving the real ones.

All Stuck, No Middle

Here he goes again. Last November, Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) tried to reinvent himself as "Senator No Labels Post-partisan". The shtick even started to seem somewhat believable when he flip-flopped came around on comprehensive immigration reform.

Yet over the course of this year, as Senator Heller has felt the ire of a distrustful 21st Century Know Nothing base, he's been changing his tune yet again. As spring turned to summer and summer turned to fall, Senator Dean Heller was sounding less "No Labels Post-partisan" and more standard issue G-O-TEA (all over again). Why is this?

I'd like to think Sam Shad was looking for answers. Unfortunately for all of us, Senator Heller provided none in his most recent "Nevada Newsmakers" appearance.

Shad: “War on Republicans, the Libertarian side of the party versus the moderate side of the party. How is this going to affect future of the party and where do you stand?”

Heller: “Well obviously it has had impact. We saw during the last election cycle, in fact, if you take a look at the United States Senate two years ago we were sitting here thinking the Republicans were going to take control. I’m a big believer that to win a race you have to have a good campaign, you have to have a good candidate, and you have to have both. You can have both and lose, but you can’t win without both. So we are seeing the same dynamics now going in two years later. The state of Georgia has some very conservative candidates and the key is to win races. I want the most conservative candidates that can win being the nominee for the Senate races. If we do that I think we can take the majority.”

[Ralston:] Could someone please translate that into English for me? And the follow-up? Still waiting---

While I don't always agree with Jon Ralston, I do sympathize with him here. I think I also need a translation. I don't speak gibberish, either.

To be fair to Senator Heller, he's not the only Republican stuck in an increasingly confusing G-O-TEA civil war. Now that the G-O-TEA's latest and greatest manufactured crisis is falling apart fast, Congressional Republicans are quickly turning on each other.

As the deadline for a federal budget is fast approaching, Republicans are now busy fighting each other. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) bashed the G-O-TEA shutdown strategy on the Senate floor earlier today, only for the G-O-TEA culture warriors to turn around and denounce him. The Wall Street Journal editorial page again decried the G-O-TEA shutdown debacle, only for "the base" to throw yet another temper tantrum amd demand even more "purity".

Republican "leaders" are now saying they're pushing for "conservative principles"... But so are the G-O-TEA culture warriors. So who's to be believed?

And is there any wonder any more why Senator Heller is so afraid of saying anything substantive? His party is stuck as it's starting to feel blowback from its latest manufactured crisis. And right now, all it's doing is consuming itself alive. Senator Heller is afraid of being consumed alive. He's just lucky that his next election won't be until 2018.

The End Game

What a Monday. We've seen plenty of drama from the usual suspects. And of course, they're demanding the same old disgusting ransom as they threaten to hold the nation hostage.

Of course, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) is over the ridiculous G-O-TEA drama. However, there was an interesting twist today. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) is also over the ridiculous G-O-TEA drama. Pay very close attention to what's said below... And what's not said.

"Senator McConnell supports the House Republicans' bill and will not vote to block it, since it defunds Obamacare and funds the government without increasing spending by a penny," McConnell spokesman Don Stewart told TPM in an email Monday. "He will also vote against any amendment that attempts to add Obamacare funding back into the House Republicans' bill."

The decision clears a path for Democrats to pass a continuing resolution that funds Obamacare. Procedurally, Democrats need 60 votes (they have 54 members) to advance the House-passed continuing resolution. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) can strike the language defunding Obamacare with 51 votes, which frees up McConnell and every other Republican to vote against such an amendment. This way he never has to actually vote to fund Obamacare but doesn't force a shutdown over an unachievable goal.

Because Senator McConnell is facing a "TEA" fueled primary challenge, he has to sound "severely conservative". But in failing to say "The [Other] F Word", Senator Reid should be able to proceed in crafting a budget agreement that all sides can live with.

And that's not all. Former Senator Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire) couldn't stay silent as some in his party continue promoting economic destruction.

The self-promotional babble of a few has become the mainstream of Republican political thought. It has marginalized the influence of the party to an appalling degree. 

An approach to the debt ceiling that says one will not vote for its extension unless ObamaCare is defunded is the political equivalent of playing Russian roulette with all the chambers of the gun loaded. It is the ultimate no-win strategy. 

You cannot in politics take a hostage you cannot shoot. That is what the debt ceiling is. At some point, the debt ceiling will have to be increased not because it is a good idea but because it is the only idea. 

As we've discussed here many times before, there's no realistic way for the G-O-TEA gang to succeed. Obamacare is law. A budget must signed into law in a week. And the debt ceiling is not something to mess around with.

Even as the media pundits are setting each other's hair on fire, the end game is now in sight. Senator McConnell is now deferring to Senator Reid, and to the Republicans willing to negotiate with him. And sooner or later, G-O-TEA "leaders" will blink.

This week should be interesting...

Still Makes No $

Earlier this morning, we were reminded of the latest and greatest manufactured crisis to hit Capitol Hill. Never mind we still have over a month until Halloween, politicians and media pundits are already spooked. Even the high and mighty at the Federal Reserve and Wall Street are feeling the fright.

Even as we're seeing real crises develop around the world, The Beltway Pundit Class continues to obsess over the manufactured crisis that's ripping the Republican Party apart while causing jitters among economists. As we've discussed here many times before, it doesn't have to be this way. Yet for some reason, Congressional Republicans keep pushing us to the brink.

Last night, Desert Beacon had to debunk the spin coming from Rep. Mark Amodei's (R-Drama) office regarding his vote for fiscal insani-TEA. Of course, he claims he just helped the House "do its job". If he defines "do its job" as cause unnecessary drama, then he may be right. Funny enough, Rep. Amodei was the one claiming he was "tired of the drama" earlier this year.

This actually isn't the only fit of drama coming from Nevada Republicans. Over the weekend, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-TEA Curious) office sent a letter to constituents who asked about his vote to force millions of Americans to starve. Since July, he and other House Republicans have been on a mission to slash and burn the SNAP program that provides a critical lifeline to millions of food insecure Americans and our nation's economy. And once again, Rep. Heck is claiming his vote was to "reform" SNAP. He even claimed the bill provides $333 million more for soup kitchens!

OK, so what's so bad about that? Can't those pesky poor people go to soup kitchens? Nope, since soup kitchens and other private charities are already stretched beyond capacity due to post-Great Recession poverty and unemployment. An extra $333 million over ten years, or less than $670,000 per state per year, won't nearly be enough to take care of this. After all, House Republicans voted to slash $40 billion (!!!) from SNAP and throw them to already overextended private charities.

Rep. Heck also cited "fraud" as a reason to vote to gut SNAP, but the "fraud" claims he and other House Republicans cite have already been debunked. So why do they keep threatening the lives of so many Americans? Maybe Paul Krugman can explain.

[... L]ast year, average food stamp benefits were $4.45 a day. Also, about those “able-bodied people”: almost two-thirds of SNAP beneficiaries are children, the elderly or the disabled, and most of the rest are adults with children.

Beyond that, however, you might think that ensuring adequate nutrition for children, which is a large part of what SNAP does, actually makes it less, not more likely that those children will be poor and need public assistance when they grow up. And that’s what the evidence shows. The economists Hilary Hoynes and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach have studied the impact of the food stamp program in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was gradually rolled out across the country. They found that children who received early assistance grew up, on average, to be healthier and more productive adults than those who didn’t — and they were also, it turns out, less likely to turn to the safety net for help.

SNAP, in short, is public policy at its best. It not only helps those in need; it helps them help themselves. And it has done yeoman work in the economic crisis, mitigating suffering and protecting jobs at a time when all too many policy makers seem determined to do the opposite. So it tells you something that conservatives have singled out this of all programs for special ire.

Even some conservative pundits worry that the war on food stamps, especially combined with the vote to increase farm subsidies, is bad for the G.O.P., because it makes Republicans look like meanspirited class warriors. Indeed it does. And that’s because they are.

And even worse, Reps. Heck & Amodei have been voting to continue subsidies for several of their House Republican colleagues. So "welfare" is good for Republicans with "family farms", but not for poor people in actual need?

To make matters even worse, the House G-O-TEA budget plan offers even more painful austerity. It denies chemotherapy to cancer patients, preschool to children, housing to families, and help to domestic violence victims. Oh, and did I mention it (further) threatens economic recovery?

So now, we must ask this: Why are Joe Heck, Mark Amodei, and other House Republicans threatening the lives of so many Americans? And why do they persist in pursuing the same old economy busting austerity policies? Their prescription for economic ruin makes no sense.

We Are (Still) Not a Deadbeat Nation.

Last Thursday, we looked at the reasoning behind the Federal Reserve's decision to delay plans to taper its stimulus program. Today, we have a little more insight into how and why that happened. Moments ago, New York Federal Reserve Bank President William Dudley said the decision was made partly because results of their economic tests did not suggest the US economy was ready yet for tapering... And in particular, fiscal uncertainties "looming very large right now".

Hey, G-O-TEA Congresscritters, Mr. Dudley is talking about you!

And it's not just The Fed getting fed up with the manufactured crises. Over the weekend, President Obama again urged Congress to cut the manufactured crisis crap. After all, "We are not a deadbeat nation".



We already know the G-O-TEA manufactured crisis meant to take away people's health care and cause more economic harm makes absolutely no economic sense, but that's not all. It's also increasingly making little to no political sense. A new CNBC poll shows huge opposition among Americans to a G-O-TEA fueled government shutdown. Even 48% of Republicans don't support the G-O-TEA anti-Obamacare shutdown scheme, and 36% of Republicans don't support any defund Obamacare scheme.

Yet despite the economic and political reality of now, the usual TEA flavored suspects are peddling their tired old manufactured crisis. They're even threatening other Republicans with primary challenges "negative scoring" (for conservative interest group scorecards) if they don't go along with the Lords of the Crazy in their quixotic quest to destroy America's social safety net. Unfortunately for them, at least some Republicans are still dismissing their insani-TEA.

"In the United States Senate, we will not repeal or defund Obamacare. We will not. And to think we can is not rational," Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said last Thursday on CNN. "To somehow think we are going to defund it is simply not going to happen at this time, and it will, in my opinion, as it did before, harm the American people's view of the Republican party." [...]

The government shuts down next week on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn't act. Senate Democrats believe that even if they do get six GOP votes, completing the bill may take all week, bringing the country perilously close to a shutdown by the time it ping-pongs back to the House. Polls suggest Republicans, being the party out of power, will be blamed. That means once the lights go out, they'll have no choice but to fold. The only question is whether Cruz destroys what's left of the GOP brand in the process by shining a national spotlight on its radical tactics. He's laying the groundwork to escape from the battle with his reputation in tact by preemptively blaming his colleagues -- colleagues who remain skeptical of his plan.

"Tactics and strategies ought to be based on what the real world is. We do not have the political power to do this," Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said Sunday on CBS' "Face The Nation." "So we're not about to shut the government down over the fact that we cannot, only controlling one house of Congress, tell the president that we're not going to fund any portion of this [health care law]. Because we can't do that."

We only have one week left until the manufactured crisis turns into unnecessary economic pain. And yes, it truly is unnecessary. After all, we are not a deadbeat nation. We do not shirk our responsibility to take care of ourselves and each other.

When more Congressional Republicans actually take this to heart, maybe then we can actually take their "economic policies" seriously.

Stop the Insani-TEA!

Yesterday, we got quite the surprise. The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee voted unanimously to continue The Fed's $85 billion monthly bond buyback program. Major stock indices immediately shot up when this was announced, as many had been expecting The Fed to "taper" its buyback program.

Yet while the equity market and a whole lot of talking heads were jumping for joy over The Fed's decision to continue its stimulus program, hardly anyone noticed why this happened. Fortunately for us, Steve Benen noticed.

But as we've discussed many times, [outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Ben] Bernanke keeps urging conservative lawmakers to get smarter about economic policy, to no avail.

He has, over the last few years, occasionally abandoned subtlety and explicitly pleadedwith Congress to consider fiscal stimulus -- or at least less fiscal austerity -- but Republicans have always refused. (Indeed, GOP lawmakers haven't just been content to ignore the need for fiscal remedies, they've also demanded that Bernanke stoptrying to improve the economy through monetary measures.)

Bernanke wants Congress to act as a partner, working alongside the Fed to strengthen the economy. Instead, Congress has acted as an opponent, pushing in the opposite direction.

And now that Republicans are threatening to impose economic chaos on Americans on purpose, the Fed chair apparently figures it's a bad time to start scaling back. He's right.

We've said it here before, and we'll say it again today. Investment begets growth! It should be a simple concept for everyone to understand.

Unfortunately for us, the Congressional G-O-TEA Gang just don't get it. Instead, they're pursuing another manufactured crisis and demanding even more austerity. So of course, we now have to live on a razor's edge for the next two weeks as we await the conclusion of this latest and greatest manufactured crisis.

At least now, there are signs of the conclusion approaching. Brian Beutler reported earlier on the latest twist in the latest episode of Republican Insani-TEA. Even though House Republicans are now set to pass their nonsensical and sadomasochistic budget resolution, the Senate G-O-TEA culture warriors who had originally proposed this very plan are now developing cold feet... Just in time for their feet to meet the fire.

Make no mistake, even the likes of Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are realizing their fiscal pipe dream has no chance in hell of getting past Harry Reid. Their insani-TEA is about to crash into reality. And at this point, Republicans are left deciding whether to crash and burn with the G-O-TEA culture warriors while forcing everyone to endure a government shutdown, or save whatever is left of their faces by cutting a last minute deal with Democrats.

A favorite philosopher of ours once uttered three words that forever made their mark on pop culture. Yesterday, Ben Bernanke and The Fed shouted out these same three words when announcing continuation of The Fed's stimulus program. And now, it's time for Congressional Republicans to pay very close attention to the advice we're giving them: Stop the insani-TEA!

Past Fights v. Current Needs

Not that long ago, things seemed settled. Even a certain US Senator said it. He admitted the law was... The law.

“It’s the law of the land [...] I always said that this presidential election was going to determine whether the Affordable Care Act was going to move forward or not.

“It’s not going to be repealed. It’s not going to be substantially changed [...] President Obama got re-elected. Let’s move on.”

Believe it or not, that was Senator Dean Heller (R) speaking to the Las Vegas Sun last December. Back then, Senator Heller readily admitted the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare, or ACA) was settled law. But now, he's part of the G-O-TEA contingent preparing to blow up the world economy if the ACA isn't destroyed just as it's being implemented.

And not only that, but the Congressional G-O-TEA Gang are demanding even more economically harmful austerity. In fact, the austerity they're now demanding is so extreme that even Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Romney Shambles) previous budget plans! And considering how much harm the current austerity regime has caused, the G-O-TEA demands for even more austerity are almost inexplicable.

Well, almost. But because House Republicans care more about internal politics than actual governance, we're stuck in this perpetual cycle of farcical drama. The only way left for us to escape is for Congressional Republican "leaders" to agree to a bipartisan budget deal with Democrats.

So when will they start living in reality? The Presidential Election was last year. The need for the economy to heal is now. It's long past time for Republicans to stop re-litigating past policy fights and start taking care of business now.

Perpetual Cycle of Farcical Drama

Even amidst the real crisis still developing in Washington, some on Capitol Hill continue to obsess over their ridiculous manufactured crisis. Even though virtually no one else actually wants it, we're all getting it. And it's all due to the G-O-TEA gang's preference for absurd drama over actual governance.

So why are we stuck in this perpetual cycle of farcical drama? Jonathan Chait has a theory. And I suspect he's onto something.

Since taking control of the House of Representatives in 2011, a coterie of Republicans has challenged this informal approach. Their belief is that the absence of cooperation should lead not to stalemate but to the president bending to their will. That assumption implies a delegitimization of the presidency that Obama has come to understand, belatedly, that he can’t accept.

The Republican Establishment is trying to coax the crisis-mongers out of their fervor. Today The Wall Street Journaleditorial page assails Republicans who insist on shutting down the government unless President Obama agrees to destroy his own health-care reform, a fantastical demand. “Kamikaze missions rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots,” theJournal warns.

But it’s not as if the House leadership has a more reasonable proposal on offer. In fact, the position of the House leadership is far more radical. GOP leaders are promising their base that if they give up on the Obamacare shutdown fight, they can have an Obamacare debt-ceiling fight. House leaders are dangling before the baying hordes, reports Politico, “tons of conservative goodies: construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, entitlement reform and principles for tax reform.” You can have all this and more!

And because House Republican "leaders" fear their own 21st Century Know Nothing base, we're stuck in this manufactured crisis for the time being. Because a few Members of Congress care more about their extreme ideology than the well-being of the nation (and they actually have power over their "leaders"), the nation's economy is being held hostage. It makes no sense to all of us living in the real world, but it's nonsensical music to the ears of those living in G-O-TEA Fantasyland.

Even a growing number of Republicans are demanding an end to the perpetual cycle of farcical drama! Are party "leaders" listening?

When the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal is comparing far-right lawmakers to Kamikaze pilots, it's safe to say all is not well within the Republican Party. When the staffer of one Texas GOP lawmaker is lecturing another staffer of a Texas GOP lawmaker on "dealing with reality," it even worse.

This is more than just idle curiosity about an intra-party spat. In less than two weeks, the government's lights will go out, and Republicans don't want to get the blame for an unpopular shutdown.

In other words, the unanimity that existed the last time the GOP shut down the government [1995, and to a large extent the 2011 debt debacle] does not exist right now. Worse, there are no real leaders among congressional Republicans that the rest of the party will follow and whom Democratic leaders can negotiate with.

Yet even with this being said, there are likely enough Republicans in the House to reach across the aisle and agree to a bipartisan budget deal with House Democrats. At this point, the nation depends on it. So when will they put country before party?

When can we finally end this perpetual cycle of farcical drama? It's harming the nation. And all of us living in reality want off already.

Delusional (G-O-)TEA

Round and round and round we go. Where we'll land... We already know. Even as a very real crisis continues to unfold less than two miles from Capitol Hill, The Hill is still abuzz over the ongoing manufactured crisis du jour.

Yet even as the usual G-O-TEA suspects continue demanding drama, President Obama is making it clear that he doesn't want any more of it.

“I have been through this a couple times with Speaker Boehner,” he said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” declaring that while he’s willing to negotiate further deficit reduction, “What I haven’t been willing to negotiate, and I will not negotiate, is on the debt ceiling.” [...]

“If we continue to set a precedent in which a president … is in a situation in which each time the United States is called upon to pay its bills, the other party can simply sit there and say, ‘Well, we’re not gonna pay the bills unless you give us what we want,’ that changes the constitutional structure of this government entirely,” Obama told “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos.

Boehner is in an extraordinarily difficult position. His first order of business is to persuade rebellious GOP lawmakers not to shut down the government after Sept. 30 — when the current continuing resolution funding the government runs out — if Obama doesn’t give in to their demands. To talk them out of it, Boehner is floating thepossibility of another debt limit standoff, with lofty demands like delaying Obamacare. If Obama’s remarks to ABC are any indication, Boehner’s plight hasn’t shaken the president’s resolve.

“We can’t negotiate around the debt ceiling,” Obama said.

Here's the problem: The G-O-TEA gang won't let go of their delusions of grandeur. No matter how much they hate Obamacare, it's here to stay. President Obama has also made it clear that he refuses to jeopardize people's lives (and health care) just so he can indulge the G-O-TEA gang in their increasingly farcical delusions of grandeur.

Yet as of now, Congressional Republican "leaders" continue to indulge the 21st Century Know Nothings in their nonsense. They continue making s**t up on health care. They continue pretending comprehensive immigration reform never passed the Senate (with strong bipartisan support). And they continue wasting taxpayers' time and money on ludicrous conspiracy theories.

Remember when Rep. Mark Amodei (R-La Vida Loca) declared he was "tired of the drama"? Desert Beacon does, and that's why she's calling him out on his latest melodramatic nonsense. It's just too bad that Republican "leaders" still can't cut the crap already.

Return to Dysfunction Junction

Now that President Obama is pursuing a diplomatic solution to the Syria crisis, Congress is returning to the usual business. And of course, that means another G-O-TEA manufactured crisis. I'm not sure what else to say about this, so I'll leave the rest of the explaining to Ed Kilgore.

So having fought its way into the Syria debate just days ago, Congress is stepping aside—or perhaps it’s better to say it’s stepping out of one quagmire into another, the partisan fiscal conflict that’s no closer to being resolved now than it has been since 2011. Indeed, the House is about to adjourn for a long weekend, leaving itself just five working days before the end of the fiscal year. At present the GOP leadership doesn’t have the votes to pass a continuing appropriations resolution to keep the government functioning because it can’t find a formula that sufficiently “defunds Obamacare” to satisfy 30 or so conservatives.

All the earlier talk about how the Syria crisis was going to “distract” Congress from dealing with its other issues is now shown to have missed the point: time isn’t what Congress needs. It needs a Republican Party, especially in the House, that make decisions without constantly placating a faction willing to blow up the budget, the operations of the federal government, and perhaps the economy, if it is not allowed to nullify past laws and overturn past elections.

No wonder why Senator Harry Reid (D) doesn't "do social things". And now, he'll especially be needed. Why? I'll let Rep. John Dingell (D-Michigan) explain.



Oh, yes. That's right. The House G-O-TEA gang are still wasting time on their anti-Obamacare chicanery and tomfoolery! And as expected, Senator Reid has no interest in jumping on the "Defund Obamacare" train to Dysfunction Junction.

“I told [Boehner] very directly that all these things they’re trying to do on Obamacare is a waste of their time,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters. “Let’s stop playing these really juvenile political games.”

“Those in touch with reality should understand that passing a clean CR is the right thing to do,” he said. “Their direction is a direction to shut down the government. … If Republican leaders keep giving into tea party demands they must be rooting for a shutdown.”

The White House also reiterated Thursday that President Barack Obama would reject efforts to undermine Obamacare. “We will not accept anything that delays or defunds Obamacare,” spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.

While the G-O-TEA street theater may be entertaining, it ultimately accomplishes nothing. In fact, it's actually harming the nation. And we continue to suffer the awful policies that resulted from their histrionics.

So we've returned to Dysfunction Junction this week as Congress struggles to secure any kind of budget deal. What will it take for Republican "leaders" to agree to let the country escape? Maybe they like the dysfunction, but the rest of us are sick and tired of the manufactured crises and unnecessary drama.

Hot Mess on Capitol Hill

Here we go again. Congressional Republican "leaders" thought they were going to make a killing off their latest & greatest manufactured crisis. However, they ran into a problem on their way to their victory lap on the hamster wheel of drama. And as usual, their problem is their own base.

Conservative groups like FreedomWorks, Club For Growth and Heritage Actionvehemently oppose the plan and have vowed to punish lawmakers who vote to bring it up. They want Republicans to force a confrontation over defunding Obamacare at risk of a government shutdown. These well-financed groups wield tremendous influence over the GOP and have repeatedlybested — and embarrassed — the party leadership.

“This is a legislative gimmick designed to provide political cover to those who are unwilling to fight to defund Obamacare,” said Michael Needham, the leader of Heritage Action. “Any constituent who looks at this vote will know it is intended to look like a vote to defund Obamacare while failing to do so. The American people are tired of gimmicks, and it is our expectation that no conservative in Congress will try to deceive their constituents by going along with this cynical ploy.”

Well, at least the "Tea Party, Inc." spinners are correct that this is a ridiculous gimmick. However, what they fail to recognize is that Americans are sick and tired of the manufactured crises. And the more they pursue the same old manufactured crises, the less trust Americans put in Congress... And the less popular Congressional Republicans become.

This is what Salon's Brian Beutler tried to explain to them earlier this morning.

Serially picking fights with the Senate and White House over the budget is really dumb. It’s bad for the country and the economy for obvious reasons. It’s no longer a fruitful way for Republicans — who only control the House of Representatives — to achieve significant policy objectives. It remains an effective way to undermine the public’s faith in Congress and the government, which Republicans like, but it reduces their own party’s favorables more than the Democrats’. And at this point they’re doing much more internal harm to themselves than anyone else.

Indeed, routine budget fights have unified Democrats and are hastening the GOP crackup. Just yesterday, House GOP leaders fumbled (yet) a(nother) bill because the GOP is too divided over budget policy and strategy to pass anything other than completely suicidal legislation without Democratic votes.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Tang) lost control of his own caucus long ago. House Republicans are now too busy fighting each other to be bothered with figuring out what's best for the nation. We have a spiraling hot mess on Capitol Hill, and it's going to take some actual grown-up leadership to get us out of this.

So what can be done now? Republican "leaders" can starr by reaching out to Senator Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), and the President. The only way any budget can pass is with bipartisan support. That's the only way they can begin cleaning up the hot mess on Capitol Hill.

No More Excuses

As of late, all eyes in The Beltway have been focused on Syria... And what The White House & Congress decide to do to resolve the crisis there. This has inadvertently moved the bulk of the domestic issues to the legislative back burner, though some in the G-O-TEA gang are still demanding another manufactured crisis. That should be fun (not).

And now, Congressional Republican "leaders" are hoping their plan is finally coming to fruition. Late last month, they were hoping more manufactured crisis drama would provide the perfect excuse for preventing any House vote on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Today, they're trying to use this and the actual Syria crisis as excuses for killing CIR.

No really, they're back to the "We're Too Busy!" excuse. So what exactly are they "busy doing"? Sure, Syria is a serious issue in need of deliberation. Derailing Obamacare, passing more unconstitutional abortion bans, and worshiping at the altar of Ayn Rand, however, are not .

But what can CIR advocates do in the face of G-O-TEA obstructionism? Organize. And that's exactly what they're doing.

“We believe they can walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Eliseo Medina, who leads the immigration campaign for theService Employees International Union, referring to members of Congress. “The more they delay, the worse it will be for them.” [...]

The organizations plan a mobilization in early October, with rallies in at least 40 cities on Oct. 5 followed by a march and rally in Washington on Oct. 8. Convinced that a majority exists in the House for the legislation, they will press for Mr. Boehner to allow a vote before the end of the year. Leaders said the Syria debate and the fiscal fight should not become “excuses” to set aside immigration.

“We’re gearing up for late October — we’re going to push really hard for votes this fall and negotiations with the Senate,” said Frank Sharry, the executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group. “We never figured we’d have an opportunity in September because of the budget stuff and with the debt ceiling.”

Immigrant rights activists are now aiming for an October House vote. By then, Syria and the federal budget should be resolved. And there should be no more excuses for delay.

It's always truly been a question of whether enough Republicans were willing to put the well-being of millions of American families and the health of the American economy above the irrational demands of their extreme base. What happens in the coming weeks will really put this to the test. They can't expect to get away with silly excuses for killing serious (and badly needed) policy.