Last week, he expressed optimism. He was refusing to give up. And really, it's hard for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) to surrender a fight he's sure he can win.
But late last week, he came up one vote short. Even though Senator Dean Heller (R) and a few other Senate Republicans have called on their colleagues to renew the federal extension of unemployment insurance (UI), just enough Senate Republicans stood in line to block UI extension. Why? Apparently, they believe it's
"immoral" to help the 1.6 million Americans who desperately need this lifeline and undo the $1.76 billion worth of economic activity states have lost since the UI extension lapsed.
Instead, G-O-TEA disciples on Capitol Hill have been yearning for yet another manufactured crisis. This time, they wanted to try to skip the bill that they themselves agreed to late last year & again early this year. And since they either didn't remember or weren't bothered by the final result of their last manufactured crisis, they started hunting for the "sweet spot" of painful & unnecessary drama.
But now, that's all changed. Why? Someone must have encountered that pesky thing otherwise known as reality. And all of a sudden, House Republican "leaders" will allow a clean debt ceiling floor vote.
This week, the G-O-TEA has to surrender to reality. Republicans simply didn't have the votes for any ransom demand, and they didn't want to face another Shutdown Sh**fest like backlash. So now, the debt ceiling will be taken care of and the government will remain open. But then what?
That's a good question, yet we probably already know the answer. Since Republican "leaders" will likely face a "TEA" fueled rebellion over this debt ceiling surrender, they will then try to win the 'baggers back by vowing to block any & all other attempts at sane & rational governance. And that may very well mean they'll aim to kill the federal UI extension for good.
Here's why that would be an epic mistake. They already proved that the 'baggers aren't needed to pass legislation. So why not just pass the UI extension already and give our economy the boost it needs?
The federal budget deficit continues to fall, but economic inequality has yet to. And the few Members of Congress who have investigated for themselves know that poverty is still a serious problem in this nation.
So why hold up such a modest effort to curb extreme poverty? What's there to gain from letting millions of Americans needlessly suffer? We now know Congressional Republicans will surrender when they know they're guaranteed to lose another fight over unnecessary & ridiculous drama. So why not surrender this so that these Americans will no longer have to suffer?
Showing posts with label debt ceiling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt ceiling. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The (Not So) "Sweet Spot"
"Not again!" We can already hear the cries across the nation. Hell, we can hear the cries emerging in our own heads!
Why? It's manufactured crisis time again. No really, House Republican "leaders" are once again caving to the Crazy Caucus' demands for more unnecessary drama.
"The sweet spot?" Really? What's Tom Cole smoking?
Last time he & Speaker Boehner let their G-O-TEA Culture Warriors proceed with their beloved manufactured crisis, the nation endured a crippling government shutdown & Armageddon death threat that cost the nation's economy dearly. Must we all endure thatcomplete & utter bullshit again? And why on earth do Republican "leaders" think there's a "sweet spot" in any of that complete & utter bullshit?
Why on earth do they think there's a "sweet spot" in holding the nation hostage in order to guarantee completion of a massive fossil fuel pipeline that would only maximize a foreign corporation's profits at the expense of our own well being? And where's the "sweet spot" in holding the nation hostage in order to increase the federal budget deficit while also increasing health insurance costs? Weren't these very same G-O-TEA politicians demanding these ransoms for paying the nation's bills also denouncing "wasteful spending"?
If G-O-TEA politicians really care about cutting "wasteful spending", they can start by cutting the corporate welfare and dropping their insane ransom demands. In the mean time, they need to drop the "sweet spot" nonsense and pay for the spending they already passed.
Why? It's manufactured crisis time again. No really, House Republican "leaders" are once again caving to the Crazy Caucus' demands for more unnecessary drama.
In an interview, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) said [House Speaker John] Boehner [R-Ohio] would spend this week "looking for the sweet spot" as his colleagues mull how to proceed. "After the State Department's report on the pipeline, that becomes an easier pitch," he said. "But the risk corridors item was popular at the retreat and remains popular." [...]
"We're in the process of sorting it out," Cole said. "The number one question is: how do we get to 218 votes? We want to do this in a non-crisis atmosphere, so we have to move soon and work with the administration and see if they want to do anything."
Growing tension, however, is already apparent between the two strategies and their supporters. Some conservatives have said they would urge Boehner to link repeal of the risk corridors to any debt-limit demand, believing the federal health-care law must be part of the negotiations. Other Republicans have said tying the pipeline to the debt limit is a better play in an election year.
"The sweet spot?" Really? What's Tom Cole smoking?
Last time he & Speaker Boehner let their G-O-TEA Culture Warriors proceed with their beloved manufactured crisis, the nation endured a crippling government shutdown & Armageddon death threat that cost the nation's economy dearly. Must we all endure that
Why on earth do they think there's a "sweet spot" in holding the nation hostage in order to guarantee completion of a massive fossil fuel pipeline that would only maximize a foreign corporation's profits at the expense of our own well being? And where's the "sweet spot" in holding the nation hostage in order to increase the federal budget deficit while also increasing health insurance costs? Weren't these very same G-O-TEA politicians demanding these ransoms for paying the nation's bills also denouncing "wasteful spending"?
If G-O-TEA politicians really care about cutting "wasteful spending", they can start by cutting the corporate welfare and dropping their insane ransom demands. In the mean time, they need to drop the "sweet spot" nonsense and pay for the spending they already passed.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Manufacture This!
And we're back. No really, we're going back. We're going all the way back to last October. Remember when we were approaching the brink of Armageddon?
Apparently, Congressional Republicans have either forgotten their own manufactured crisis... Or they remember, and they already want a sequel. Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there (again).
But wait, there's more! Not only are Republican "leaders" caving into G-O-TEA Culture Warriors' demand for another manufactured crisis, but they're also launching yet another attempt to sabotage Obamacare (aka the ACA/Affordable Care Act). This time, they're demanding the repeal of a key provision of the ACA that stabilizes the insurance market and prevents health insurance premiums from skyrocketing. Oh, and this very risk corridor provision that G-O-TEA politicians now (falsely) decry as a "bailout" was actually originated by Republicans when they proposed Medicare Part D 11 years ago!
But wait, there's even more! In case this latest anti-Obamacare political stunt isn't enough hypocrisy for you, there's also this. Remember that Ryan-Murray Budget Deal that attracted plenty of Republican votes? And remember how "Ryan-Murray 2.0" had to include earmarks in order to pass (for real, this time!) earlier this month? So now, those very same Republicans who (twice) passed a budget, then added a little "pork" to make the second passage easier, now don't want to pay for their own spending? They don't even want to pay for their own beloved/hated earmarks?
How does any of this make any sense? Here's a clue: It doesn't. Congress can't pass a new budget and order new federal investment, then deny the very mechanism needed to pay for the investment. This would be like me going to the grocery store, filling my cart with all sorts of yummy goodies, then refusing to provide my credit/debit card at checkout because "I just can't afford all this." That wouldn't make sense, and neither would Congress refusing to pay for its own damned budget.
And that's why this latest & greatest G-O-TEA manufactured crisis is destined to end like the previous ones did. And we all remember those. Why is the G-O-TEA so hell-bent on losing more elections? And is this why House Speaker John Boehner (R-Sautéed to Golden) & Rep. Joe Heck (R-Known for His Constituent Service) refused to take questions from the constituents outside Las Vegas Country Club last Friday?
Apparently, Congressional Republicans have either forgotten their own manufactured crisis... Or they remember, and they already want a sequel. Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there (again).
The GOP's apparent desire for another debt ceiling fight is confounding after the party forced one last fall and surrendered one day before the deadline without extracting any concessions. President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders insist they won't negotiate or give up anything to raise the debt ceiling, and Republicans raised (or suspended) the borrowing limit twice last year without extracting any policy concessions -- after initially threatening not to both times.
It's also notable because Republicans and Democrats wrapped up a $1.012 trillion spending bill last week, which passed on an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The debt limit has to be raised in order to finance that spending.
The remarks from Boehner's office and other top Republicans suggest that leaders will have a hard time persuading their members not to pick another battle, even if it is futile. The Speaker said last year on Oct. 6 that the House was "not going to pass a clean debt limit increase" because there weren't enough votes to pass one. Ten days later, he brought up a clean debt limit hike and it easily passed the House, with mostly Democratic votes. Democrats don't take GOP threats of default seriously after they've proven they aren't willing to shoot the hostage.
But wait, there's more! Not only are Republican "leaders" caving into G-O-TEA Culture Warriors' demand for another manufactured crisis, but they're also launching yet another attempt to sabotage Obamacare (aka the ACA/Affordable Care Act). This time, they're demanding the repeal of a key provision of the ACA that stabilizes the insurance market and prevents health insurance premiums from skyrocketing. Oh, and this very risk corridor provision that G-O-TEA politicians now (falsely) decry as a "bailout" was actually originated by Republicans when they proposed Medicare Part D 11 years ago!
But wait, there's even more! In case this latest anti-Obamacare political stunt isn't enough hypocrisy for you, there's also this. Remember that Ryan-Murray Budget Deal that attracted plenty of Republican votes? And remember how "Ryan-Murray 2.0" had to include earmarks in order to pass (for real, this time!) earlier this month? So now, those very same Republicans who (twice) passed a budget, then added a little "pork" to make the second passage easier, now don't want to pay for their own spending? They don't even want to pay for their own beloved/hated earmarks?
How does any of this make any sense? Here's a clue: It doesn't. Congress can't pass a new budget and order new federal investment, then deny the very mechanism needed to pay for the investment. This would be like me going to the grocery store, filling my cart with all sorts of yummy goodies, then refusing to provide my credit/debit card at checkout because "I just can't afford all this." That wouldn't make sense, and neither would Congress refusing to pay for its own damned budget.
And that's why this latest & greatest G-O-TEA manufactured crisis is destined to end like the previous ones did. And we all remember those. Why is the G-O-TEA so hell-bent on losing more elections? And is this why House Speaker John Boehner (R-Sautéed to Golden) & Rep. Joe Heck (R-Known for His Constituent Service) refused to take questions from the constituents outside Las Vegas Country Club last Friday?
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Harry Reid: The Force to Be Reckoned With
(Also at Daily Kos)
Back in July, local pundit extraordinaire Jon Ralston caused a stir when he asked who was really on the ropes. Ralston questioned BuzzFeed agreeing with a newspaper clip from an old boxing match that reported Harry Reid had his opponent on the ropes (and then defeated him). Ralston really should have known better. After all, he typically does.
Harry Reid (D-Searchlight Strong) is one mothaf**kin' bad@ss. It's never a good idea to cross him. And don't ask why. Really, "That's a clown question, bro."
(But don't worry, I'll still explain below how and why Senator Reid fought until the very end to reopen the federal government without rewarding the G-O-TEA hostage takers.)
Senator Harry Reid may not always be the loudest voice in the room, but he knows how to make his point. He's been counted out before, but that's always turned out to be a huge mistake. Senator Reid can be patient. But when one goes too far in testing his patience, watch out.
We know this here in Nevada. He faced a rough upbringing in the hardscrabble, rural southern tip of Nevada. He faced death threats from the mafia. He faced challenges from the old school political establishment in this state. And yes, he faced an unprecedented effort by "Tea Party, Inc.", to destroy him in 2010. But each and every time for the past 35+ years, he beat them back.
And this year, he's been prepared to do the same again. While he went to great lengths to limit the damage of past budget deals, he and his staff acknowledged they needed to fight hard to stop the insani-TEA once and for all.
Remember, Harry Reid discovered a car bomb threat from the mob. If he could deal with that and live to tell, he could very well defeat some mere "schoolyard bully".
While the "schoolyard bully" had succeeded in whipping the 21st Century Know Nothings into a frenzy, he had no realistic plan to deliver on what he had promised. All he had was hot air. And while that hot air threatened Armageddon, it served no purpose but to delay the inevitable.
While the 21st Century Know Nothings were being whipped into a delusional frenzy, Harry Reid worked with Nancy Pelosi and President Obama to whip nearly all the Democrats (including all the Senate Democrats!) into one consistent position: Stop the Insani-TEA. And by doing so, they pushed back all the G-O-TEA's crass political tactics that were meant to muddy the waters and force concessions out of President Obama.
That was the key difference here. While Congressional Republican "leaders" were preening for the cameras and trying desperately to "win the next media cycle", Obama, Reid, & Pelosi were thinking ahead and planning their strategy to turn back the G-O-TEA at every twist and turn. And as a result, they were able to wear out the Republicans and force the cooler heads on the other side of the aisle to admit defeat.
Sure, Harry Reid doesn't look all that scary at first glance. But beneath the surface, he's a proven and experienced master legislator who has the skills to beat down any kind of sweet, hot air.
That made the difference this month. And this is why Nevada's Senior Senator is still a force to be reckoned with.
Back in July, local pundit extraordinaire Jon Ralston caused a stir when he asked who was really on the ropes. Ralston questioned BuzzFeed agreeing with a newspaper clip from an old boxing match that reported Harry Reid had his opponent on the ropes (and then defeated him). Ralston really should have known better. After all, he typically does.
Harry Reid (D-Searchlight Strong) is one mothaf**kin' bad@ss. It's never a good idea to cross him. And don't ask why. Really, "That's a clown question, bro."
(But don't worry, I'll still explain below how and why Senator Reid fought until the very end to reopen the federal government without rewarding the G-O-TEA hostage takers.)
Senator Harry Reid may not always be the loudest voice in the room, but he knows how to make his point. He's been counted out before, but that's always turned out to be a huge mistake. Senator Reid can be patient. But when one goes too far in testing his patience, watch out.
We know this here in Nevada. He faced a rough upbringing in the hardscrabble, rural southern tip of Nevada. He faced death threats from the mafia. He faced challenges from the old school political establishment in this state. And yes, he faced an unprecedented effort by "Tea Party, Inc.", to destroy him in 2010. But each and every time for the past 35+ years, he beat them back.
And this year, he's been prepared to do the same again. While he went to great lengths to limit the damage of past budget deals, he and his staff acknowledged they needed to fight hard to stop the insani-TEA once and for all.
Remember, Harry Reid discovered a car bomb threat from the mob. If he could deal with that and live to tell, he could very well defeat some mere "schoolyard bully".
While the "schoolyard bully" had succeeded in whipping the 21st Century Know Nothings into a frenzy, he had no realistic plan to deliver on what he had promised. All he had was hot air. And while that hot air threatened Armageddon, it served no purpose but to delay the inevitable.
While the 21st Century Know Nothings were being whipped into a delusional frenzy, Harry Reid worked with Nancy Pelosi and President Obama to whip nearly all the Democrats (including all the Senate Democrats!) into one consistent position: Stop the Insani-TEA. And by doing so, they pushed back all the G-O-TEA's crass political tactics that were meant to muddy the waters and force concessions out of President Obama.
That was the key difference here. While Congressional Republican "leaders" were preening for the cameras and trying desperately to "win the next media cycle", Obama, Reid, & Pelosi were thinking ahead and planning their strategy to turn back the G-O-TEA at every twist and turn. And as a result, they were able to wear out the Republicans and force the cooler heads on the other side of the aisle to admit defeat.
Sure, Harry Reid doesn't look all that scary at first glance. But beneath the surface, he's a proven and experienced master legislator who has the skills to beat down any kind of sweet, hot air.
That made the difference this month. And this is why Nevada's Senior Senator is still a force to be reckoned with.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
It's Finally Over.
Now, it's final. After all the weeks of worrying, it finally happened.
So why aren't Nevada Republicans happy? After all, they got their austerity. What happened to their "fiscal conservatism"?
Earlier tonight, Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) voted against the bipartisan budget deal brokered by Senators Harry Reid (D) and Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to pay the nation's bills and reopen the federal government. Why? He said he "wanted to support a deal". So why couldn't he? Why couldn't he do what even Republican Governor Brian Sandoval and other prominent Republicans have begged him to do?
Simple: He fears the wrath of the teabaggers. Apparently, Senator Heller cares more about pleasing the 21st Century Know Nothings than doing what's needed for the nation and state. And apparently, Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Why?) feel the same way. They all dragged this pointless fight over nothing far longer than needed and only succeeded in causing economic harm.
But now, it doesn't matter. The House finally passed this budget deal with a margin of 285 to 144. Rep. Amodei voted against reopening the government, while Rep. Joe Heck (R-Huh?) finally voted to reopen the government.
So in the end, Rep. Heck realized he had to stop punishing his own constituents for reelecting Senator Reid and President Obama. We'll give him credit for that. We'll also give him credit for noticing the recent poll numbers showing him vulnerable in the wake of all this unnecessary economic pain.
But again, why did Heller, Heck, and Amodei string this out for this long? Did they really fight this long for extended austerity and something that's already in Obamacare? What was the point of this?
And in the end, they all held out for nothing. They got none of what they claimed they wanted. And except for the final vote from Rep. Heck tonight, they failed to deliver what even Nevada's Republican Governor admitted we needed.
So what was this about again? Oh, what the hell. It's finally over.
So why aren't Nevada Republicans happy? After all, they got their austerity. What happened to their "fiscal conservatism"?
Earlier tonight, Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) voted against the bipartisan budget deal brokered by Senators Harry Reid (D) and Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to pay the nation's bills and reopen the federal government. Why? He said he "wanted to support a deal". So why couldn't he? Why couldn't he do what even Republican Governor Brian Sandoval and other prominent Republicans have begged him to do?
Simple: He fears the wrath of the teabaggers. Apparently, Senator Heller cares more about pleasing the 21st Century Know Nothings than doing what's needed for the nation and state. And apparently, Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Why?) feel the same way. They all dragged this pointless fight over nothing far longer than needed and only succeeded in causing economic harm.
But now, it doesn't matter. The House finally passed this budget deal with a margin of 285 to 144. Rep. Amodei voted against reopening the government, while Rep. Joe Heck (R-Huh?) finally voted to reopen the government.
So in the end, Rep. Heck realized he had to stop punishing his own constituents for reelecting Senator Reid and President Obama. We'll give him credit for that. We'll also give him credit for noticing the recent poll numbers showing him vulnerable in the wake of all this unnecessary economic pain.
But again, why did Heller, Heck, and Amodei string this out for this long? Did they really fight this long for extended austerity and something that's already in Obamacare? What was the point of this?
And in the end, they all held out for nothing. They got none of what they claimed they wanted. And except for the final vote from Rep. Heck tonight, they failed to deliver what even Nevada's Republican Governor admitted we needed.
So what was this about again? Oh, what the hell. It's finally over.
Dean Heller Voted AGAINST Reopening the Government.
The Senate just voted on cloture for the Reid-McConnell deal to reopen the federal government and pay the nation's bills. It's now clear that the bill has broad, bipartisan support. Yet despite this and despite the need to avoid a disastrous debt default, Senator Dean Heller (R) voted to filibuster the bill to end the manufactured crisis.
Funny enough, it's about to pass anyway. And Senator Heller must have known it was going to pass. And he voted against it anyway? Whatever happened to his "fiscal responsibility"?
5:00 PM UPDATE:
The first procedural vote (for cloture) on the bill to reopen the federal government passed 83 to 16. Obviously, Senator Harry Reid (D) voted for his own bill. So did all the other Democrats. Even most of the Republicans joined him and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to end the filibuster so this bill can pass (and the government can reopen).
However, Senator Heller joined a handful of hard-core G-O-TEA Senators against paying the nation's bills and reopening the government. What point was he trying to make?
Whatever the case, it doesn't matter. The bill is easily passing without him. Is Senator Heller trying to look irrelevant?
5:10 PM UPDATE:
Senator Heller also voted against final passage of his home state colleague's hugely bipartisan bill to reopen the federal government and pay the nation's bills. It doesn't matter in terms of the whip count, as it has more than enough support to pass. Senator Heller is just using this as an opportunity to pledge allegiance to the 21st Century Know Nothings.
Sad...
(And by the way, it passed 81-18 and is now heading to the House.)
Funny enough, it's about to pass anyway. And Senator Heller must have known it was going to pass. And he voted against it anyway? Whatever happened to his "fiscal responsibility"?
5:00 PM UPDATE:
The first procedural vote (for cloture) on the bill to reopen the federal government passed 83 to 16. Obviously, Senator Harry Reid (D) voted for his own bill. So did all the other Democrats. Even most of the Republicans joined him and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to end the filibuster so this bill can pass (and the government can reopen).
However, Senator Heller joined a handful of hard-core G-O-TEA Senators against paying the nation's bills and reopening the government. What point was he trying to make?
Whatever the case, it doesn't matter. The bill is easily passing without him. Is Senator Heller trying to look irrelevant?
5:10 PM UPDATE:
Senator Heller also voted against final passage of his home state colleague's hugely bipartisan bill to reopen the federal government and pay the nation's bills. It doesn't matter in terms of the whip count, as it has more than enough support to pass. Senator Heller is just using this as an opportunity to pledge allegiance to the 21st Century Know Nothings.
Sad...
(And by the way, it passed 81-18 and is now heading to the House.)
Are They Happy Now?
We told you so. It's over. No really, it's game over.
As expected, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) finally reached a deal. And here's what's in it.
So Congressional Republicans nearly forced America into Armageddon... To slightly tighten income verification rules that were already in the Affordable Care Act? Are they happy now? Their antics likely cost this nation far more than whatever we'll save under the new ACA subsidy rules.
Oh yes, and they get us more austerity. Never mind that it's led to less growth and more job losses. Republicans embraced austerity and declared it their "victory". And as a result, we're stuck with another three months of it.
So Republicans essentially shut down the federal government and threatened to turn America into a deadbeat nation over a nearly inconsequential tweak to the Affordable Care Act and continued government funding at austerity levels? They could have accomplished the same thing three weeks ago without a government shutdown and credit default scare!
Are they happy now? Are they happy about the lost jobs, lost economic growth, and lost credibility they forced upon this nation? Oh, and are they happy about their own mounting political losses?
We just have to wonder...
As expected, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) finally reached a deal. And here's what's in it.
Many concessions that tea partiers attempted to extract from the Obama administration in exchange for reopening the government and raising the debt ceiling are not expected to be included in the bill. Conservative Republicans had, over the course of the budget fight, demanded a one-year delay to Obamacare, a delay or repeal of the act's tax on medical-device manufacturers, and a "conscience clause," which would have allowed employers to block their employees from buying health insurance that covers birth control. None of those measures are expected to appear in the Senate's bill. The only concession Republicans seem to have won is a slightly stricter set of rules for verifying the incomes of Americans who are receiving subsidized health insurance under Obamacare.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the final bill won't include a GOP proposal that would stop the Treasury Department from using extraordinary measures to raise the debt ceiling. But it will include back pay for federal employees who missed paychecks during the shutdown and establish a committee taskedwith working out a longer deal ahead of the new January 15 and February 7 deadlines. The bill also reportedly includes a provision that could make it harder to use the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip: At the next deadline, Congress would be required to pass a bill if it wants to block the ceiling from increasing. Otherwise, the ceiling would go up automatically.
The House is expected to vote on the proposed bill first, which would allow the Senate to skip some of its cumbersome procedures and quickly move to a final vote. Politico calls this "an extraordinarily risky play" because the majority of House Republicans are expected to oppose the bill. However, Robert Costa of the National Review reported that Boehner has agreed to pass the bill with mainly Democratic votes. There's still a chance that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) could go rogue and filibuster the bill in the Senate, dragging out the debate past the October 17 deadline, but his office has not said whether or not he will do so, according to the Wall Street Journal.
So Congressional Republicans nearly forced America into Armageddon... To slightly tighten income verification rules that were already in the Affordable Care Act? Are they happy now? Their antics likely cost this nation far more than whatever we'll save under the new ACA subsidy rules.
Oh yes, and they get us more austerity. Never mind that it's led to less growth and more job losses. Republicans embraced austerity and declared it their "victory". And as a result, we're stuck with another three months of it.
So Republicans essentially shut down the federal government and threatened to turn America into a deadbeat nation over a nearly inconsequential tweak to the Affordable Care Act and continued government funding at austerity levels? They could have accomplished the same thing three weeks ago without a government shutdown and credit default scare!
Are they happy now? Are they happy about the lost jobs, lost economic growth, and lost credibility they forced upon this nation? Oh, and are they happy about their own mounting political losses?
We just have to wonder...
Game. Over.
On Monday, we looked close to a deal. And early Tuesday morning, an end seemed to be very near. But when House Republican "leaders" interrupted Senate negotiations with another dose of their crazy drama, they pushed America to the brink of Armageddon.
Fortunately, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Agent Orange) finally stood down last night after his "Plan Z" went nowhere fast. And Ironically enough, that was largely thanks to mounting 21st Century Know Nothing opposition. But in pushing themselves to complete irrelevancy and Speaker John Boehner to total embarrassment, they only succeeded in giving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) the opening they needed to resume talks and seal the deal.
Never mind that Senator Dean Heller (R) is dismissing the likely deal as a "nothing sandwich". As long as he declines to filibuster (and so far, he is), that "nothing sandwich" that only saves the nation from ruin can pass. With so many House and Senate Republicans signaling surrender, it's finally "game over" time.
After all, Fitch is now threatening to lower America's credit rating. And world leaders have warned of the economic repercussions of Armageddon. So we finally got to see "Game Over".
Yesterday, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Why?) staff refused to answer questions regarding the Armageddon deadline. But now, it doesn't matter. House Republican "leaders" are declaring defeat, and a floor vote will soon be scheduled.
For the past three weeks, Congressional Republicans from Nevada and elsewhere have pushed the nation to the brink of disaster. And yes, it's led to some awful consequences. But now, it's all coming to an end. Republicans are being forced to drop their crazy demands... Because it's just plain game over.
Fortunately, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Agent Orange) finally stood down last night after his "Plan Z" went nowhere fast. And Ironically enough, that was largely thanks to mounting 21st Century Know Nothing opposition. But in pushing themselves to complete irrelevancy and Speaker John Boehner to total embarrassment, they only succeeded in giving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) the opening they needed to resume talks and seal the deal.
Never mind that Senator Dean Heller (R) is dismissing the likely deal as a "nothing sandwich". As long as he declines to filibuster (and so far, he is), that "nothing sandwich" that only saves the nation from ruin can pass. With so many House and Senate Republicans signaling surrender, it's finally "game over" time.
After all, Fitch is now threatening to lower America's credit rating. And world leaders have warned of the economic repercussions of Armageddon. So we finally got to see "Game Over".
Yesterday, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Why?) staff refused to answer questions regarding the Armageddon deadline. But now, it doesn't matter. House Republican "leaders" are declaring defeat, and a floor vote will soon be scheduled.
For the past three weeks, Congressional Republicans from Nevada and elsewhere have pushed the nation to the brink of disaster. And yes, it's led to some awful consequences. But now, it's all coming to an end. Republicans are being forced to drop their crazy demands... Because it's just plain game over.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Talk About "Constituent Service"
(Also at Daily Kos)
This week, the entire world is on edge. Will we all witness an unprecedented economic catastrophe? Will the G-O-TEA's flirtation with Armageddon lead America to just that?
There were plenty of anxious Nevadans gathering outside Rep. Joe Heck's (R-What?) Las Vegas area office to demand an end to the G-O-TEA manufactured crisis. Yet when they arrived, Heck's staff called police on them. And that was just the start of their "constituent service".
While the peaceful demonstration outside Heck's office was underway, four police cars arrived. Yet upon witnessing the nonviolent protesters from Nevada AFL-CIO, OFA Nevada, and local progressive grassroots, Las Vegas Metro police officers just asked them not to block traffic (they didn't), then told them to proceed in exercising their First Amendment rights.
Just before police arrived, several local workers spoke to the crowd about what they've endured so far this month. Two federal workers are furloughed, one federal worker is being forced to work without pay, and one contractor is looking for work. Needless to say, people here in Southern Nevada are feeling the pain. What makes this even more painful is that it's absolutely unnecessary, and that's why they and the protesters were calling on Rep. Heck to stop playing Russian Roulette on the American people and let them get back to work.
This manufactured crisis has already caused plenty of economic damage. But if this continues and Republicans like Joe Heck force the nation into Armageddon, we'll only see even more unnecessary pain and suffering. That's why even Brian Sandoval, Nevada's Republican Governor, has been begging Congress to end the G-O-TEA Shutdown already.
A few protesters were allowed upstairs to talk with Rep. Heck's staff at first. It didn't take long before they were sent back down. The rest, however, were not even given a chance to be heard. Not even constituents from Nevada's 3rd Congressional District were allowed in the office.
Above is a photo of the constituents who wanted to speak with Heck's staff. And below is a video showing what happened when they tried...
Until the staffer said he didn't want any of it on the record. And just as I had to shut off the recording, he slammed the door on his boss' constituents. Talk about "constituent service"!
Rep. Heck's office had no answer to the question we're all asking: When will the insani-TEA end? People here in Southern Nevada are hurting. And all Rep. Joe Heck and his staff are doing about it... Is calling the police and slamming doors on Heck's own constituents.
This week, the entire world is on edge. Will we all witness an unprecedented economic catastrophe? Will the G-O-TEA's flirtation with Armageddon lead America to just that?
There were plenty of anxious Nevadans gathering outside Rep. Joe Heck's (R-What?) Las Vegas area office to demand an end to the G-O-TEA manufactured crisis. Yet when they arrived, Heck's staff called police on them. And that was just the start of their "constituent service".
While the peaceful demonstration outside Heck's office was underway, four police cars arrived. Yet upon witnessing the nonviolent protesters from Nevada AFL-CIO, OFA Nevada, and local progressive grassroots, Las Vegas Metro police officers just asked them not to block traffic (they didn't), then told them to proceed in exercising their First Amendment rights.
Just before police arrived, several local workers spoke to the crowd about what they've endured so far this month. Two federal workers are furloughed, one federal worker is being forced to work without pay, and one contractor is looking for work. Needless to say, people here in Southern Nevada are feeling the pain. What makes this even more painful is that it's absolutely unnecessary, and that's why they and the protesters were calling on Rep. Heck to stop playing Russian Roulette on the American people and let them get back to work.
This manufactured crisis has already caused plenty of economic damage. But if this continues and Republicans like Joe Heck force the nation into Armageddon, we'll only see even more unnecessary pain and suffering. That's why even Brian Sandoval, Nevada's Republican Governor, has been begging Congress to end the G-O-TEA Shutdown already.
A few protesters were allowed upstairs to talk with Rep. Heck's staff at first. It didn't take long before they were sent back down. The rest, however, were not even given a chance to be heard. Not even constituents from Nevada's 3rd Congressional District were allowed in the office.
Above is a photo of the constituents who wanted to speak with Heck's staff. And below is a video showing what happened when they tried...
Until the staffer said he didn't want any of it on the record. And just as I had to shut off the recording, he slammed the door on his boss' constituents. Talk about "constituent service"!
Rep. Heck's office had no answer to the question we're all asking: When will the insani-TEA end? People here in Southern Nevada are hurting. And all Rep. Joe Heck and his staff are doing about it... Is calling the police and slamming doors on Heck's own constituents.
Countdown to Armageddon?
While a deal may be near, anxiety is still widespread across the nation. One can especially find the anxiety here in Nevada. Last weekend, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) returned to the district he represents to listen to his constituents about their concerns.
As we've explained all this month, Nevada has had to endure a heavy load of pain as the Shutdown Sh*tfest has been racing toward Armageddon. Real people have suffered. Real jobs have been lost. And real economic output has fallen.
Even Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has begged his fellow Republicans in Washington to stop the insani-TEA. Yet despite his plea, Reps. Joe Heck (R-What?) and Mark Amodei (R-Why?) have refused to stand down and let the government reopen. And of course, Senator Dean Heller (R-Really?) Has just used this manufactured crisis to remind everyone that he's still a US Senator (elected with 46% of the vote last year).
Can that all change today? After all, a Senate deal is now on the table. And at one point or another, they've all agreed to these types of big, bipartisan, last-minute budget deals.
So can they all finally come together and reopen the people's government? Not so fast. Even as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) have agreed on a deal, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Tang) has already been threatening to blow it up. Even as equity markets are nervously awaiting some sort of final solution to this insane manufactured crisis, House Republican "leaders" are still pandering to the very 21st Century Know Nothings who manufactured this crisis in the first place.
So as we count down to Armageddon, we simultaneously seem to be so close to economic catastrophe and so close to a last-minute reprieve from ruin. And now, we can only hope enough House and Senate Republicans can come to their senses before the deadline hits.
As we've explained all this month, Nevada has had to endure a heavy load of pain as the Shutdown Sh*tfest has been racing toward Armageddon. Real people have suffered. Real jobs have been lost. And real economic output has fallen.
Even Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has begged his fellow Republicans in Washington to stop the insani-TEA. Yet despite his plea, Reps. Joe Heck (R-What?) and Mark Amodei (R-Why?) have refused to stand down and let the government reopen. And of course, Senator Dean Heller (R-Really?) Has just used this manufactured crisis to remind everyone that he's still a US Senator (elected with 46% of the vote last year).
Can that all change today? After all, a Senate deal is now on the table. And at one point or another, they've all agreed to these types of big, bipartisan, last-minute budget deals.
So can they all finally come together and reopen the people's government? Not so fast. Even as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) have agreed on a deal, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Tang) has already been threatening to blow it up. Even as equity markets are nervously awaiting some sort of final solution to this insane manufactured crisis, House Republican "leaders" are still pandering to the very 21st Century Know Nothings who manufactured this crisis in the first place.
So as we count down to Armageddon, we simultaneously seem to be so close to economic catastrophe and so close to a last-minute reprieve from ruin. And now, we can only hope enough House and Senate Republicans can come to their senses before the deadline hits.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Ball's Still in Their Court
So it's Monday afternoon... And Capitol Hill is buzzing over talks of a budget deal. See, we weren't being overly optimistic. Rather, we were being realistic.
Just like previous manufactured crises, Congressional Republicans are taking their latest and greatest manufactured crisis to the brink. And by brink, we mean the brink of Armageddon. But now with Senate negotiations on the brink of success, folks on Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street are breathing a bit more easily...
But is the rest of America? Not only do recent polls show bad news for Republicans, but they also show renewed fears of bad economic news to come.
Already, the one-two-punch of austerity and shutdown has caused immense economic pain. And if the Shutdown Sh*tfest continues, we can only expect more unnecessary suffering. Why does anyone think this benefits the nation at all?
There's a reason why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has begged Nevada's Members of Congress to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest already. And of course, Senator Harry Reid is working overtime to ensure this happens. But of course, he can't do it on his own. (Enough) Republicans must finally come to their senses and stop the hostage taking.
Ultimately, the ball is still in their court. It's time for them to make their move... So that the nation can get moving again.
Just like previous manufactured crises, Congressional Republicans are taking their latest and greatest manufactured crisis to the brink. And by brink, we mean the brink of Armageddon. But now with Senate negotiations on the brink of success, folks on Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street are breathing a bit more easily...
But is the rest of America? Not only do recent polls show bad news for Republicans, but they also show renewed fears of bad economic news to come.
Beyond its politics and dizzying array of Washington terms ("clean CR," "sequestration levels"), the current government shutdown has had real-life consequences for thousands upon thousands of Americans.
Workers have been furloughed. Paychecks have stopped or been cut in half. Small businesses catering to government workers have lost money. Children have been removed from Head Start programs. Scientistsaren't getting government grants. [...]
“We’ve both been laid off, not being paid," said one respondent from Virginia. "I’m a federal employee, my husband is a contractor for the federal government."
"My son owns a camp park, and because you’ve shut down all the forest lands ... [customers] have cancelled their reservations," said another from Utah.
"I work for a university and some of the funding for the university comes from federal grants, and so the normal route for funding to apply for grants is no longer possible as long as National Institutes of Health is shut down," said a third from California. "I was about to submit a grant but that grant can’t be submitted."
Already, the one-two-punch of austerity and shutdown has caused immense economic pain. And if the Shutdown Sh*tfest continues, we can only expect more unnecessary suffering. Why does anyone think this benefits the nation at all?
There's a reason why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has begged Nevada's Members of Congress to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest already. And of course, Senator Harry Reid is working overtime to ensure this happens. But of course, he can't do it on his own. (Enough) Republicans must finally come to their senses and stop the hostage taking.
Ultimately, the ball is still in their court. It's time for them to make their move... So that the nation can get moving again.
End in Sight?
It's now Day 14. And to make matters even worse, Senate Republicans filibustered a clean debt ceiling extension yesterday. So the G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest continues with...
An actual end in sight? How can this be? Fortunately for us, Brian Beutler is here to explain.
So this is what it's come to? Republicans are just squabbling over how much more austerity to subject the nation to once they allow government to reopen? And they're pushing us to the brink of Armageddon over this?
What has become increasingly obvious is that Senator Reid is taking the lead in ending the manufactured crisis because House Republicans are still a train wreck.
But if the Senate is truly so close to a final deal, then why is the world panicking? See above. House Republicans are still a train wreck, and their extortion demands are fueling fear around the world.
So what can be done? Now, it's actually more a matter of what must be done. As we had discussed two weeks ago, and as Greg Sargent explained yesterday, the insani-TEA must end... NOW.
At some point, Republican "leaders" must show some actual leadership. And if they just can't, then they need to step out of the way. This Shutdown Sh*tfest has already gone on for far too long, and we simply can't afford the consequences of allowing Armageddon to begin this Thursday.
There truly is an end in sight... If Republicans can finally drop all the irrational demands, stop the hostage taking, and allow a bipartisan vote to reopen the government & ensure the nation's bills are paid.
An actual end in sight? How can this be? Fortunately for us, Brian Beutler is here to explain.
“I have had a productive conversation with the Republican leader this afternoon,” [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid [D] said on the floor Sunday evening. “Our discussions were substantive and we’ll continue those discussions. I’m optimistic about the prospects for a positive conclusion to the issues before this country today.”
Democrats want a large debt limit increase, and a brief stopgap funding bill. Republicans want a small debt limit increase and a funding bill that reopens the government for several months. Democrats would accept the latter, but not at the low annualized spending level ($986 billion) they agreed to for the six-week bill [House Speaker John] Boehner [R-Ohio] is refusing to put on the House floor for a vote. They want an opportunity to negotiate over sequestration, and won’t be able to do so effectively if its cuts have been locked in for half of the fiscal year with their consent.
After everything Republicans put themselves and the country through, these are the final points of contention. No Obamacare delay. No Medicare cuts. No real hostages. It would be amusing if it weren’t so dangerous. We’ve almost reached the point at which a determined senator could use the chamber’s arcane procedural rules to push a deal past October 17.
So this is what it's come to? Republicans are just squabbling over how much more austerity to subject the nation to once they allow government to reopen? And they're pushing us to the brink of Armageddon over this?
What has become increasingly obvious is that Senator Reid is taking the lead in ending the manufactured crisis because House Republicans are still a train wreck.
But if the Senate is truly so close to a final deal, then why is the world panicking? See above. House Republicans are still a train wreck, and their extortion demands are fueling fear around the world.
So what can be done? Now, it's actually more a matter of what must be done. As we had discussed two weeks ago, and as Greg Sargent explained yesterday, the insani-TEA must end... NOW.
There is no compromise that would prove acceptable to both Tea Party Republicans on one side and Obama and Senate Democrats on the other. The entire Tea Party crusade has been premised on the idea that the Dem refusal to unwind Obamacare could be broken if Republicans held firm on the government shutdown long enough, because it was only a matter of time until the American people, under duress and gripped with a feverish hatred of the health care law, rise up and force Dems to capitulate. Neither of those has happened. The American people have reached the opposite conclusion — theyblame Republicans for the government shutdown, and don’t want such tactics wielded as a weapon against Obamacare — and Obama and Dems have demonstrated they will not capitulate.
Tea Party Republicans faced with these twin realities are not giving ground, either. As Ron Brownstein details, they can’t, because in their view, this has become nothing less than an apocalyptic demographic and ideological struggle to prevent a national alliance of “takers” and their Democratic enablers from transforming the country into something no longer recognizably American. “Obama’s health care looms to them as the tipping point towards a permanent Democratic advantage built on dependency and demographic change,” Brownstein observes.
It now seems plainly obvious that neither Tea Party Republicans on one side, nor Obama and Senate Dems on the other, will give any ground on what they view as non-negotiable. No deal that is even marginally acceptable to both of those groups is feasible. Democrats are not capitulating to Tea Party demands; it just isn’t happening. By definition, then, there is only one way out of the crisis: Through an alliance of non-Tea Party Republicans (who have already shown a willingness to reopen the government) and Democrats. This would require House GOP leaders to allow a vote on something that is unacceptable to Tea Party conservatives, which will make them really, really angry, and to suffer the consequences.
Yet as the above anecdote indicates, even “responsible” leaders such as [Rep.] Paul Ryan [R-Wisconsin] continue to refuse to acknowledge this increasingly obvious reality, and refuse to level with the rank and file about it, no matter the consequences for the country.
At some point, Republican "leaders" must show some actual leadership. And if they just can't, then they need to step out of the way. This Shutdown Sh*tfest has already gone on for far too long, and we simply can't afford the consequences of allowing Armageddon to begin this Thursday.
There truly is an end in sight... If Republicans can finally drop all the irrational demands, stop the hostage taking, and allow a bipartisan vote to reopen the government & ensure the nation's bills are paid.
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Beginning of the End
Here we are. It's Day 11. And still, we're stuck in this G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest. When will it ever end?
Perhaps soon. Last night, a few Republicans finally signaled willingness to prevent Armageddon. And today, a handful of Republicans have even begun to take responsibility for their misguided actions. Hey, at least it's a start.
And of course, Republicans are now starting to sound somewhat realistic because they're seeing their atrocious poll numbers. They were flabbergasted by the record low they hit in yesterday's NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, and they're shell-shocked by today's batch of Democratic and Republican polls showing similarly awful numbers.
As we've been saying here all week, Republicans have set themselves up to pay the ultimate price for their destructive behavior. That's why they're now scrambling as President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) continue offering them a way out.
Right now, House Republican "leaders" are trying to "save face". Yet while they're worrying about the political optics, many Americans are worrying about how they're supposed to pay the bills and buy groceries. This is why so many Americans are now so furious with the G-O-TEA faction in Congress.
So surprise, surprise, a number of Senate Republicans are suddenly interested in preventing Armageddon.
Well, at least some Senate Republicans are starting to see the light. Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?), on the other hand, is still pushing ridiculous gimmicks. I guess someone's still partying like it's 2012!
Yet while Senator Heller celebrates another chance to remind everyone that he's indeed a US Senator (who won with 46% of the vote last year), his Senate colleagues seem to be preparing to end this pointless Shutdown Sh*tfest once and for all. We don't really know what it accomplished (other than unnecessary economic pain and increased Democratic fortunes for 2014), but we can at least feel a little better about it coming to an end some time in the foreseeable future.
Perhaps soon. Last night, a few Republicans finally signaled willingness to prevent Armageddon. And today, a handful of Republicans have even begun to take responsibility for their misguided actions. Hey, at least it's a start.
And of course, Republicans are now starting to sound somewhat realistic because they're seeing their atrocious poll numbers. They were flabbergasted by the record low they hit in yesterday's NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, and they're shell-shocked by today's batch of Democratic and Republican polls showing similarly awful numbers.
As we've been saying here all week, Republicans have set themselves up to pay the ultimate price for their destructive behavior. That's why they're now scrambling as President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) continue offering them a way out.
"Cooler heads have prevailed, and Republicans have admitted a clean bill to avoid default should be the standard," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Friday. "However ... they're talking about extending the debt ceiling for two months or six weeks -- please. We do not believe a six-week delay of a catastrophic default is enough time to give the economy the confidence it needs."
The two parties are subtly moving closer to agreement. GOP leaders have all but abandoned their Obamacare demands and now simply want Obama to negotiate -- over something, although it's not clear what. The White House meetings, which took place Thursday with House Republicans and are scheduled to take place Friday afternoon with Senate Republicans, provide face-saving mechanisms to both the GOP (who can say Obama negotiated) and for Obama (who can say he didn't concede anything).
Right now, House Republican "leaders" are trying to "save face". Yet while they're worrying about the political optics, many Americans are worrying about how they're supposed to pay the bills and buy groceries. This is why so many Americans are now so furious with the G-O-TEA faction in Congress.
So surprise, surprise, a number of Senate Republicans are suddenly interested in preventing Armageddon.
Though some senators said that any plan they put forth would also need to pass muster in the Republican-controlled House, Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, was eager for the Senate to take the lead in negotiating with Mr. Obama on reopening the government.
“House Republicans so far don’t want to get rid of the shutdown, and I don’t know in what world we’re faring well in the shutdown in terms of policy or politics, so in that sense, yeah, I’d rather have the Senate,” he said.
Well, at least some Senate Republicans are starting to see the light. Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?), on the other hand, is still pushing ridiculous gimmicks. I guess someone's still partying like it's 2012!
Yet while Senator Heller celebrates another chance to remind everyone that he's indeed a US Senator (who won with 46% of the vote last year), his Senate colleagues seem to be preparing to end this pointless Shutdown Sh*tfest once and for all. We don't really know what it accomplished (other than unnecessary economic pain and increased Democratic fortunes for 2014), but we can at least feel a little better about it coming to an end some time in the foreseeable future.
Escape from Armageddon
Yesterday, we encountered some encouraging news. In light of their rapidly worsening political dilemma, Congressional Republicans finally began to signal the end of their manufactured crisis. Yet while they are trying to figure out a way to save face, people across America and around the world are just demanding an end to the disgusting stupidi-TEA.
Once again, the world's financial leaders were begging Congress to stop the insani-TEA ASAP. IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Christine Lagarde and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Secretary General Angel GurrÃa again made their case for economic sanity yesterday when they urged Congress to stop playing Russian Roulette with America's government and credit rating.
At least someone seemed to be paying attention to their dire warnings. Senator Harry Reid (D-Reality) filed cloture last night for his bill to lift the debt ceiling for a year and diffuse the ticking Armageddon time bomb.
And that's not all. Senator Reid has also continued to urge Republicans to accept the compromise they had previously sought and reopen the people's government already. After all, Nevada's economy depends on a functioning federal government.
And of course, let's not forget the human cost of this unbridled and incredibly cruel insani-TEA. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) took to the House floor last week to let her colleagues know about the children who are suffering because of stupidi-TEA.
And this week, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) took to the House floor to share with his colleagues why Brian Sandoval, Nevada's Republican Governor, is begging them to reopen the federal government ASAP.
And then, we have Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman. In his latest New York Times column, he warned America of the consequences of letting Armageddon happen. And yes, we are looking at Armageddon if Congress can't reopen the government and re-commit to paying the nation's bills next week.
From Las Vegas to Carson City to New York to London and Bali, people at home and around the world fear the dire economic consequences of any further escalation of this unprecedented insani-TEA. Perhaps this is why a few House Republicans started floating the idea of reopening the government soon.
Just these past two weeks of threatening Armageddon have caused immense economic harm, financial panic, and burgeoning anger. Do Republicans really want to test their luck and extend it for six more weeks?
This has been a great catastrophe of their own doing. But just as easily as they started it, they can end it. Just as easily as they threatened Armageddon, they can let us escape. They just have to accept the compromise they were offered long ago and release the hostages before anyone else is hurt.
Once again, the world's financial leaders were begging Congress to stop the insani-TEA ASAP. IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Christine Lagarde and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Secretary General Angel GurrÃa again made their case for economic sanity yesterday when they urged Congress to stop playing Russian Roulette with America's government and credit rating.
"When it affects the largest economy in the world, we are bound not only to look at the immediate domestic consequences but at what happens elsewhere, so that we can have a dialogue with our members to help them prepare. I hope we will be able to look back in a few weeks and say what a waste of time that was. But we have to look at the risks no matter how unlikely they are to materialise."
Lagarde said there were two channels through which a debt default in the US would spread to the rest of the world. "One would be the trade channel, caused by a reduction in economic activity in the US from the third quarter onwards. The second would be the financial channel – the result of uncertainty and material issues. We are likely to see volatility, uncertainty and consequences for the rest of the world."
Lagarde said that some of the warning signs of stress in financial markets – such as the VIX index of volatility and the price of insuring financial instruments – were flashing. "It's not helping the US to have this uncertainty and protracted way of dealing with fiscal and debt issues."
GurrÃa said: "The current political deadlock in the US is needlessly putting at risk the stability and growth not only of the US but also the world economy."
He added there was a risk that the west could be plunged back into recession by a default. "If the debt ceiling is not raised – or, better still, abolished – our calculations suggest that the OECD region as a whole will be pushed back into recession next year, and emerging economies will experience a sharp slowdown. The magnitude of further possible negative feedback effects can only be guessed at." The ongoing political impasse in Washington has sparked fears the US could default on repayments of its bonds, sparking banks and clearing houses to take preventative measures against such an unprecedented event.
At least someone seemed to be paying attention to their dire warnings. Senator Harry Reid (D-Reality) filed cloture last night for his bill to lift the debt ceiling for a year and diffuse the ticking Armageddon time bomb.
And that's not all. Senator Reid has also continued to urge Republicans to accept the compromise they had previously sought and reopen the people's government already. After all, Nevada's economy depends on a functioning federal government.
And of course, let's not forget the human cost of this unbridled and incredibly cruel insani-TEA. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) took to the House floor last week to let her colleagues know about the children who are suffering because of stupidi-TEA.
And this week, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) took to the House floor to share with his colleagues why Brian Sandoval, Nevada's Republican Governor, is begging them to reopen the federal government ASAP.
And then, we have Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman. In his latest New York Times column, he warned America of the consequences of letting Armageddon happen. And yes, we are looking at Armageddon if Congress can't reopen the government and re-commit to paying the nation's bills next week.
We’d be looking at an immediate spending cutroughly comparable to the plunge in housing investment after the bubble burst, a plunge that was the most important cause of the Great Recession of 2007-9. That by itself would surely be enough to push us into recession.
And it wouldn’t end there. As the U.S. economy went into recession, tax receipts would fall sharply, and the government, unable to borrow, would be forced into a second round of spending cuts, worsening the economic downturn, reducing receipts even more, and so on. So even if we avoid a Lehman Brothers-style financial meltdown, we could still be looking at a slump worse than the Great Recession.
From Las Vegas to Carson City to New York to London and Bali, people at home and around the world fear the dire economic consequences of any further escalation of this unprecedented insani-TEA. Perhaps this is why a few House Republicans started floating the idea of reopening the government soon.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Just these past two weeks of threatening Armageddon have caused immense economic harm, financial panic, and burgeoning anger. Do Republicans really want to test their luck and extend it for six more weeks?
This has been a great catastrophe of their own doing. But just as easily as they started it, they can end it. Just as easily as they threatened Armageddon, they can let us escape. They just have to accept the compromise they were offered long ago and release the hostages before anyone else is hurt.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Long Past Time
It may not be over yet. But with America only a week away until the Armageddon Deadline, the end of the G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest may finally be near.
Sure, House Republican "leaders" are pushing their farcical "split the baby" strategy now. But behind the scenes, these latest attempts at political maneuvering are really just tearing apart the Republican Party. And the longer Republicans continue their manufactured crisis, the steeper the political price Republicans will pay in upcoming elections.
According to the brand new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, the Republican Party's favorable rating among Americans has dropped to a record low 24%. And to make matters even worse for them, only 39% support a Republican controlled Congress while 47% want a Democratic controlled Congress. Add this to the other recent polls, and Republicans now have plenty of reasons to worry about 2014 (and 2016).
So long story short, Republicans are choking on their own bile. Yet while Republicans are suffering politically, millions of Americans are suffering for real. And keep in mind that this suffering is on top of the pain the nation was already feeling due to austerity.
Fortunately, Salon's Joan Walsh did her part to make sure we don't forget the real human casualties of these G-O-TEA manufactured crises.
The G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest has already cost America $2 billion in economic output. And with each additional day of this unnecessary drama, we lose another $160 million in economic output. If this extreme austerity experiment continues, what's already an economic gut punch will soon become economic strangulation.
Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Searchlight Strong) and other Senate Democrats reminded Republicans of the simple task they need to complete to let the people's government reopen for business. So did President Obama. And now, a critical mass of Americans are crying for them to do the right thing. It's long past time for Republicans to free this nation from the manufactured crisis they forced us into.
If they don't end this Shutdown Sh*tfest soon, they'll lose more than just this political fight.
Sure, House Republican "leaders" are pushing their farcical "split the baby" strategy now. But behind the scenes, these latest attempts at political maneuvering are really just tearing apart the Republican Party. And the longer Republicans continue their manufactured crisis, the steeper the political price Republicans will pay in upcoming elections.
According to the brand new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, the Republican Party's favorable rating among Americans has dropped to a record low 24%. And to make matters even worse for them, only 39% support a Republican controlled Congress while 47% want a Democratic controlled Congress. Add this to the other recent polls, and Republicans now have plenty of reasons to worry about 2014 (and 2016).
So long story short, Republicans are choking on their own bile. Yet while Republicans are suffering politically, millions of Americans are suffering for real. And keep in mind that this suffering is on top of the pain the nation was already feeling due to austerity.
Fortunately, Salon's Joan Walsh did her part to make sure we don't forget the real human casualties of these G-O-TEA manufactured crises.
Remember that the shutdown comes on top of the ugly sequester cuts imposed earlier this year, and mostly to the exact same discretionary domestic spending programs. To the cold hearts and closed minds on the right, neither matters. In fact, Sen. Ron Johnson, a member of the growing Default Denier Caucus within his own party (it overlaps quite a lot with the Stupid Caucus), told MSNBC Thursday that just as President Obama is fear-mongering on the danger of a debt default – he called it a “cash management” problem), he had also exaggerated the impact of sequester cuts.
Also keep in mind that the sequester cuts are currently baked into the “clean” continuing resolution that the Senate has passed repeatedly. That’s a compromise on the Democrats’ part that is mostly ignored by the media. [...]
On top of the 800,000 federal workers furloughed, who will miss three paychecks if the House GOP deal is accepted, food banks are now reporting shortages, since the Emergency Food Assistance program is closed. North Carolina has entirely suspended its Women, Infants and Children nutrition program because it relied so heavily on federal funding, and other states are likely to follow. Ironically red states are feeling the shutdown most because they get so much federal funding, but since the impact is mainly on poor people, they don’t care.
The G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest has already cost America $2 billion in economic output. And with each additional day of this unnecessary drama, we lose another $160 million in economic output. If this extreme austerity experiment continues, what's already an economic gut punch will soon become economic strangulation.
Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Searchlight Strong) and other Senate Democrats reminded Republicans of the simple task they need to complete to let the people's government reopen for business. So did President Obama. And now, a critical mass of Americans are crying for them to do the right thing. It's long past time for Republicans to free this nation from the manufactured crisis they forced us into.
If they don't end this Shutdown Sh*tfest soon, they'll lose more than just this political fight.
What's Behind the Chaos
Earlier this morning, we caught some actual glimmers of hope and wondered if perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a fast approaching train. The G-O-TEA gang behind the latest and greatest manufactured crisis finally began to crack under pressure. Multiple media reports suggest House Republican "leaders" are preparing at least some sort of short term resolution.
However, these Republican "leaders" are still trying to please the 21st Century Know Nothings with some sort of "split the baby solution" where the government shutdown continues while the debt ceiling is lifted. So even now, the stupidi-TEA continues.
However, it can't continue indefinitely. Our economy just can't take any more. Oh, and neither can the Republicans' own financial backers. This morning, The New York Times published an eye-popping article full of Wall Street insiders going on record to criticize the Republican Party they used to know... But don't any more.
Even the once traditional GOP base is feeling threatened by Republican "leaders" flailing around in desperate attempts to placate their new 21st Century Know Nothing G-O-TEA base. But if Republicans try to redefine their Shutdown Sh*tfest in a way that better pleases their traditional Wall Street allies, their 21st Century Know Nothing base will then revolt.
In their latest desperate attempt to destroy President Obama and his legacy, Republicans may be succeeding... In splintering their own party. While the likes of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) are begging House Republicans to stop the insani-TEA, some new 21st Century Know Nothing outfit is advocating armed rebellion. And guess who House Republican "leaders" are paying more attention to?
The time for the insani-TEA to end was last week. But even now, Republican "leaders" are threatening to impose even more chaos on this nation until the bitter end. And it's all because they fear their own base(s).
Wall Street won't mind some austerity shifting as long as the manufactured crisis ends ASAP. The 21st Century Know Nothings won't mind the manufactured crisis culminating in a worldwide economic collapse so long as they can claim victory in their Culture War. Republicans can't do both, so they're caught in a dilemma... And they're holding us all hostage until they find a way to save face.
However, these Republican "leaders" are still trying to please the 21st Century Know Nothings with some sort of "split the baby solution" where the government shutdown continues while the debt ceiling is lifted. So even now, the stupidi-TEA continues.
However, it can't continue indefinitely. Our economy just can't take any more. Oh, and neither can the Republicans' own financial backers. This morning, The New York Times published an eye-popping article full of Wall Street insiders going on record to criticize the Republican Party they used to know... But don't any more.
Joe Echevarria, the chief executive of Deloitte, the accounting and consulting firm, said, “I’m a Republican by definition and by registration, but the party seems to have split into two factions.”
While both parties have extreme elements, he suggested, only in the G.O.P. did the extreme element exercise real power. “The extreme right has 90 seats in the House,” Mr. Echevarria said. “Occupy Wall Street has no seats.” [...]
Michael J. Driscoll, a former managing director of Bear, Stearns & Co. and lifelong Republican from New York, said he would not be surprised if Wall Street executives began to shift some of the giving away from House lawmakers.
“One thing about Wall Street, it is very aware of who is working in their best interest,” he said.
Even the once traditional GOP base is feeling threatened by Republican "leaders" flailing around in desperate attempts to placate their new 21st Century Know Nothing G-O-TEA base. But if Republicans try to redefine their Shutdown Sh*tfest in a way that better pleases their traditional Wall Street allies, their 21st Century Know Nothing base will then revolt.
In their latest desperate attempt to destroy President Obama and his legacy, Republicans may be succeeding... In splintering their own party. While the likes of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) are begging House Republicans to stop the insani-TEA, some new 21st Century Know Nothing outfit is advocating armed rebellion. And guess who House Republican "leaders" are paying more attention to?
The time for the insani-TEA to end was last week. But even now, Republican "leaders" are threatening to impose even more chaos on this nation until the bitter end. And it's all because they fear their own base(s).
Wall Street won't mind some austerity shifting as long as the manufactured crisis ends ASAP. The 21st Century Know Nothings won't mind the manufactured crisis culminating in a worldwide economic collapse so long as they can claim victory in their Culture War. Republicans can't do both, so they're caught in a dilemma... And they're holding us all hostage until they find a way to save face.
The Bitter End?
Whoops. Someone's in the hot seat... For speaking a little too much truth.
Shortly after Governor Brian Sandoval (R) sounded the alarms on the trouble that lies ahead if the G-O-TEA Shutdown continues, other Republicans sounded the alarms on Sandoval deserting theirsinking ship. So of course, Sandoval's political team tried to spin it away. Yet even then, the Governor begged all of Nevada's Members of Congress to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest ASAP.
At least Governor Sandoval doesn't have to feel alone in begging his own party to stop the insani-TEA without looking toorational "liberal". Late yesterday, 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee and current US Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) begged House Republican "leaders" to allow a floor vote on the very budget agreement that Republicans themselves considered a "victory" just a month ago. And even the Koch Brothers are publicly backing away from the monster they created.
This week, the once great Republican Party descended into pure chaos. The House G-O-TEA Caucus finally fell into diaspora yesterday after some realized their previous ransom demands gained their party nothing but disdain and ridicule. This likely led to House Republican "leaders" (not so) privately admitting defeat and begging Democrats for some sort of mercy.
The irony of this whole debacle is that the supposed "party of personal responsibility" refused to take any. Some of them truly believed they could get away with destroying the global economy. And others have denied the severe consequences of their crazed actions.
The insani-TEA can't last forever. We just can't afford it. What we've already endured has caused enough harm. How much more must we suffer?
In addition to the economic harm Congressional Republicans have caused the nation, they've also harmed themselves politically. Thanks to their insani-TEA, Democrats now have a chance of winning the House next year. Republicans' poll numbers have fallen into the toilet as they've become the obvious villains in this lurid American horror story. How much more of this do they really want to endure?
This is why the end game may finally be in sight. Even though the G-O-TEA faithful demand an epic fight to the bitter end, Republican "leaders" may finally be recognizing that the bitter end is simply too close for comfort. With only a week left until the Armageddon deadline, they don't have much time left to waste. And as they go to meet President Obama this afternoon, Americans are demanding that they finally call it quits.
Shortly after Governor Brian Sandoval (R) sounded the alarms on the trouble that lies ahead if the G-O-TEA Shutdown continues, other Republicans sounded the alarms on Sandoval deserting their
At least Governor Sandoval doesn't have to feel alone in begging his own party to stop the insani-TEA without looking too
This week, the once great Republican Party descended into pure chaos. The House G-O-TEA Caucus finally fell into diaspora yesterday after some realized their previous ransom demands gained their party nothing but disdain and ridicule. This likely led to House Republican "leaders" (not so) privately admitting defeat and begging Democrats for some sort of mercy.
The irony of this whole debacle is that the supposed "party of personal responsibility" refused to take any. Some of them truly believed they could get away with destroying the global economy. And others have denied the severe consequences of their crazed actions.
The insani-TEA can't last forever. We just can't afford it. What we've already endured has caused enough harm. How much more must we suffer?
In addition to the economic harm Congressional Republicans have caused the nation, they've also harmed themselves politically. Thanks to their insani-TEA, Democrats now have a chance of winning the House next year. Republicans' poll numbers have fallen into the toilet as they've become the obvious villains in this lurid American horror story. How much more of this do they really want to endure?
This is why the end game may finally be in sight. Even though the G-O-TEA faithful demand an epic fight to the bitter end, Republican "leaders" may finally be recognizing that the bitter end is simply too close for comfort. With only a week left until the Armageddon deadline, they don't have much time left to waste. And as they go to meet President Obama this afternoon, Americans are demanding that they finally call it quits.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Cutting to the Truth
This was likely bound to happen. As the G-O-TEA Shutdown has been dragging on, a certain "Sunny" politician up for reelection next year was bound to start fretting over the looming storm clouds. And now, that's exactly what's happening.
To be fair, it's not just about politics. It's also about the failure to achieve the most basic policy goal in Washington: Keep the government open and pay the nation's bills. And as long as this failure to perform the most basic function of government continues, the entire nation suffers... Including (amd especially) Nevada. And that's the other reason why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) is worried.
And to make matters even worse, unemployment benefits, rape crisis centers, energy assistance programs, and Medicaid will also have to shut down soon if the federal government doesn't reopen. Even the Nevada National Guard is running dangerously low on the most basic supplies. This is no hyperbole, just fast approaching catastrophe.
So why hasn't Congress fixed this already? Why is the federal government still shut down? Perhaps subconsciously, Rep. Joe Heck (R-What?) provided the answer.
Actually, that's already been happening. The federal budget deficit has fallen fast and is now the smallest it's been in over four years. And on top of this, Senator Harry Reid (D) and his fellow Senate Democrats offered a budget with even more deficit reduction.
This year, we've been enduring a whole lot of austerity. In fact, many prominent economists have been warning that America has been enduring too much austerity. With America's economic recovery already fragile before the Shutdown Sh*tfest commenced, the last thing our economy needs is even more austerity throwing people out of work and reducing economic output.
Let's get real. This isn't really about deficit reduction. If it was, they wouldn't be demanding tax cuts that would add to the deficit.
So why are Joe Heck and so many of his G-O-TEA colleagues suddenly feigning concern for the budget deficit? Simple answer: Their obsession with destroying Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) has led to dropping poll numbers and new worries about
Republican losses in next year's midterm election. So now, they're desperately grasping onto anything that can be construed as a "winning message".
After all, Republican infighting doesn't make a "winning message". And they don't want to admit that this Shutdown Sh*tfest was actually caused by their internal chaos. So instead, they continue playing this ridiculous game of "Pin the Blame on Someone Else". And today, they're pointing fingers at Democrats for "not wanting to cut the deficit" despite the fact that President Obama and Congressional Democratic leaders have agreed to drastic deficit reduction.
And that leads us back to Republicans' political woes. Rep. Heck tacitly admitted he's in political danger. And Governor Sandoval is going to greater lengths to distance himself from Heck, Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?), and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Really?). Deep down, they and all their advisers know what Kevin Drum says is true.
This is why Governor Sandoval is now panicking. This is why Rep. Heck must grasp at straws to spin away his party’s reckless behavior. And this is why so many Americans can't wrap their heads around the unbridled insani-TEA on Capitol Hill. That's the dangerous truth behind the crazy spin.
To be fair, it's not just about politics. It's also about the failure to achieve the most basic policy goal in Washington: Keep the government open and pay the nation's bills. And as long as this failure to perform the most basic function of government continues, the entire nation suffers... Including (amd especially) Nevada. And that's the other reason why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) is worried.
“Particularly at the end of the month, I think that’s really when we are going to start to see … some catastrophic issues going on for the state,” Sandoval said.
“Time is short. We have hundreds of thousands of Nevadans facing real consequences. The first of the month is right around the corner.”
Most immediately, 362,000 food stamp [or SNAP] recipients will see their benefits halt on Nov. 1 and the 500 state employees who administer that program will face potential furloughs if the shutdown is not resolved. About 425,000 women, infants and children [WIC] would also stop seeing food benefits.
To continue both programs without federal money would cost the state $50 million a month.
“We don’t have it,” Sandoval said, of the state’s $6.1 billion biennial budget. “We can’t afford it.”
And to make matters even worse, unemployment benefits, rape crisis centers, energy assistance programs, and Medicaid will also have to shut down soon if the federal government doesn't reopen. Even the Nevada National Guard is running dangerously low on the most basic supplies. This is no hyperbole, just fast approaching catastrophe.
So why hasn't Congress fixed this already? Why is the federal government still shut down? Perhaps subconsciously, Rep. Joe Heck (R-What?) provided the answer.
"In a way, when you know that no matter what you do, 50 percent of the district is not going to be happy, does it matter?” Heck said of his constituents. “Really, it frees me to concentrate on doing what I think is best.”
What is best, in Heck’s opinion, is withholding support for a clean budget resolution until Democrats make some concessions on deficit reduction. He is sticking to his guns on that, even if other House Republicans think it’s about time to give in to Democrats’ demands.
Nearly two dozen Republicans, many of whom have more partisan voting records than either Nevada GOP congressman — recently signed a pledge to vote for a clean budget resolution if it comes up.
“It would have to be a bill, and I don’t comment on hypothetical bills,” Heck said when the Sun asked if he might consider signing on.
But in theory, Heck is not on board.
“What is there associated with the clean (budget resolution)?” he asked. “How are we going to address our debt and our deficit?”
Actually, that's already been happening. The federal budget deficit has fallen fast and is now the smallest it's been in over four years. And on top of this, Senator Harry Reid (D) and his fellow Senate Democrats offered a budget with even more deficit reduction.
This year, we've been enduring a whole lot of austerity. In fact, many prominent economists have been warning that America has been enduring too much austerity. With America's economic recovery already fragile before the Shutdown Sh*tfest commenced, the last thing our economy needs is even more austerity throwing people out of work and reducing economic output.
Let's get real. This isn't really about deficit reduction. If it was, they wouldn't be demanding tax cuts that would add to the deficit.
So why are Joe Heck and so many of his G-O-TEA colleagues suddenly feigning concern for the budget deficit? Simple answer: Their obsession with destroying Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) has led to dropping poll numbers and new worries about
Republican losses in next year's midterm election. So now, they're desperately grasping onto anything that can be construed as a "winning message".
After all, Republican infighting doesn't make a "winning message". And they don't want to admit that this Shutdown Sh*tfest was actually caused by their internal chaos. So instead, they continue playing this ridiculous game of "Pin the Blame on Someone Else". And today, they're pointing fingers at Democrats for "not wanting to cut the deficit" despite the fact that President Obama and Congressional Democratic leaders have agreed to drastic deficit reduction.
And that leads us back to Republicans' political woes. Rep. Heck tacitly admitted he's in political danger. And Governor Sandoval is going to greater lengths to distance himself from Heck, Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?), and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Really?). Deep down, they and all their advisers know what Kevin Drum says is true.
It's crazy. How do you get across how insurrectionary this is? Raising the debt ceiling isn't a concession from Republicans that deserves a corresponding concession from Democrats. It's the financial equivalent of a nuclear bomb: both sides will go up in smoke if it's triggered. Ditto for the government shutdown. And ditto again for the piecemeal spending bills, which are basically a way for Republicans to fund only the parts of government they like but not anything else.
You can't govern a country this way. You can't allow a minority party to make relentless demands not through the political system, but by threatening Armageddon if they don't get what they want. It's not what the Constitution intended; it's not something any president could countenance; and it's reckless almost beyond imagining.
And most important of all, it's not something that should get written about as if it's just a modest escalation of normal political disagreements. It's not normal. At all. But how do you get this across? How do you get across just how non-normal it is that we're even talking about it?
This is why Governor Sandoval is now panicking. This is why Rep. Heck must grasp at straws to spin away his party’s reckless behavior. And this is why so many Americans can't wrap their heads around the unbridled insani-TEA on Capitol Hill. That's the dangerous truth behind the crazy spin.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
What's Wrong
As Day 8 of the manufactured crisis full of unnecessary drama rolls on, we're starting to see interesting statements from Nevada's Republicans in Congress. When asked whether he could finally accept the compromise that Republican "leaders" seemed ready to accept just a month ago, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Huh?) spokesman said his boss typically "never commits on bills before [they reach the] floor, but adds Heck 'has voted for every CR" that has been put on the House floor'.” OK. So what's that supposed to mean?
But wait, there's more. Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) also chimed in today, stating that "it's time to bring Joe Biden back". For what, exactly? Does Senator Heller need the Vice President to personally explain to him the consequences of becoming a "deadbeat nation".
And of course, there's "(Never) Tired of the Drama" Mark Amodei (R-Really?). When KRNV/News 4 Reno viewers asked Rep. Amodei what he was doing to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest, he just lied about the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). Keep it klassy, Nevada G-O-TEA!
If it seems like Nevada Republicans in DC are looking awfully adrift lately, it's likely because their national party is careening all over the place. They're taking queues from failed comedians and clinging to discredited conspiracy theories. Even some Republicans are now making their private grievances with their party public.
So why is the federal government still shut down? And why are we so perilously close to credit default? Something is wrong with this picture.
There are likely enough votes in the House to stop the insani-TEA and reopen government. So why can't it happen yet? Why are some Republicans talking out of both sides of their mouths while others are simply talking nonsense? And why can't Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and Mark Amodei step forward to put an end to the drama they're supposedly "tired of"?
We can't afford to wait much longer.
But wait, there's more. Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) also chimed in today, stating that "it's time to bring Joe Biden back". For what, exactly? Does Senator Heller need the Vice President to personally explain to him the consequences of becoming a "deadbeat nation".
And of course, there's "(Never) Tired of the Drama" Mark Amodei (R-Really?). When KRNV/News 4 Reno viewers asked Rep. Amodei what he was doing to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest, he just lied about the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). Keep it klassy, Nevada G-O-TEA!
If it seems like Nevada Republicans in DC are looking awfully adrift lately, it's likely because their national party is careening all over the place. They're taking queues from failed comedians and clinging to discredited conspiracy theories. Even some Republicans are now making their private grievances with their party public.
So why is the federal government still shut down? And why are we so perilously close to credit default? Something is wrong with this picture.
There are likely enough votes in the House to stop the insani-TEA and reopen government. So why can't it happen yet? Why are some Republicans talking out of both sides of their mouths while others are simply talking nonsense? And why can't Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and Mark Amodei step forward to put an end to the drama they're supposedly "tired of"?
We can't afford to wait much longer.
Waiting for the End
It's been over a week now. And despite the occasional glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel, it appears that the light is just coming from the speeding train approaching us. The G-O-TEA manufactured crisis rages on, and we're all suffering as a result.
Yesterday, we debunked G-O-TEA memes on "compromise". Over the course of the past six months, Republicans blocked nineteen attempts to start bipartisan, bicameral budget negotiations. Republican "leaders" only changed their tune last week, just minutes before their Shutdown began.
Throughout the spring and summer, Congressional Republicans turned down multiple Democratic offers for budget negotiations. But now, we're supposed to believe the G-O-TEA Shutdown is all Senator Harry Reid's fault because he's "not playing nice"? If this situation wasn't so dangerous, we'd be laughing.
Yet now, Senator Reid is offering Republicans a way oit of their own manufactured crisis. Last week, they privately admitted they must end it before we reach credit default next week. And even a few Republicans have publicly admitted they're fighting a losing war. So why won't they stop the insani-TEA already?
All this time, Republicans have had the opportunity to end this unnecessary drama. But so far, they haven't done so. That's why Senator Reid is now offering them a way out. If they truly want to prevent the initiation of an economic collapse we haven't seen in eighty years, they can start by passing the very clean debt ceiling legislation they privately admitted they had to pass last week.
So why wait any longer? And why deny reality any longer? With each passing day of this manufactured crisis, the nation inches closer to complete disaster... And Congress wastes time on this crap that could be used to solve real problems.
So why are we still waiting for the end?
Yesterday, we debunked G-O-TEA memes on "compromise". Over the course of the past six months, Republicans blocked nineteen attempts to start bipartisan, bicameral budget negotiations. Republican "leaders" only changed their tune last week, just minutes before their Shutdown began.
Throughout the spring and summer, Congressional Republicans turned down multiple Democratic offers for budget negotiations. But now, we're supposed to believe the G-O-TEA Shutdown is all Senator Harry Reid's fault because he's "not playing nice"? If this situation wasn't so dangerous, we'd be laughing.
Yet now, Senator Reid is offering Republicans a way oit of their own manufactured crisis. Last week, they privately admitted they must end it before we reach credit default next week. And even a few Republicans have publicly admitted they're fighting a losing war. So why won't they stop the insani-TEA already?
All this time, Republicans have had the opportunity to end this unnecessary drama. But so far, they haven't done so. That's why Senator Reid is now offering them a way out. If they truly want to prevent the initiation of an economic collapse we haven't seen in eighty years, they can start by passing the very clean debt ceiling legislation they privately admitted they had to pass last week.
So why wait any longer? And why deny reality any longer? With each passing day of this manufactured crisis, the nation inches closer to complete disaster... And Congress wastes time on this crap that could be used to solve real problems.
So why are we still waiting for the end?
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