Washington is reaching a consensus: the government will shut down in 10 days — and Republicans will bear the brunt of voter disgust over it.
With House GOP leadership on Wednesday again showing little progress in moving a stopgap funding bill to prevent a shutdown, officials have begun a two-pronged effort to prepare for a shutdown that seems less avoidable every day.
There is the official side of government, where the Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget has been working with agencies to make contingency plans for when funding runs out. And there is the political arena, where party operatives are focused on a different goal: inflicting maximum pain on their Republican adversaries and seeking to pin them with blame for an interruption in federal services and paychecks for government workers.
While both sides will inevitably throw blame at the other, Republicans are feeling a keen sense of apprehension that their party will suffer badly should a shutdown transpire.
“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”
“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”
The answer is in his question: “Name one time that WE’VE shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”
Yeah, except Democrats used to catch the blame all the time when McConnell filibustered something. It’s part of their strategy to do things and have the other party get blamed for it.
The tactic was for Republicans to sabotage government, and then use the failure they caused as a talking point about how government is useless and gets in the way. They could then rally people around the idea that government is an enemy that needs to be eliminated. But I think people are wising up to that strategy. There have been a lot of high profile problems recently that can all be linked to deregulation and rolling back government oversight.
Sounds like an onion quote.
You’d think a ‘Pub, of all people, would know that giving to someone who hasn’t earned it is socialist. As staunch capitalists, ‘Pubs earned all the blame and they can keep it.
“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”
Then stop doing this shit, Mike…it’s not rocket science.
“Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do this.”
We always get the blame for the things we do
Y’all the cishet white conservative concept of responsibility is wild. The idea that the problem isn’t your actions, it’s that people notice your actions and that it’s you doing them is Narcissistic Abuse 101.
I think instead of government shutdowns from now on we should have government lockups. Congress can’t come to an agreement? Everyone in Congress goes to jail till they sort it out. Bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread with water three times a day and a 6’x8’ cell for every two members of Congress.
All other government employees keep getting paid and keep doing their jobs but Congress goes jail to sort it’s shit out.
Like time out for kids.
Pope selection style. Watch the smoke
Ehh… hard for them to negotiate by yelling through cell doors, no?
I’d settle for locking them in the house floor until they’ve got it figured out.
Yo at least let them have the grape flavored “nutrient packs” while you’re at it…
I’m a fan of “if government spending is so out of control” then when you vote "no"on funding the government, the immediate action is that all of your financial privileges as a congressmen are suspended. No pay, no travel allowance, no health insurance, not even a fucking parking pass. And you stay that way until you vote yes…on the NEXT government funding bill. Put your money where your mouth is.
They are always eager to cut funding for social programs that are not their pay or benefits. Suspicious?
“The people single-handedly responsible for shutting down the government - causing economic upheaval and strife - have resigned to being labelled the ‘bad guys.’”
Story at 11.
Republicans are shutting down the government yet again because they know that they can reliably use it to extract concessions from Democrats. And Democrats keep confirming this.
“A government of the people, by the people, for the people” must really leave a sour aftertaste in many American mouths these days. I dont envy you guys. All the best from a European nobody.
I don’t understand. If your government can shut down without the country falling apart… what are you actually paying em for?
Do you think the government’s primary function is to operate a laser that keeps the sun from crashing into the country? You see, a community of people come together and say they could do things more efficiently and have a better life if they all cooperate, so they form a “government” and that government does things for the benefit of those people. In a shutdown, some of those things are deemed essentially and keep happening, like law enforcement and coast guard and border patrol and food inspection and air traffic control. The people doing those jobs just don’t get paid! Hooray!
Other things stop working, like FCC complaints, or social security checks, or the IRS help line, or parks, and certain people that help with criminal investigations, or the building of semiconductor plants intended to help the US compete with China, or visa applications, or school lunches for students, or the collection of statistical reports on the US economy that busiensses rely on, and so on. When these things don’t happen, life for Americans gets worse. You are quite correct that the country will not immediately burst into flames. All that will happen is that millions of people will suffer! What do we even pay the government for, amiright guys?!
It creates stunning damage, that would indeed lead to the country falling apart. The only reason we weather them is basically “you always stop this shit soonish, so we can just rob peter to pay paul for a bit with debt for the really important things.”
An actual, no shit goverment shutdown because they literally have no money and no debt would shatter our nation.
You’re right, you don’t understand.
Thanks.
🤷
