Government Shutdown redux

Well, it looks like I was right the Republicans do want a shut down.  The sticking point is that in this 'budget bill', they put in controversial stuff, sure to be rejected.   The most obvious one is the rider denying government funding for cancer screening and similar (non-abortion related) health activities at any facility owned by Planned Parenthood.  Note, they are willing to pay for the cancer screening, just not at a Planned Parenthood center.

When confronted with their obvious disregard for playing fair, republicans respond "Why do Democrats care more about Planned Parenthood then the budget".  When confronted with the fact that the rider does NOT in fact reduce the budget - the money can (and will) be spent on other issues, they respond "So what - why won't you accept this minor issue to get the budget approved".

The answer is quite simple.   Consider a marriage in financial trouble.  They have real budget issues, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars they can't pay back.  The wife and husband meet to discuss the issues and they mostly come to an agreement.  Then the husband demands the wife sells her drum set at a garage sale for pennies.  Keep in mind that he has been complaining about the drum noise all year.  

Any reasonable person can easily see it is the husbands fault here.


When trying to get a contentious emergency budget bill passed, you don't bring up hot button issues.

It is without any doubt that the Republicans are trying to sabotage the budget process.  In fact, I could not think of a better way for them to try.  The equivalent move by the Democrats would be to put a rider creating a 25% federal sales tax  on gun purchases. Such a tax would be a horrible idea - almost as bad as the Planned Parenthood exclusion that the GOP has insisted on. The GOP brought in Parent Parenthood because they want a shut down.

Personally, I think the Republicans are going to regret pushing a government shut down.  It will remind people of all the things they LIKE about government, without saving much money. (see previous blog).