One might think that blackmailing America over the debt ceiling was bad enough, but it appears that is not the end of Republican economic terrorism. Government shutdown is back on their agenda again. Now, let someone threaten subsidies for Big Oil, and Republicans will throw a hissy fit, but unless we defund a loan guarantee program to help Main Street Americans buy more fuel efficient cars, Republicans will shut the government down.
Senate Republicans broke ranks this week, allowing Democrats to pass a nearly $7 billion bill to shore up federal disaster relief and setting up a battle with the House and even the prospect of a government shutdown.
Between hurricanes, floods, wildfires, blizzards, tornadoes, and a rare East Coast earthquake, the US has declared disaster areas in all but two states this year alone, and the funds to sustain recovery efforts are running out.
In past years, Congress would have dubbed such disasters an emergency – a label that exempts spending from budgetary constraints – and paid for it on credit. But the GOP takeover of the House in 2011 and an ongoing tea party insurgency have sharpened partisan differences even on an issue as traditionally bipartisan as disaster relief.
House Republicans are proposing $3.7 billion in disaster aid, with the first $1 billion to be offset by cutting a loan guarantee program for more fuel-efficient cars. Democrats oppose both the strategy of requiring offsets for emergency disaster relief – a standard they say that Republicans did not apply to funding wars in Iraq or Afghanistan – and the choice of an alternative energy program to take the hit.
The measure now faces a full House vote next week, as part of an interim spending bill to fund government for the 2012 fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. Without this continuing resolution, the government would be forced to shut down… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Christian Science Monitor>
Republicans will win this one. A $1 billion program is not a big enough issue to risk letting Republicans force a government shutdown. There is nothing Democrats can do to stop the measure in the House. But Democrats in the Senate should make it a floor fight, just to expose the vile hypocrisy of what Republicans are doing here, and let the American public see who Republicans represent. Sadly, I fear that the Nevada Leg Hound, Harry Reid, will hump a few GOP legs, whining for some minor concession, before he puts his tail between his legs, rolls over and plays dead.
27 Responses to “Republican terrorists threaten government shutdown again!”
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I think you’re right about this one too, Tom. The Dems should make a lot of noise on this in their home districts and on the House & Senate floors though. The people should not put up with their granstanding!
Thanks, Patty!
Fuck it! With the European on going banking crisis and the continuing rich getting richer tax policy, let them shut the government down. Time for this shit to end and if they want to play brinksmanship I say push the kocksuckers off the edge. Let them do it, people are soon enough going to be starving and having even what little is left taken away so the left may as well make it clear that the right shut the government down just like when toot toot Gnewt did it. and let it stay shut down for as long as it takes for Rand Paul to grow old and die if that’s what it takes.
I tend to think we will need a gover’t shutdown this time too…time for a showdown at the DC corral!
It’s Blackmail–so call it– let them shut things down–only way to stop a Blackmailer–.Expose them–agree —- Showdown is coming due.
The showdown is PAST due. When are the Democrats going to grow a spine?
Hey Tom, I’ve been sitting here in the background observing shares you send me on SU and making my pithy remarks there. But I can feel the fire starting to burn and if you can loan me a penny I guess I can start putting my 2 cents worth in. Just to let you know I consider myself Independent so I have no problem bashing both sides of the political party’s. I guess today in a way is one of those days.
It would be nice if the Democratic party had some testicular fortitude and really start standing up to this wasteland of defecation known as the Republican party. It’s time for them to start kicking and screaming about what the Republicans are doing to us Americans! I would love to see them tell the Republicans we ain’t taking your bullshit anymore! You want to play this blackmail card go for it ! And then actually start being a lot more boisterous about their repulsive political agenda. It’s way past time to be Mr. Nice Guy. I want to see all Democrats take a more forceful stand on these so called news shows and not be so “Oh I’m the polite one here.” Get in their face and let them know they’re nothing but a bunch of Morten Downey Jr. wannabees. The facts. The cold hard facts loud and clear. I would give any politician the symbolic high-five if they would actually come straight out and say to any “tarded” Republican “You need to seek some form of mental help! Oh and by the way while your seeking help here’s a book to read and it’s called me putting my foot in your ass!”
Oh and If Bernie Sanders ran for office he would get my vote!
“wasteland of defecation” What a great line. I love it!
Amen! Awesome metaphor!
Welcome SK! 🙂 Glad to see you here!
I agree, and Bernie would get my vote as well, for any office.
This is why caving into Republican demands and not fighting for a liberal agenda just encourages their obstructionism.
As I wrote here during the debt ceiling debate, of course they are going to obstruct anything the President does, look at the success they have had.
If the President and the Democratic led Senate don’t fight these Republicans, they will lose.
And why should this surprise anyone? Of course they want to shut the government down.
Welcome Steven. 🙂
You’re right!
Instead of replying individually, so many of you have said you want the Democrats to call the Republican’s bluff on this one and let them shut it down before giving in. The problem is that this $1 billion loan guarantee program is small change in federal terms. Choosing the right fight is just as imperative as choosing to fight, and that means choosing an issue in which millions of people are effected by the outcome. Only a few thousand have a personal stake in a loan guarantee for fuel efficient cars. This issue is not the one. We need to fight over something like social security.
I’d like to see him fight on any issue. When was the last time he challenged the House Republicans? Where was the fight for not extending the Bush tax cuts? Where was the fight for a better Health Care Plan? Where was the fight to even televise his speech when he wanted to? I understand picking your fights, when will he fight on anything?
I’ve seen his fight for the job bill, but I’m wondering why he hasn’t shown that fighting attitude for the last 3 years. To show it now (at the start of the campaign) only shows he’s going to say what he needs to, to get reelected. It’s easy to be cynical when the evidence is there.
The Republicans will accept maybe half the tax cuts, throw in some of their own, and then we will see whether Obama is going to fight for whatever that bill was Obama was talking to himself about.
I agree, but this is a different subject. 🙂
Tom, I fully agree that we desperately need some fight from him, but still think nit needs to be the right issue.
I agree Tom. The… um “Nowhere Man”? Should be his campaign song!
Sure the Democrat louses who are in office, will lose this battle because they do not see anything as important enough to fight for – but $1 Billion is worth a fight, becaues its for something America needs alot more than $1 Billion worth of – Democrats should call the bluff of the Republicans and endure the partisan victory. The Democratic Party does not want to win – this is dive-taking – it doesnt matter whether its timidity or incompetence or they are in-cahoots, and I think the Democratic Party is now in cahoots.
While that is true of some democrats, it is not of most. When Democrats controlled the House, they passed lots of excellent legislation. Republicans in the Senate blocked it all with help from very few DINOs. I know you’re upset, but the facts are what they are.
Let them shut it down! Like they are really going to vote themselves out of a job and lose all the benefits they have given themselves. Go right ahead and shut it down. They all should be booted out for putting us in this predicament. If they shut it down, then they shouldn’t expect to come back. I thought it was the job of the CIA to protect this Country from imminent danger by any means. I think a Threat of A Shut Down qualifies as imminent danger to this Country, by the Republican Party. It is time for the CIA to do the job it was created for, to protect this Country by any Means, be it Foreign or Domestic!
CIA? Russell, what ever are you talking about? That is not the CIA’s purview.
Hey, maybe the Democrats have been so polite that everybody thinks they’re Canadians and therefore don’t count in the American political process! and there don’t take them seriously.
Shutting down the government will send shudders around the world, just like the debt crisis debacle did. Can the US afford that at this time. I think TomCat is right, you have to pick your fights, get the biggest bang for the buck, so to speak. Or if you prefer Kenny Rogers, you got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.
And are Canadians still as polite as I remember them from when I hitchhiked across Canada?
I don’t know. If I were the average Canadian, what would you say?
Hey in California (around Bakersfield I think) a number of years ago, the police found a woman on the highway who had amnesia. They couldn’t figure out who she was. They said she was very polite and thought she might be Canadian. They traced some clothing tags back to a store in Alberta. Turns out she was Canadian. I always laugh when I think of that story.
Probably so, then. I was only 14, but I’ve never encountered warmer people.