Shutdown

[alaurin]

It's too bad that the system is designed (or maneuvered through) in such a way that there is no actual punishment for failure to do the job. If we had more carrots or sticks to use on our politicians (instead of dollar bills and winning smiles or worthless threats of "I won't vote for you at the next election") then maybe we could actually get something done. Or maybe what we need is strong leadership....

 

[LFCFan]

"Ray's Laundry" truck was parked outside the battalions every evening…throw your bag his way on the way to chow…pick up your last stuff on the march back. He kept your line of credit until you could pay. Pretty sweet...

My God, man, this was an "Officer Candidate" Course of Instruction…not the Middle Ages!

So there was something that is harder about OCS now than back then...

Our "laundry body" used to return my stuff usually still damp. Had to hang it out to dry all over my room, scurry to put it all away in the morning, and hope that it had all dried out (which being winter in Newport, it usually hadn't). Fortunately the new Nimitz washing machines actually work.

 

[jmcquate]

Bottom line is the White House wants a shutdown, the Republicans will be crucified in the press (think school kids crying because the can't see the Statue of Liberty). This is all about positioning for the midterms. We haven't had a budget in I don't know how long (let the Constitutional discussion begin). That's the real issue.

 

[xj220]

Saw SecSef statement on the email today...and watching our civilians not know whether they are getting furloughed tomorrow...sucks. Wish our leadership could get together and figure this out, between sequester and this, kind of a morale crusher

No kidding. It's straight up embarrassing that a country such as ours can't get it's act together. Not only that, like you said, we keep stringing a long government employees and that takes a toll on people.

 

[helolumpy]

We haven't had a budget in I don't know how long (let the Constitutional discussion begin).

2009: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_United_States_federal_budget

when you have to use wikipedia as a source because using any news organization will be considered 'slanted' speaks volumes for what passes as journalism these days!

 

[Flash]

Then apparently we have the government we deserve because it's completely appalling to people for the President to hold Congressmen accountable for not doing their sworn duty.

That is the job of the American voters, not the President. It is the foundation of our system of government, unless you want to get rid of the Constitution and start from scratch that is what we are 'stuck' with.

It's too bad that the system is designed (or maneuvered through) in such a way that there is no actual punishment for failure to do the job. If we had more carrots or sticks to use on our politicians (instead of dollar bills and winning smiles or worthless threats of "I won't vote for you at the next election") then maybe we could actually get something done. Or maybe what we need is strong leadership....

The 'punishment' is getting voted out of office, if the voters make their choice and aren't happy about it they can change their vote the next time around.

Not usually a fan of quoting folks, especially when many internet quotes are wrong, but I thought this one is particularly apt (and yes, it is a real one):

"Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

 

[Brett327]

I view the electorate's apparent inability to vote out incumbent members as a problem translating from the general to the specific. People see the Congress in the aggregate as poorly performing, but don't translate that quality to their member of Congress. They might like their representative for any number of reasons and don't ascribe any of the shortcomings of the group to the individual. The problems becomes: How do you sort the good ones from the bad? Are they all bad, or should some be retained? Difficult to answer with much certainty. This is why we seem to have difficulty in voting people out of office.

 

[jtdees]

So, if only all the other idiots in the rest of the country would get their acts together and elect someone useful, my MC would finally be able to do a good job?

Sad part is, everyone says the same thing.

 

[eddieoctane]

I view the electorate's apparent inability to vote out incumbent members as a problem translating from the general to the specific. People see the Congress in the aggregate as poorly performing, but don't translate that quality to their member of Congress. They might like their representative for any number of reasons and don't ascribe any of the shortcomings of the group to the individual. The problems becomes: How do you sort the good ones from the bad? Are they all bad, or should some be retained? Difficult to answer with much certainty. This is why we seem to have difficulty in voting people out of office.

The fact that congressional districts have become increasingly gerrymandered isn't helping the situation. The people who should be voting to replace a failing representative are being replaced by party hardliners on both sides. So when a Republican ties the shutdown to defunding the healthcare law, he gets praised back home. Same for when a Democrat refuses to consider delaying implementation of even a single aspect of the law. And as long as districts are being formed along party lines, that isn't going to change. Between that and the voter apathy that inevitably follows such government disfunction, we are right and proper screwed.

 

[xj220]

Ok, shit just got real: http://college-football.si.com/2013/10/01/navy-air-force-government-shutdown/

 

[JollyGood]

Ok, shit just got real: http://college-football.si.com/2013/10/01/navy-air-force-government-shutdown/

Without even reading the article, I can say this is clearly the Air Force's fault.

 

[jtdees]

The fact that congressional districts have become increasingly gerrymandered isn't helping the situation. The people who should be voting to replace a failing representative are being replaced by party hardliners on both sides. So when a Republican ties the shutdown to defunding the healthcare law, he gets praised back home. Same for when a Democrat refuses to consider delaying implementation of even a single aspect of the law. And as long as districts are being formed along party lines, that isn't going to change. Between that and the voter apathy that inevitably follows such government disfunction, we are right and proper screwed.

Even worse is the assumption that the lines drawn on the map really are party lines. 22% identify as R's, 31% as D's, yet we're supposed to believe that all the territory is clearly divided into R and D areas? It is partisanship that has hijacked the whole process, and partisanship is at best aconstitutional, and definitely opposed to President Washington's warnings.

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus. Obama probably has a few tricks he could play to fuck with congress, not that it would be productive.

 

[jmcquate]

Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus. Obama probably has a few tricks he could play to fuck with congress, not that it would be productive.

A civil War and a Copperhead insurrection had a little to do with Lincoln's actions.
The White House and Congressional Dems have dreamed about this. They will do nothing to stop it. In fact, they will do everything they can to make the shutdown as painful as possible (re: sequester). They think they have the upper hand and probably do. If you are looking to the Dems to solve this, your barking up the wrong tree. They will accept nothing less than total capitulation.

 

[squeeze]

A civil War and a Copperhead insurrection had a little to do with Lincoln's actions.
The White House and Congressional Dems have dreamed about this. They will do nothing to stop it. In fact, they will do everything they can to make the shutdown as painful as possible (re: sequester). They think they have the upper hand and probably do. If you are looking to the Dems to solve this, your barking up the wrong tree. They will accept nothing less than total capitulation.

Wow, that's a lot of wrong in such a concise paragraph. Here, let me let Jon Stewart explain it to you, because 1) he's right and 2) he already did it.