The US Government shutdown

[trish]

Representative democracy works when you elect people who actually believe in government. The growing fringe right of the GOP don't believe in government, and the Koch brothers who buy all the republican primaries don't believe in democracy. The rest of the GOP is worried they won't keep their seats if the Kochs back their opponent. This entire situation is exacerbated by the current practice of gerrymandering and the Citizens United decision which allows just a handful of exorbitantly wealthy people to buy elections and maintain power for decades at a time. Meanwhile, the GOP has a shuttle bus taking them out to the WWII memorial for photo-ops.

[Ben in LA]

People STILL blame Obama...and they will continue to. Hell, they blamed Obama for that chick running the barricade recently...

[trish]

People STILL blame Obama...and they will continue to. Hell, they blamed Obama for that chick running the barricade recently...

Yeah. Ask the man in the street and he'll tell you he likes the Affordable Care Act but he hates Obamacare. Go figure.

[robertlouis]

According to republicans only about 30 republicans want the shutdown. Also according to the reports if John Boehner would just bring the clean CR up for a vote it would pass immediately.

Republicans also held a meeting with Ted Cruz yesterday I believe and asked him what his strategy and endgame for the shutdown was. He either did not have one or tried to change the subject of conversation. It also seems that he did this 'filibuster' just to gain popularity at the expense of his party. Needless to say they are not happy with him right now.

You just have to love how democracy works. You pass things in the Senate, the the House, it is signed into law by the President, and then upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court, and subsequently becomes the law no if ands or buts. Then to remove, reform, or repeal said law you must do the exact same thing, unless you are the republicans and say if I can't get my way I will just shut the whole thing down.

The Republicans are like the crew of the Titanic that locked away all of the 3rd class passengers steerage to assure that only the 1st class wealthy passengers get the lifeboats, after deliberately ramming the iceberg because they don't like the Captain.

The Democrats have already negotiated the budget as well back in April when this debate is to be held. The original budget was $1.2 Trillion, the Paul Ryan budget that the Republicans want is $1.09 Trillion. What is the budget now after the Democrats cut it, $986 Billion, I would say that is a compromise and a cut if you ask me or anyone who knows how math works.

Also why if the Democrats won the election why do they have to give ground, they control the Senate and the White House, in both they won the popular and the electoral votes. In the House the Republicans did not win the popular vote but thanks to gerrymandering they won the electoral vote and now control the House.

The only reason I can see as to why the Republicans don't want ACA or 'Obamacare' (OH NO SOCIALISM) is that they are scared people might actually like it. Since it has past I have read many stories of how people have liked ACA because of the treatment and or costs they have been receiving. Also since October 1st I have read at least 2-4 articles about very conservative republicans who hate Obamacare and then did a complete 180 after receiving care under it, and the costs that they have to pay.

"Many wonder why the US is doing this to its economy or why healthcare is not an option for everyone" Joyce Karam Al-Hayat(Arabic Newspaper based in London) speaking on the confusion about how the US government has shutdown compared to the dysfunction of her own country of Lebanon in regards to passing a budget,and healthcare.

I suppose the point to be made here is that this isn't how democracy works, at least in most pluralist developed nations. The founding fathers, in their well-meaning wisdom and in their understandable desire to avoid the imposition of tyranny ever again, introduced a system involving checks and balances on executive power which, if manipulated by a cynical opposition, would prevent legislation being passed. That's where the US is now. It's utterly sclerotic. No other western democracy is so hogtied or subject to the whims of an extremist few.

Is it time to look at the Constitution? And I ask the question as an admirer and supporter of American democracy, but seriously, you can't go on this way.

Although it's interesting - if not surprising (where's the sarcastic smiley?) - that these crises always seem to arise when there's a democrat in the White House.....

[volkov2006]

I suppose the point to be made here is that this isn't how democracy works, at least in most pluralist developed nations. The founding fathers, in their well-meaning wisdom and in their understandable desire to avoid the imposition of tyranny ever again, introduced a system involving checks and balances on executive power which, if manipulated by a cynical opposition, would prevent legislation being passed. That's where the US is now. It's utterly sclerotic. No other western democracy is so hogtied or subject to the whims of an extremist few.

Is it time to look at the Constitution? And I ask the question as an admirer and supporter of American democracy, but seriously, you can't go on this way.

Although it's interesting - if not surprising (where's the sarcastic smiley?) - that these crises always seem to arise when there's a democrat in the White House.....

I was being sarcastic about it being how democracy works, and why is it that in the last 2 democratic presidents there have been 2 government shutdowns?

[Jonny29]

" Since it has past I have read many stories of how people have liked ACA because of the treatment and or costs they have been receiving. Also since October 1st I have read at least 2-4 articles about very conservative republicans who hate Obamacare and then did a complete 180 after receiving care under it, and the costs that they have to pay."

Not sure where you read that? No one has received treatment under ACA yet.
You can enroll in the plans Starting October 1st but coverage does not begin until January 1st 2014.

Here is my experience with ACA and with the New York Exchange so far. I have not yet enrolled but will. I will wait for the "glitches" to be corrected. I am in no rush since the coverage does not begin until January 1. If my only goal is to merely avoid the penalty (1% of taxable income in 2014 going up to 2.5% in later years) then I have until March 15 or March 31st to enroll and avoid the penalty

I lost my current insurance plan( Aetna left New York).

I lost my current docter ( but she is 63 and would lose her soon enough anyway)

My ESTIMATED insurance premiums under the bronze plan will DECREASE by 8-10% from my former insurance plan

My deductible went up By $1,000

I do not qualify for a subsidy

I am now covered for certain types of treatment that I was not covered for before.

My max out of pocket for medical costs decreased from $10,000 to $6,350.

Those are my experiences so far with NY Exchange. No lies , no scare tactics.On another site some was saying how little money they make and that they don't qualify for a subsidy. Well that is true, however what he left out was that he qualified for Medicaid. Heaven forbid both sides have an honest debate to truly find out if its workable and the costs involved.

[volkov2006]

" Since it has past I have read many stories of how people have liked ACA because of the treatment and or costs they have been receiving. Also since October 1st I have read at least 2-4 articles about very conservative republicans who hate Obamacare and then did a complete 180 after receiving care under it, and the costs that they have to pay."

Not sure where you read that? No one has received treatment under ACA yet.
You can enroll in the plans Starting October 1st but coverage does not begin until January 1st 2014.

Here is my experience with ACA and with the New York Exchange so far. I have not yet enrolled but will. I will wait for the "glitches" to be corrected. I am in no rush since the coverage does not begin until January 1. If my only goal is to merely avoid the penalty (1% of taxable income in 2014 going up to 2.5% in later years) then I have until March 15 or March 31st to enroll and avoid the penalty

I lost my current insurance plan( Aetna left New York).

I lost my current docter ( but she is 63 and would lose her soon enough anyway)

My ESTIMATED insurance premiums under the bronze plan will DECREASE by 8-10% from my former insurance plan

My deductible went up By $1,000

I do not qualify for a subsidy

I am now covered for certain types of treatment that I was not covered for before.

My max out of pocket for medical costs decreased from $10,000 to $6,350.

Those are my experiences so far with NY Exchange. No lies , no scare tactics.On another site some was saying how little money they make and that they don't qualify for a subsidy. Well that is true, however what he left out was that he qualified for Medicaid. Heaven forbid both sides have an honest debate to truly find out if its workable and the costs involved.

I did not mean that they were receiving treatment through it I meant that once they learned what was in it that they started to love it. After all of the 'DEATH PANELS' and other scare tactics, once they actually learn what is in ACA they want it, and when they learn that it is Obamacare they seem to stop calling it that as well.

I have read these stories mostly on ThinkProgress.org. I completely understand that the ACA is not a perfect law, but at least it is a step in the right direction, when a person from what we consider a 'third world nation' says she can not under stand how the US can't have healthcare for all you really need to start to think about what our priorities are. I agree if people would just tell the facts and not resort to scare tactics and let the people make up their own minds. When you can't win legitimately CHEAT!

[dderek123]

[Prospero]

The US is on Cruz control... and likely to crash and burn as a result.

Wake up the remaining moderate Republicans and Boehner.... you're letting the lunatics runn your country towards a catastrophe

[Quinn]

"Every nation gets the government it deserves."
- Joseph de Maistre