Let's all wait and see what happens before jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers on who's fault it is. Although I have no doubts there are social issues involved but the two sides tell very different stories right now. I doubt Reid is right in that it boils down to one issue "Planned Parenthood" on a budget bill so massive. Let's just hope they can reach some sort of compromise and avoid a shutdown.
they aren't telling different stories, the tea party wants to defund these social programs, the democrats don't
A government shutdown is a brilliant Republican move. They can blame it on Obama in the 2012 race. And as a nice side bonus, once the govt gets back up and running again, a whole swath of programs and agencies will have died off during the self-induced coma. Essentially, they're governing with a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel, and they'll blame it on the devil once the damage is done, anybody caught in the crossfire is just collateral damage.
Sounds like they are just playing one big game. Well its politics and its all a game for these people. Don't get so worked up over everything you hear. http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...hner-denies-it/2011/04/08/AFO40U1C_story.html In lieu of a provision defunding Planned Parenthood, Republicans proposed this week proposed an alternative that would change the way federal Title X funding for women’s health programs is distributed, according to senior congressional aides. Currently, Title X funding is provided in federal grants to women’s health organizations, including Planned Parenthood. Under the Republicans’ alternative proposal, federal Title X funds would be sent to states in the form of block grants and it would be up to state governments to distribute those funds to health groups. With the impasse unresolved, Boehner urged the Senate and Obama to approve a one-week budget extension that passed the GOP-controlled House on Thursday. It includes full funding for the Defense Department as well as $12 billion in cuts to other agencies. But the measure has no chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate, in part because it contains a restriction on funding for abortions in the District. Obama has said he would veto the legislation. Reid said he would propose his own measure to fund the government for one week more. If Senate Republicans filibuster Reid’s bill, and the government shuts down, Democrats will be able to blame the GOP. The fight appears to have come down to a test of political will between Boehner on one side and Reid and Obama on the other. Neither side wants to be perceived as the one who caves. And both see an advantage in waiting until the last minute to strike an agreement. But what if the two sides miscalculate, and a shutdown comes? Both lawmakers and the White House could be tarred with an even more damaging perception: These are the people who couldn’t manage to keep the government open. Democrats and Republicans are both eager to move past this argument and get to other disagreements with far greater impact, including debates over whether to allow the U.S. Treasury to borrow money beyond the current $14.3 trillion debt limit and over the GOP’s ambitious proposed budget for 2012. Congressional leaders consider the current talks a dry run for the battles to come. “Understand that this proc*ess that we’re in is likely to be repeated a number of times this year,” Boehner told reporters Thursday. “I think everyone is taking their time, trying to get this right.” Staff writer Perry Bacon Jr. contributed to this report
First off I am pure pro abortion. Making it illegal or less accessible to poor people is dumb. You could honestly look at this from two sides. 1. 38 billion in cuts have been agreed too but any cuts on planned parenthood are off limits by the democrats? 2. Repubs holding the budget hostage by defunding planned parenthood. I think the dems should cave personally. 1. Federal is only 75 million of the 1.1 billion of planned parenthood, it won't shut it down. 2. fed funding can only provide for "family planning" and not abortions. Even though I support morning after pill, birth control, I think funding those goes against the spirit of that law. 3. The mantra from pelosi and Obama in 2008 was "we won, deal with it" that crap bites both ways.
While I don't disagree a shutdown will be very damaging to Obama I really don't think anyone truly wants to see a shutdown. But I do agree if a shutdown is going to happen I definitely see the Republicans use this against Obama in the 2012 race. Its politics! If it was the other way around the Democrats would do exactly the same.
Disagree, government shutdown right after GOP takes the house will go against GOP politically. Fair or not. They could have done this last year and avoided much of this compromising they don't want.
So when they do accept it, billytexxx and the rest of the band run around screaming "SEE WE TOLD YOU OBAMA WAS WEAK". But if they stand their ground it's "SEE DEMOCRATS ARE ALL ABOUT MAKING GOVT BIGGER".
hmm I guess I could see your point also. Well if a govt shutdown occurs I'm sure both sides will be flinging lots of poo at each other.
The reality is, the big problem isn't coming from the Republicans or the Democrats - its the Tea Party folks. These are people who have stated publically that they'd be quite happy with a shut down. The problem is the Republicans are beholden to these idiots. The Tea Party is bad news for the Republicans and the Republicans are going to have to figure out how to distance themselves from the Tea Party without creating a third viable party in the US.
There is political rhetoric to disagree with both of those. Do you expect politicians to not have a political strategy or something?
It's easy for them to distance themselves from the Tea Partiers in the eyes of the average idiot citizen. They don't even share the same name Just point finger and start the usual condemnation.
Given what happened during the previous shutdown I don't think this is a brilliant Republican move and I think Boehnor knows that. In general it is easier for the president to blame the do nothing Congress and this could come back and bite the Republicans depending on how well Obama can use the bully pulpit. As for programs dying during the shutdown I don't recall a lot of programs dying during the last time we had one but that is just off the top of my head.
No I am not. I made my point about the shutdown in a previous post. Was it too long for you or something?
disagree Judoka. Any gov't dysfunction is good for the Republicans. Most voters will be fed up with the bunch of them. So... you blame the guy in charge -- that's Obama you vote the current guys out -- those would be the Obama guys or more likely -- you lose faith in the whole stupid system and choose to no longer participate. The republican base has a stronger voter participation rate -- many of the 'newer' voters who swept Obama into power may stay home. It's like when two whiny kids keep fighting. At some point, you don't particularly care 'who started it.' You send them both to their rooms.
You know... If and when the GOP get their way with the budget, I'll probably lose my job. Along with countless others that provide needed services to the fortunate and less fortunate alike. What I'm struggling to understand is: "WHY" How can someone be so out of touch as to say cutting programs like Planned Parenthood, job training, employment service, and green energy initiatives will fix this nations economic problems. Why does the GOP think this is best? Why is the left so weak? Why can't the public see what is so blatantly being done right in our faces? #DestinedToBeTheWorkingPoor
I don't actually blame anyone for this shutdown. It's just the nature of the beast, trying to negotiate a smaller budget. In it's nature, it is inevitable that a negotiated settlement cannot be reached until after the deadline arrives. Only then and when the pain starts will we see who blinks first. It's the same as the collective bargaining agreement in the NBA -- there will be a lockout, because neither side will blink until the pain starts. For Dems or Repubs to give in before the deadline (at the deadline would be ideal, though) would be a plain dereliction of duty.
