The Republicans in Congress have succeeded in shutting down the Federal Government, having learned nothing from the shutdown of the Federal Government under Bill Clinton or the jitters of Wall Street from the summer of 2011.
The shutdown is not about Obamacare so much as it is about the debt ceiling; the ability of our government to pay its bills on time and in full goes to the heart of our strength as a nation. What the Republicans in Congress have done is to place at serious risk the trust and credibility of the United States to pay our debts. In fact, the Republicans have gone so far as to say “we’re willing to allow the United States to default on our debts, effectively ending the status of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.”
The debt ceiling authorization simply allows our nation to pay bills already incurred. It does not control spending. The delay in funding Obamacare for a year is a ruse to make the AHCA an issue in the coming midterms but with a terrible risk that the full faith and trust of our country is on the line. Just the threat of withholding the debt ceiling authorization is as damaging to our nation as actually defaulting. If you are a fiscal conservative, time to tell the Republicans to put the pin back in the grenande. The rest of the world may no longer allow the dollar to remain the global reserve currency if this debate continues for any amount of time.
If the debt ceiling can be held hostage to the implementation of ObamaCare, what else can either party use authorization approval for? What about taxes? Defense spending? Abortion? Education? Gay Marriage?
No president should negotiate on the debt-ceiling authorization. The Republicans in Congress are flat out wrong. My conservative friends on Facebook are calling for civil war and complete default with no regard to what can happen. But they have to know their heroes of Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Mike Lee are screwing with the full faith and credit of our country and in doing so, they are screwing with the future of the America they love.
The Debt Ceiling Fraud
July 23, 2011 • 2:24PM (19 minute video)
* the bailouts never stopped
* 16 Trillion
http://larouchepac.com/node/18878
I believe, (but not certain), that during 2006-2008 the Republicans had the trifecta, President Bush + majority in the House and Senate. The National Debt Was NOT Reduced.
14th Amendment, Sec 4
“The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. …”
“White House spokesman Jay Carney, asked about the 14th Amendment issue on Dec. 6, said: “This administration does not believe that the 14th Amendment gives the president the power to ignore the debt ceiling – period.”
Congressional Dems Tell Obama to Ignore Congress on Debt Ceiling
January 13, 2013 • 10:38AM
http://larouchepac.com/node/25160
Government Shutdown Careens Toward Oct. 17 U.S. Debt Blowout
October 2, 2013 • 5:35PM
http://larouchepac.com/node/28388
It is naive to compare 1996 with 2013. In 1996, 105 congressional districts were swing districts, and a majority was up for grabs by winning all of them.
Today, only 35 are swing districts, and even if the Democrats were to sweep all of them *and* win a few of the lean GOP, they’ll have to sweep all the ones that are lean Democrat or better.
Don’t take my word, just ask Nate Silver: http://nyti.ms/17p1isw
Remember, the shutdown in 1996? What happened to the House majority then?
Nothing. The Republicans held on to their majority for a decade after that.
You think it’ll be different now? Why?
Again, http://www.themindisaterriblething.com/2013/09/shutdown-winner-boehner-and-republicans.html
Democrats have already lost. Even if there is a clean CR and the manufactured debt ceiling crisis is averted.
This is what happens when you try to be “balanced”
“My conservative friends on Facebook are calling for civil war and complete default with no regard to what can happen.”
I hope you meant “friends” sardonically. I have scant respect for people who continue to be friends with wingnuts.