...And The Beat Goes On...

The continuing soap opera coming out of D.C. would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.

First thing this morning, west coast time, we waited anxiously for Speaker Boehner and the House leadership to announce a new plan.  Last night they had been cut of of the dealing due to lack of movement and the Senate was said to be making progress.

Well, you can't have that! Finally after much delay the Republican leadership paraded before the microphones and cameras to tell us they didn't have a plan yet but were definitely working for for fairness for all the people.

You'd think by now they'd realize that Obamacare is off limits in these negotiations but those squeaky wheels insist on beating their heads against the wall. It's time for Speaker Boehner and his fellow moderates come up with a new strategy.  The Tea Party element is killing them.  So here's the new strategy.

Quit worrying about being challenged in the primaries by Tea Party approved candidates.  They're making such a bad name for themselves they're ruining their own chances.  Let's face it, if it hadn't been for them the CR and debt limit would be old news by now.  Until the next time, I grant you.

But it gets worse. I was listening to the noon news and heard Ted Cruz and a conglomeration of Tea Part cronies from both the House and Senate were huddling in  secret in the basement of a gin joint called Tortilla Coast.  I kid you not! Well, maybe not so secret.

What were they doing?  Figuring more ways to keep the monkey wrench in the pile?  Both Boehner and McConnell should tell them to go pound sand.  Band with the Democrats, get the CR and debt ceiling business done and gird themselves for the next fight which can be Obamacare if they insist.

Actually it looks more and more like it's going to meet its demise on it's own because they can't get it rolled out and more and more people with some actual knowledge and clout are becoming more vocal.  Besides, foreign policy needs some serious atttention in case you haven't been following that too.

So what's next with Cruz and The Cronies? Maybe putting such a punitive a tax on Botox shots that Nancy Pelosie would have to reveal her real face?  Along with several other ladies of high office?  I'd love it.  Then we could move on from racism, like the vet that had a Confederate flag along with the American one he was waving in front of the White House on Sunday.  Gasp.  Black people live there!

Yep.  On to sexism! They think they're having a tough time with the Democrats and White House?  Wait until they get the Ladies of the Houses mad at them.  Hell hath no fury...

...to be continued.

All Sides Now - Deaf, Dumb And Blind

 I couldn't believe the headline on the Yahoo news site saying both parties aim to score political points off the shutdown.  Sheesh!  It hasn't even been resolved as I write this and the pols are already slapping each other on the back saying, "Well done!"

Hardly.  We know how it goes.  The Republicans are going to claim that they really tried by putting forth how many mini bills trying to make the Dems look bad by not passing them.  The Dems are going to blame the Republicans for all that is not happening because of the Republican caused shut down like FEMA aid for the South Dakota ranchers who have lost nearly 75% of their herds due to an early and severe blizzard.

Well, boys and girls, if all of you had done your job none of this would have been necessary.  My bet is you are still ignoring the truth of why you're in Washington in the first place which is to take care of the country's business; not to finesse non-stop campaigns for your political lives.

The President too has to share in the blame game.  One, he has allowed it to go on for his own personal agenda showing 100% concern for that which leaves 0 for the country.

To already be figuring how to make political points disgusts me no end.  I've seen two fairly reasonable politicians in all of this mess.  Joe Manchin, D - WVA and Susan Collins, R - ME.  Where is everyone else?

Ted Cruz and his bunch were at the veterans memorial grandstanding along with Sarah Palin who was there for the publicity.  Why else?  Greta Van Susteren was there with camera crew in tow looking for footage thus ratings for her show which will air tonight.  Come on.  The veterans were making their point well enough without political help.  In fact the fewer political faces the better to make their point but no, there were those who had to make sure the limelight was shared.

I'll be watching the aftermath of the agreement whenever it comes to see who is doing the most strutting.  Their contributions to the mess will be the first I check.

Collectively, however, they should all be ashamed.  They're putting out lousy legislation, too many regulations and those given the task of overseeing the implementation are utterly incompetent.  It's no wonder they won't listen to reason of any sort.  They're not competent enough to understand what reason is.

If that isn't true then then we're the ones who are deaf, dumb and blind.

A Few Thoughts On The Stalemate

Obamacare.  How many people realize the bill being fought over is not the one passed by the Democratic House and Senate?  This is thanks to Presidential meddling where he took it upon himself to grant waivers without Congressional approval.

This smacks of dictatorship and in my opinion should negate the law.  It isn't how we make nor amend them.  I don't buy that executive privilege gives that right.

That being said and since no one else is saying it I'll move on.  The Tea Party Republicans, as any sane person will agree, had no chance of winning the defunding issue nor should it.  One doesn't defund to fix.  You either repeal or repair.  The issue shouldn't be tied to the CR but then we shouldn't be having CR's in the first place.

Though too late at this point because of ego and pride on both sides, this might have been a reasonable fix for the mess that didn't have to be.  The President could quit giving speeches and actually sit down with the Republicans.  Let's say Boehner for the sake of discussion.  "I will admit over reach in giving the waivers to Congressional members and staff. I will rescind all waivers I have given in return for the CR." Boehner accepts and promises to get it past his obstructionists by showing some leadership himself. Obama tells Harry Reid to get it done.

For now even forget the tax on medical devices.  That can be done in Congress in time. So can everything else that needs fixed and a lot does.

What they seem to forget is at the moment they don't have the votes and unless they win in 2014 they won't. Obamacare is the law.  If it's as bad as we're to believe it will collapse from within.  If it can be fixed, give fixing it in incrementals a chance.

We're stuck with the bunch we have now but we won't be forever.  The lesson we should take from this is to make our voices heard more quickly when something displeases us.  Waiting until Washington  takes the rumblings and makes them it's own defeats all of us.