[Ratmagiclady]

So, interesting how we haven't gotten to the 'Tea Party'/GOP government shutdown looming...

I think we can see clearly that the interest isn't in 'smaller government' if by that they mean for anyone but the richest: while Boehner claims to be helpless in the face of what he himself has done, while the GOP try to shut the government down after getting a billion more in cuts than they were demanding before, no, no, now they want to be sure it comes with *more* tax breaks for the corporations, while of course, removing deductions for the bottom 90 percent of Americans, and tellingly...

They're threatening to shut the government down if they can't take use the 'budget crisis' of their own making to enforce a right-wing *social* agenda, gut social services, education, take away foreclosure protection, 'privatize,' (as in dismantle) Medicare and Medicaid, for some reason increase Big Oil subsidies, etc, etc.

Toldya so.

[reeftool]

This reminds me a lot of foolishness that took place in NY State a while back. Our elected representatives have a responsibility and acting like spoiled brats and saying lets just shut it down unless I get my way is in no way acting responsible.

[Parallax]

Why hasn't anybody brought up that they are still working on a FY 2011 budget, which should have been completed, signed into law, and in effect as of 1 Oct 10? (While the Democrats held all of the marbles)

[MRRiley]

Many of the most radical Tea Partiers are actually salivating over a shutdown.

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

What they refuse to recognize is that a government shutdown (even a partial one since some government functions can not "shutdown) affects more than just the federal budget. It endangers people's livelihoods ("ahhh you missed a mortgage payment. you're foreclosed on") and financially impacts millions of citizens who's financial well being derives from a function of that government (say, for instance, a souvenir store clerk just outside of a national park).

[MRRiley]

Why hasn't anybody brought up that they are still working on a FY 2011 budget, which should have been completed, signed into law, and in effect as of 1 Oct 10? (While the Democrats held all of the marbles)

Neither side has clean hands in this situation Jim. They are all acting like the government is there to advance their careers. They've all forgotten that they work for us (at least they are supposed to) rather than us working for them.

[Parallax]

Neither side has clean hands in this situation Jim. They are all acting like the government is there to advance their careers. They've all forgotten that they work for us (at least they are supposed to) rather than us working for them.

No argument there, Mike. I was trying to illustrate that it always seems to be "the other guy's" fault; regardless of who the other guy is.
They aren't acting, BTW. Anything just about any politician does is for the purpose of furthering his or her own career, acquiring more money, acquiring more power, or the ever popular "D, All of the Above".

[deadwolfbones]

"Well, I don’t know if we’re checkmating. But we’re trying — we’re trying to score a victory for the Republican people, for — for the American — for the Republican people — trying to score a victory for the American people, not for the Republican Party."

- Mike Pence (R-IN), on a possible government shutdown.

[Parallax]

"Well, I don’t know if we’re checkmating. But we’re trying — we’re trying to score a victory for the Republican people, for — for the American — for the Republican people — trying to score a victory for the American people, not for the Republican Party."

- Mike Pence (R-IN), on a possible government shutdown.

OOPS! (Can you say "Freudian Slip" )

[MRRiley]

No argument there, Mike. I was trying to illustrate that it always seems to be "the other guy's" fault; regardless of who the other guy is.
They aren't acting, BTW. Anything just about any politician does is for the purpose of furthering his or her own career, acquiring more money, acquiring more power, or the ever popular "D, All of the Above".

Funny (ironic funny, not HaHa funny) thing about this situation is that both the Democrats AND the mainstream Republicans seem to be blaming the Tea Partiers for the "current" gridlock... So for once these two groups agree...

And if the shutdown occurs, and actually goes on for a while, the Tea Partiers may learn, to their chagrin, that the people can sometimes agree too and the first politicians to feel their wrath will be the ones who smiled the biggest as the governments doors were shut.

I do agree that this would have all been moot if the Democrats had managed to pass the budget back when they had no substantial opposition.

Fail, Fail, Fail....

Me? I say boot all of em out and start with a fresh bunch. Couldn't do much worse...

[newarts]

..........

They're threatening to shut the government down if they can't take use the 'budget crisis' of their own making to enforce a right-wing *social* agenda, gut social services, education, take away foreclosure protection, 'privatize,' (as in dismantle) Medicare and Medicaid, for some reason increase Big Oil subsidies, etc, etc.

Toldya so.

Serious problems can happen when non-germane amendments are allowed on legislation esp budget bills. Why are there no effective rules blocking such foolishness?

[Ratmagiclady]

Why hasn't anybody brought up that they are still working on a FY 2011 budget, which should have been completed, signed into law, and in effect as of 1 Oct 10? (While the Democrats held all of the marbles)

Well, we told *them,* too, 'You have all the marbles, sharing is good in principle, but you know the other side doesn't wanna play, they just want the marbles.'

That's how the freaking GOP picked up those few House seats they now call 'All the marbles.' Cause the liberal half of the nation was pissed at the Dems for *not doing enough.*

[shooz]

Why the Dems couldn't do it.
Can you say filibuster?
The GOP/TPers have set records.

[Ratmagiclady]

Why the Dems couldn't do it.
Can you say filibuster?
The GOP/TPers have set records.

There's that, but if the GOP hadn't capitalized on Dems not *using* Byrd being dragged out of bed at 3AM and then Kennedy's death, in the name of 'bipartisanship,' we'd be three years ahead of the game by now, and *not* watching them try and crash state and federal governments to feed the rich and gut any semblance of government of, by, and for the people.

Now we see, these 'populist' 'Baggers' are just about their new corporate *feudalism.* And a bunch of scapegoats for the results to keep them entertained and feeling like a gun and a cross makes them powerful. Even as it gets worse and worse.

[deadwolfbones]

Ryan's bill is just hilariously inept.

Some fun stuff:

If a government shutdown happens, it'll be because Republicans are demanding policy restrictions in addition to spending cuts before agreeing to fund the government through September. These policy restrictions would target abortion providers and seek to limit the reach of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Which of the so-called riders are at stake and how do they work?

There are several riders addressing abortion and environmental regulation. It's not clear yet which of them specifically are at issue. Neither side is saying publicly which they are. But here's a primer on what they contain:

Abortion

The abortion rider that's received the most attention would prohibit the government from giving any money to Planned Parenthood.

That passed as an amendment on the House floor. However, written into the base bill is a provision that would eliminate Title X -- a program that provides funding for family planning clinics across the country -- altogether.

But there's one in there, too, which would prohibit the city of Washington, D.C., from using its own, non-federal funds to pay for abortions, beyond the accepted limits for the use of federal funds -- rape, incest, or life of the mother.

It also blocks funding for the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, the UN Population Fund, and any foreign NGOs that use non-U.S. funds to provide abortions.

The Environment

Before the House passed its spending bill, it tacked on several anti-environmental amendments to limit EPA authority. In particular, Republicans want to prevent the EPA from complying with a Supreme Court ruling requiring it to regulate green house gas pollution.

One section of the base bill would prevent the EPA from proposing, implementing or enforcing rules to mitigate emissions of climate pollution.

On top of that additional specific amendments would block the EPA from limiting, or tightening limits on, toxic cement plant emissions and particulate emissions. Rep. Don Young (R-AK) secured an amendment that would exempt oil drilling activities in Alaska from EPA regulations.

Other riders would prevent the EPA from executing a plan to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, strip it of its power to prevent water pollution that endangers animals, and block them from setting regulations regarding the containment and handling of coal ash.

I mean just to top it all off the Ryan plan repeals all of the aspects of the Affordable Cart Act that expand coverage and protect people with preexisting conditions while A) preserving all of the Medicare cuts that the GOP ran against and B) assuming the same amount of savings from these cuts as the CBO projections. These are the savings that Republicans have argued are unsustainable and will lead to 15% of hospitals being driven out of business within 10 years.

It's tough to decide on my favorite part of the Ryan budget but if I had to choose on it'd probably be that Senate Republicans unanimously co-sponsored an amendment that would make it unconstitutional just last week.

[deadwolfbones]

Then again maybe my favorite part is the coexistence of those riders and the statements by Boehner, etc., that they're not "playing politics" with the budget. And that, in fact, Democrats were playing politics by not having passed one during their tenure.