What was totally inevitable is being realized -
I seem to remember them being close to a deal and nothing happening a few times already.
There's a government shutdown! That's the definition of not on schedule!
- all sound and fury signifying nothing.
I think we're seeing a lot of signifying of racism, fundamentalism and backwards tribalism from Republicans. And this goes to the heart of our ability to govern ourselves and run a 21st century republic. I have no idea what you mean by this.
I just don't get what the contretemps about the medical device tax is all about (why is that tax so noisome as opposed to other taxes - subsidizing the impecunious uninsured does not come for free, even after having higher income young folks kick in a fair amount of the cost through higher premiums than the market would otherwise demand, and somebody has to pay). Hopefully the Pubs will drop that sooner rather than later.
All taxes are bad in the Republican religion.
Just why was it so hard for the parties to sit down, like months ago, and negotiate, and then after both parties had laid out all their "demands," that could not be resolved, at least then if stuff is going to be shut down, one would know what was really at stake (e.g., what programs cut or expanded or not, what taxes raised, what entitlements cut or not cut, which programs more means tested, or not) - as opposed to empty rhetoric?
Because Republicans are insane, fanatical and contemptuous of the legitimacy of our democratic process.
But I guess we had to go through this, so both sides could see how their respective PR campaigns moved the polls. Poll driven government in this context disgusts me.
Democrats wanted a deal months ago. This is not about both sides; this is about the Republican side.