Obligatory Shutdown Blogging

I’ll admit, I really didn’t think that it would happen. Foolish of me to not believe that a handful of people were prepared to inflict so much damage over a law voted on 43 times and upheld by the Supreme Court. Not to mention the entire election of 2012 was tied to it.  But, I’m often wrong.

It sure forced me to amend the statement “Elections have consequences” to PRIMARY Elections have consequences.

The last shutdown, mid 90’s was before Al Gore invented the internet, and all of that “news” was primped, polished and filtered for us. This is no longer the case, and it was a bit like drinking from a firehose last night. I’m sure something caught your eye, that we missed, so please share it in the comments. I stayed up far too late following the events on Twitter (excellent) Facebook (meh) and CSPAN (wonk porn). A few items stood out that I think are worth bringing to your attention.

What the shutdown means for GA here.

If you happen to be in the DC metro area, all that free culture is closed, and in some cases fenced off. Which honestly seems a bit of overkill. I can’t think why it’s necessary to fence off the MLK statue or the Vietnam Veterans Wall. Turn off the fountains, sure. Heck thats going to happen anyway to winterize them. However, the  optics on this are going to be awful.

Metro is running and planes presumably won’t fall out of the sky.

This is the stupidest thing I’ve seen people be upset over. They are still there, being fed and cared for, its not the Soprano’s ending for cripes sake.

Science research is severely impacted, but then again many in the GOP don’t really believe in science, so that.

But hey, the NSA is all good and thriving.

Some of you are going to have to stop touching your smartphones!

Right now, the HealtCare.gov servers are overloaded with too many visitors. Because the American people hate Obamacare. </snark>

Anyone who equates a indefinite unpaid furlough to a “vacation” speaks from a place of stunning privilege and shocking ignorance.

I finally went to sleep about 2:00 am thinking the President should get on TV and quote Omar Little from the Wire, “if you come at the king you best not miss”, then drop the mic.


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14 responses to “Obligatory Shutdown Blogging”

  1. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    I’m old enough & I’ve been involved in politics long enough to see & live though 2 attempted coups by another name, and now 2 extended government shutdowns by the same Radical Repugs. And still, somehow None Dare Call It Treason. But hey, it’s not like we don’t have the evidence for this by now, in spades and by the ton of deadly BS: Via TPM, a little remarked on yet Blockbuster revelation that has John Boehner strangely acting as Prez.
    “The House GOP’s Little Rule Change That Guaranteed A Shutdown”
    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/the-house-gop-s-little-rule-change-that-guaranteed-a-shutdown

    “Late on the night of Sept. 30, with the federal government just hours away from shutting down, House Republicans quietly made a small change to the House rules that blocked a potential avenue for ending the shutdown.”
    “”What people don’t know is that they rigged the rules of the House to keep the government shut down,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), ranking member of the House Budget Committee, told TPM in an interview. “This is a blatant effort to make sure that the Senate bill did not come up for a vote.”

    In other words? Weaponizing the unprecedented Debt ceiling nuke, for giggles.

    Smells an awful lot like Seditious Conspiracy, as noted by not a few others too:
    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/10/1246092/-Prosecute-The-Conspirators-Who-Plotted-The-Government-Shutdown-In-Violation-Of-18-USC-2384

    And yeah, just like the last time with Succession & the Nullification Constitutional crises, these Manufactured ‘Shocks’ to our system of governance and Constitution are all about Racism and the legacy of slavery. Again. ThinkProgress has a good round up on it: “How Racism Caused The Shutdown
    BY ZACK BEAUCHAMP, 10/9/13”

    thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/10/09/2730651/how-racism-caused-the-shutdown/
    Fun times people. And always a few hours away from the end of the world. Brought to you by the radicals who are always telling us that what this place needs is ever more catastrophe, just to prove them right.
    JMP

  2. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Slowly filling in the details here. The other Best rant on the week on the issue: via Geoffrey R. Stone Professor of Law, University of Chicago:
    “House Republicans and the Betrayal of Democracy”:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-r-stone/house-republicans-and-the_b_4027251.html

    And a really good wrap-up from Bloomberg: “Recession Looms If Treasury Uses Tools to Prevent a Default”:
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-09/recession-looms-if-treasury-uses-tools-to-prevent-a-debt-default.html

    Enjoy that brand new Recession with your old depression, courtesy the TP infused GOP. JMP

  3. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    And just for all those GOP ‘Debt Deniers’ who say that ‘nothing much is happening or will happen’ if we default, we have this economic record:

    Here’s the S&P Index crashing some 100’s of Points, even though we did not actually default in 2011: “Debt Ceiling Watch (III)”

    http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2013/10/debt_ceiling_wa_2.html

    And yesterday’s movements in US Treasuries (Short term T-Bills):
    http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2013/10/movements_in_sh.html

    Pow! The Reaction? As of yesterday? Austrian, Belgian, Canadian, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, and Swedish 10 years are now priced below US Treasuries. Yep, that’s not too costly, right? JMP

  4. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    As the NYT reported on Yesterday, and a Better Georgia has reminded us by having a video of Lynn Westmoreland campaigning on a government shutdown in 2010, this has been a GOP goal to ‘gain leverage’ (however illegitimate and Un/’extra’- constitutional), in the planning for Years. Indeed the serious campaign to yes, kill the US in order to save it from that calm, laconic Black professor dude (who was duly elected Twice) has been ongoing seriously since January 2011. Think Progress has the time line:
    thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/10/07/2742581/the-complete-guide-to-the-rise-of-the-debt-ceiling-truthers/

    Here’s Jon Chait on the outline of details:
    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/10/why-the-shutdown-is-leading-to-debt-default.html

    And the indispensable Bruce Bartlett on the relevant history & legal arguments you need:

    http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/stan-collender/2778/must-read-bruce-bartlett-debt-limit

    It’s a sad day to contemplate the end of the world’s oldest functioning democracy. But that day has arrived, and the Rethugs did it in. And they’re gleefully cheering and hooting and hollering for US to fail all the way down. JMP

  5. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Our ongoing Nullification Crisis continues apace. Some of the best rants of the week: Andy Sully to start:
    http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/10/01/the-nullification-party/

    I did mention it’s our Nullification Crisis, even though many don’t quite know what it means? Have a UGA Prof explain it all for you:
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-08/is-tea-party-driving-u-s-government-to-extinction-.html

    That from Bloomberg News. It’s going to be a long week people. Look out for the bank runs. JMP

  6. NHOPI Dreamer Avatar
    NHOPI Dreamer

    – Attending yoga class
    – Spending time with family
    – Sleeping in late
    – Getting car tuned
    – Making slow-cooking stews
    – Going for an extra-long run
    – Cleaning out the upstairs closets

    These are the things my friends who are federal government employees are doing while they are furloughed….

  7. Tim Cairl Avatar
    Tim Cairl

    My money is on the pandas

  8. JP Stroman Avatar
    JP Stroman

    All I could think about was what the headline of Fox News the next day would be*

    Wow, I can’t type.

  9. JP Stroman Avatar
    JP Stroman

    When I saw the Omar Little quote, all I could think about the headline on Fox News the next day… OBAMA DECLARES HIMSELF KING!

  10. Juliana Avatar
    Juliana

    Lastest LA Times poll.

    Dang this is going to leave a mark.

    Poll: Who do you hold responsible for the shut down?
    House of Representatives (81%)
    President Obama (7%)
    Senate (6%)
    The pandas (6%)
    by tenny.tatusian edited by Stacey.Leasca 4:59 PM

  11. Waldo Avatar
    Waldo

    So, someone pointed this out to me. We have both:

    Article II, Section I, Clause VII of the Constitution states that the president is to receive a salary “…..which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected.”

    and Amendment XXVII: No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened. (which was adopted in 1992.)

    It should be a platform item to make a law for the next congress that if they shut it down, they don’t get paid.

  12. Tim Cairl Avatar
    Tim Cairl

    Read on Twitter that Rep. John Barrow is giving up his salary while the shutdown is in progress…kinda awesome me thinks.

  13. Catherine Avatar
    Catherine

    Glad to report that , while cafeterias are closed , the Cannon vending area is dispensing ice cold water and snacks!

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