I think the Republicans should be congratulated for putting our economy on the brink for the noble cause of defunding the NSA, Secret Courts and federal penitentiaries that hold people in solitary for over 20 hours a day. I respect their standing up for fundamental American rights.
http://www.bullsislandferry.com/index.php?page=Boneyard-Photography Why did I post this? Because my wife got me a ticket for the tour as an anniversary gift. Sunrise over the boneyard beach, 16 miles of trails and 7 miles of uninhabited beach to spend the whole day exploring; just me, my camera, and a backpack. And now, the wildlife refuge is closed to the public. No tours until this is over. So I am telling you one thing right now: this shit had better be resolved by Saturday, October 26. Or I may just...well, I don't know what I'll do. Dammit. Those sorry sons-of-bitches, trying to screw with me.
Hiker, have you called your POS Republican Congressman and told him your sad tale? I'm sure he will pass a bill through the House to open it up. Constituent based funding is all the rage these days.
It is amazing how every time a concern is specifically raised about something that is 'critical' and shut down at the moment how the House rushes to put together a bill on that item to get it working again, knowing that it isn't going to pass even with a majority of their caucus. The US political system isn't fool-proof by any means. It isn't unbreakable either. It just hasn't broken in the last 75 years because we had a loose consensus about what needed to get done. That consensus is apparently gone now. If it breaks none of our lives are ever going to be the same again and I mean that in some of the worst ways possible.
It's already having a big economic impact. GDP is slowing and people in the private sector are being laid off as we speak. I don't think we will ever actually default. I do hope the President has the balls to start closing down military basses in Key Republican Congressional districts and starts reducing SS payments to seniors. I suspect if they do that the Republican Party would increase the debt limit or dissolve as a party that day. Lyndon Johnson would have already broken the Republican Party. As someone who leans to the right when it comes to fiscal discipline, I have to say we are now down to one viable governing party. The Republicans have defaulted as a credible second party that can govern. From a tactics point of view you can't make up how dumb the Republicans are. If they had actually passed a clean debt ceiling bill and kept government open, all the talking heads would be speaking about today is the way the Obama administration botched the opening of the Health Care exchanges. The Republican party is not just dangerous, they are tactically challenged politically.
Miller Field on Staten Island has closed down, but at least the FDR Boardwalk remains open for me to take afternoon strolls
Time for people who voted for these clowns to get their welfare cut. Sick and tired of paying for fools who always vote against their own interest. Time for them to feel the pain.
The dems are equally responsible for the economic brink. There are some that will argue the 2000 or so page "affordable" care act will be what eventually pushes it over. If it was pure healthcare reform, it may have been effective depending on the ingredients. but the damn thing is loaded with other fluff that will continue to add to the 16+ trillion deficit, despite what we are told by mainstream media.
The current destruction of our recovery is squarely on the backs of the Republicans. It's telling that providing health insurance is the battle they choose to fight instead of secret courts or NSA over reach. Sorry but GDP is being destroyed today and the USA is going to be paying more in debt service because of this for years to come. The Democrats suck no doubt but the Republican party today is dangerous and has to be gutted and repaired. I've voted for Republicans for most of the last 20 years. No more. You can't be serious about equal blame. The Republican party that's actually in Congress is the worst in my lifetime. They need to be gutted.
Funny thing that people still think there is a difference between the two. All you have is ego-driven elected officials who sell their influence to the highest bidder and use their position to make themselves even wealthier. I forgot they also are in charge of their pay and what benefits they get.
