Doesn’t the fact that the party itself can’t even decide what to do highlight the fact that this is an issue that has been completely and totally created out of thin air by the GOP instead of a true, organic budget issue?
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The GOP…No Fallback Plan since 2002…
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So, they shut down the DHS, and nobody notices. Would that mean we can eliminate this part of the growing GOP bureaucracy? Sounds like a plan, to me.
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OT—but ignored by TPM—
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The attack ads for '16 are already written. “The Republican Congress shut down Homeland Security while we had brave American soldiers fighting the terrorists in ISIS.”
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TPM:
On Thursday, [Boehner] wouldn’t rule out a partial government shutdown, and has said repeatedly the House had “done its job” by passing a bill to block Obama’s actions and fund the DHS, saying Democrats would “bear the responsibility” for a shutdown. …
In an ironic twist, one agency that would be largely unaffected by a DHS funding lapse is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, which is funded predominantly by user fees … Meanwhile, Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would suffer a hit as they rely on appropriations.
So, let’s get this straight - Republicans are going to shut down funding for the programs they care about most while not affecting the programs they’re targetting, and then blame the Democrats?
Isn’t that kind of like pointing a gun at your own foot, blowing it away, then blaming the guy across the street who told you not to do that because it was gonna hurt, and who is currently rolling on the ground laughing his ass off at the priceless expression of awed pain on your face and your howls of futile rage?
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The incredible stupidity of the GOP on this is just jaw dropping, and the decision of House conservatives to begin demanding a change in Senate rules to gut the filibuster is the most jaw dropping part.
By even suggesting that McConnell and the GOP could eliminate the only roadblock to passing the DHS bill with a party line vote, they have undercut ANY case for making the democrats the responsible party if funding lapses.
I can see the interviews now.
“Senator Reid, how do you respond to GOP accusations that your filibustering of the bill is the reason our security is threatened?”
“Well, as many frustrated conservatives in the house have noted, Senator McConnell could eliminate the filibuster by a party line vote tomorrow and push this legislation through. We are simply using the tools he allows us to have in order to make the case for clean bill that can secure a Presidential signature. If the Republicans weren’t concerned themselves over the content of the bill or at least somewhat in agreement with us, then I would think they would have brushed aside our weak procedural efforts and passed it. You’ll need to ask them why they haven’t done so.”
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[quote]…tens of thousands of essential security personnel would still be required to work and receive back pay once DHS is fully funded.[/quote]Out of curiosity do these workers receive any compensation for the hardships that such a delay in pay might entail? I’m assuming not, as it would look to much like carrying for Workers for the GOP to get on board with something like that.
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This is going to be an absolutely epic clusterfuck.
I’m thinking that maybe Bibi will use this as his get out of really awkward diplomatic screw-up card, by cancelling the speech because his safety can’t be guaranteed due to DHS shutdown.
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If it works like previous shutdowns the staff is required to work without pay. They will get back pay when the GOP caves…er…when the agency is fully funded again, plus some interest or other additional compensation.
This is a real hardship for federal workers of course. I know people who have fallen behind on mortgages, had to have kids drop out of school for a semester, etc… In other words, you need to be a world class prick to put them through it.
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The GOP: playing chicken with national security and fiscal solvency since 2009.
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Okay, I guess that was what I was wondering about. So while it likely isn’t enough to off set all the difficulties that such a delay could lead to there is some attempt at compensation, however inadequate it might be.
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The GOP are the guys who fart in the elevator, then point their fingers at you.
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Holding DHS hostage on this issue never made any sense. It’s like a bank robber taking a sack of money hostage and expecting the cops to back down.
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“Conservatives say that they’re on firmer ground now than in 2013 because…”
On Sunday watch Chuck Todd (a 1 percenter) gleefully turn that into a statement, “The Conservatives are on firmer ground now than in 2013…”
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They are on firmer ground in their basic complaint. An executive action is more easy to justify a tantrum about than a law they don’t like. On the other hand, shutting down the whole government, including departments people might not consider necessary, is much stronger ground that being identified with playing Russian Roulette with the safety of Americans by shutting down the DHS exclusively.
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It’s true, a pool of shit is firmer ground than a pond of piss.
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My recollection is that it is an almost meaninglessly small amount, and, for those who had to carry a credit card balance or fell behind in other payments, less than they what they lost. I don’t know anyone who was excited about this when it happened.
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Just a small fix, if you don’t mind:
The GOP are the guys who fart in the elevator, express outrage at the horrible smell and then point their fingers at you.
Regarding the article:
I wish the “liberal” media would point out that there are a couple of other options the GOP could use to head off a shutdown. This is completely avoidable, if the GOP wanted. They could
- Pass a bill to reform immigration., I mean, that’s what they wanted
when they were lambasting Pres. Obama when he did not do it before
2014 elections. - They could simply pass a clean bill to fund DHS and stop playing
chicken with the American people’s safety.
What gets me most is the absolute nerve it takes for any member of the Republican part to say something like this:
“[…]The answer is for Senate Democrats not to be obstructionists.”
I just…can’t. Wow. That they of all people could say this after 6 years of doing the exact same thing they are accusing the Democrats of is mind-bloggling.
Meanwhile, at the Democratic Bar and Grill on Capitol Hill, Irony and Payback were both pouring shots… on the House. (<~stolen from a post I saw at another forum)
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Personally, I’m hoping they’ll cave this time and the pent-up frustration of their nihilism will result in a total governmental shutdown long about, say, next May, close enough to the election that the numbskull swing voters will actually remember it happened.
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