For Republicans in Florida, there is no running from the fact that the Florida GOP substantially assisted delivering the nation to its extremist wing.
In the New York Times, Tom Friedman writes: "Our Democracy At Stake". How did we get here? First, by taking gerrymandering to a new level. The political analyst Charlie Cook, writing in The National Journal on March 16, noted that the 2010 election gave Republican state legislatures around the country unprecedented power to redraw political boundaries, which they used to create even more “safe, lily-white” Republican strongholds that are, in effect, an “alternative universe” to the country’s diverse reality.
In Florida GOP gerrymandering of districts triggered a multi-year, multi-million dollar ballot referendum and subsequent lawsuit by Republicans against FairDistricts. It's still going on.
The point about the Taliban comparison made by Congressman Joe Garcia yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives is not just who they are, but HOW they got to their position of power: systematic corruption in the politics and economy. That was the corrosion, that was the way the Taliban wormed their way to power.
By acceding to the gerrymandering and the corporate influence that dominates the state legislature, the GOP -- including all the presumptive leaders tinkering with ideas of "moderation" like Jeb Bush -- let the Taliban in.
In the coming weeks, these ideas will crystalize: that the GOP baked this cake and is forcing Americans to eat it.
Meanwhile, it is too early to tell whether broad public interest for Obamacare will finally flush the silent majority from the woodwork. The one part of the GOP strategy that has succeeded, unquestionably, is message machinery so extreme that most Americans simply tuned out.
By pinning its hostage taking to surrender of Obamacare, the GOP could eventually run into the buzz-saw of an enraged American public. On the other hand, the passivity of Florida voters, demonstrated by the election to governor of a former health care insurance entrepreneur whose former company -- a company he founded -- received the largest civil fraud fine in US history, is reason for hope among the ranks of the Republican Taliban.
In the New York Times, Tom Friedman writes: "Our Democracy At Stake". How did we get here? First, by taking gerrymandering to a new level. The political analyst Charlie Cook, writing in The National Journal on March 16, noted that the 2010 election gave Republican state legislatures around the country unprecedented power to redraw political boundaries, which they used to create even more “safe, lily-white” Republican strongholds that are, in effect, an “alternative universe” to the country’s diverse reality.
In Florida GOP gerrymandering of districts triggered a multi-year, multi-million dollar ballot referendum and subsequent lawsuit by Republicans against FairDistricts. It's still going on.
The point about the Taliban comparison made by Congressman Joe Garcia yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives is not just who they are, but HOW they got to their position of power: systematic corruption in the politics and economy. That was the corrosion, that was the way the Taliban wormed their way to power.
By acceding to the gerrymandering and the corporate influence that dominates the state legislature, the GOP -- including all the presumptive leaders tinkering with ideas of "moderation" like Jeb Bush -- let the Taliban in.
In the coming weeks, these ideas will crystalize: that the GOP baked this cake and is forcing Americans to eat it.
Meanwhile, it is too early to tell whether broad public interest for Obamacare will finally flush the silent majority from the woodwork. The one part of the GOP strategy that has succeeded, unquestionably, is message machinery so extreme that most Americans simply tuned out.
By pinning its hostage taking to surrender of Obamacare, the GOP could eventually run into the buzz-saw of an enraged American public. On the other hand, the passivity of Florida voters, demonstrated by the election to governor of a former health care insurance entrepreneur whose former company -- a company he founded -- received the largest civil fraud fine in US history, is reason for hope among the ranks of the Republican Taliban.
8 comments:
Why is Congress exempt from the ACA?
Why have corporations been given exemptions from the ACA?
Why are the unions turning on the ACA that they initially supported?
Why are companies reducing the hours worked of tens of millions of Americans but for the ACA?
Why are companies laying off millions of Americans but for the ACA?
Answer, because it was rushed through Congress without being a completely thought out legislation piece. It needs to be fixed but Senate dems and the egomaniac think that is not necessary.
Whatever the questions and concerns, you don't close down government, send over a million people home without pay, ruin our fragile struggling economy, and send a message around the world that we are irresponsible people. There is a process set up for you to fight for your issues. But when you lose, you lose. You don't hijack the government and demand to win or else you will destroy the whole country.
Anon 1:
You do raise some questions which deserve to be explored - the law is not perfect and will need work.
BUT... there is NO reason to shut down the government over this issue.
Pass a clean bill. Get the government working again.
The two issues are not related
Then, if you don't like the ACA, take steps to try and reform it.
You know, they have been defeated on Obamacare (ACA) every time it was on the table. First it passed congress and was signed into law, thus it met the constitutional requirement. Then the people gave voice to it with the election, defeating Romney who ran against Obamacare, and electing Obama again. Finally, the supreme court ruled that it was constitutional. So, it is the law of the land. To come back now, and try to impose your will against the law of the land or else, could be viewed by many as treason.
Many democrats are not happy with the gun control laws in our country but I don't see them holding the government hostage by adding a gun control rider to this bill.
You teach children early that in life, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. It is the natural order of things, half the time you win, half you lose. How you deal with defeat is very, very important in life and developing coping skills when you experience defeat is critical to a well-adjusted life. Sometimes in life, the only way to win is to lose. But you must be able to see that.
Over a million people. That is a lot of mortgage payments, rent payments, light bills, car payments, grocery bills, gas payments, telephone bills, and credit card payments. The ripple effect in the economy could be staggering. It is like an attack on our economy and our government.
Speaker Boehner is going to have to call this spectacle to a halt. He is going to have to lead now. So many people who want big jobs, but when it comes time to lead, they don't want to do it. The main issue on the table now is to get the government back up and running. Nothing else matters. He must isolate the crazies and the lunatics, and pull together a coalition of Democrats, and moderate Republicans and pass a clean continuing resolution. The coalition that passed the hurricane Sandy relief effort, might be a good place to start pulling the votes together. They were reasonable responsible people who did what had to be done. We can look at other things after that.
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