Another Government Shutdown Thread

[BowlBrother85]

I agree, the Clinton administration was the last time we had bipartisan cooperation but that compromise wasn't done at the gunpoint of a shutdown

That particular compromise wasn't .... but there was a government shutdown in 1995, and it did lead to other concessions from both sides.

I can't think of a President who has made less of an effort to avoid lengthy government shutdowns than Donald Trump.

There have now been two under his watch, and both times Republicans held a majority control of both chambers of Congress, and Trump did nothing about it, but post petty grievances on social media.

 

[NorthDallas40]

Yeah. That's not happening, and you know it. We couldn't even pass a clean CR through the Senate. There is NO WAY they were going to get Democrats to vote to repeal the ACA. They wouldn't vote for the CR unless Republicans gave an extra $1.5 trillion. You're obviously upset with the Republicans for allowing the government shutdown. So, with only one semi-rational Democrat in the Senate willing to vote to keep the government open without an additional $1.5 trillion of spending, how much additional spending did you want your Texas Senators to authorize to bribe Demacrats to vote to keep the federal government open?

Hey you asked what I wanted my Senator to do!

And I’m upset all of them. ALL of them. A pox on all their houses and throw all their asses out. They aren’t governing so why are they all there?

It’s time for some state referendum constitutional amendments

 

[hog88]

So repeal the filibuster.

Yeah, that's a great idea.

 

[hog88]

Here is a crazy idea. Totally off the wall instead of putting asshats in office that are loyal to party platform only and won’t compromise let’s put people in that are loyal to their constituents and work across the aisle to reach consensus! It’s completely crazy I know.

Here's an even crazier idea. Reduce the power of the federal government.

 

[Vol423]

I didn’t see it. I just used you as an easy target to vent. I don’t think you’d like to see the filibuster actually dissolved.

Historically the Senate are supposed to be the “adults”. The House has always been more prone to knee jerk but the Senate has time in office to actually work thru issues.

They all suck now. Equally. I don’t care about claiming which sucks worse you can’t put enough hot sauce on a **** sandwich to make it not taste like a **** sandwich.

The amusing thing to me is that you're pissed at both sides, but your prescribed solution was to state that your Senator should help abolish the ACA. That's an even less limely outcome and less helpful response than what Republican senators ended up doing.

 

[hog88]

I didn’t see it. I just used you as an easy target to vent. I don’t think you’d like to see the filibuster actually dissolved.

Historically the Senate are supposed to be the “adults”. The House has always been more prone to knee jerk but the Senate has time in office to actually work thru issues.

They all suck now. Equally. I don’t care about claiming which sucks worse you can’t put enough hot sauce on a **** sandwich to make it not taste like a **** sandwich.

The 17th amendment did away with the adult side of congress.

 

[NorthDallas40]

Here's an even crazier idea. Reduce the power of the federal government.

Based on the last 40 days or so it would appear we only need a handful of agencies the most important of which for the majority would be transportation/FAA.

 

[NorthDallas40]

The amusing thing to me is that you're pissed at both sides, but your prescribed solution was to state that your Senator should help abolish the ACA. That's an even less limely outcome and less helpful response than what Republican senators ended up doing.

Hey I’m glad I can entertain. My life has largely gone on unaffected by this **** show. What lit my fuse today was open enrollment. And like I said I’m fine. However we are in a fairly good position. A huge number are not.

Yes you asked I wanted and I answered. Get rid of the ACA. Vacate it in its entirety. That’s what I wanted at its inception and still want today.

 

[Vol423]

Hey you asked what I wanted my Senator to do!

And I’m upset all of them. ALL of them. A pox on all their houses and throw all their asses out. They aren’t governing so why are they all there?

It’s time for some state referendum constitutional amendments

That's another ridiculous solution. You can't even get 60 votes in the Senate, and you think you're going to be able to push through Constitutional amendments? Yeah, right!

 

[Vol423]

Here's an even crazier idea. Reduce the power of the federal government.

...through Constitutional amendments that will never gain approval?

 

[NorthDallas40]

That's another ridiculous solution. You can't even get 60 votes in the Senate, and you think you're going to be able to push through Constitutional amendments? Yeah, right!

Ok let’s get rid of all 100 of them and put a new batch in how’s that? This isn’t my problem to solve. It’s supposed to be the problem of our elected officials right? … RIGHT?

 

[NorthDallas40]

...through Constitutional amendments that will never gain approval?

State referendum. Doesn’t require Congress approval.

Of course we’d still have to overcome the party over country or state of the state governments

 

[Vol423]

Hey I’m glad I can entertain. My life has largely gone on unaffected by this **** show. What lit my fuse today was open enrollment. And like I said I’m fine. However we are in a fairly good position. A huge number are not.

Yes you asked I wanted and I answered. Get rid of the ACA. Vacate it in its entirety. That’s what I wanted at its inception and still want today.

I agree with you. But you're pissed at Republicans for allowing the shutdown, and they were asking for something FAR more agreeable to Democrats than you're proposing.

 

[JOEY’S ALL VOL !!!]

I'm beginning to suspect Lawgator is not an independent.

A serious contender for best use of the blue font in VN history. I mean this one can challenge.

 

[NorthDallas40]

The 17th amendment did away with the adult side of congress.

All congressional members of both chambers should answer first to the Governor of the state they represent and next to the congressional chamber of their state. We should be seeing routine recalls as far as I’m concerned. They aren’t governing.

 

[RockyTop85]

I'm open to the concept that Republicans share in the blame here. So what should they have done to avert this shutdown? The Dems come to them with $1.5T in additional spending and say "let's negotiate." If Republicans had said "no to your $1.5T but it's fine with us if we schedule a vote on OC in December."

You think such an offer would have alleviated this shutdown? I sure don't.

I don’t think there was a way around it, because we’re being governed by imbeciles.

I don’t think it was 1.5T in annual spending; I think that was the 10 year number. I do think Republicans could have offered like an incremental phase out over the next 3 years. So we’ll extend the subsidies at 2/3 next year, 1/3 the year after, and then year 3 people better be ready. At that point you’re talking about 150B which is probably less than what we’ll spend on this.

Would that have worked? I don’t know. I kind of doubt it because once negotiations started there was a sizable contingency of democrats who were happy to just stamp their foot and say “no, give us everything we want.”

 

[NorthDallas40]

I agree with you. But you're pissed at Republicans for allowing the shutdown, and they were asking for something FAR more agreeable to Democrats than you're proposing.

Stop telling me who I’m pissed at dude. I know who I’m pissed at. ALL of them. I’m not interested in hearing anyone claim it isn’t their guy’s/gal’s fault.

 

[NorthDallas40]

I don’t think there was a way around it, because we’re being governed by imbeciles.

<snip>

This is it. Dysfunction has become the status quo. I’m actually fairly serious when I say we should recall all of Congress in its entirety. They are not doing their job and haven’t for quite a while.

 

[RockyTop85]

Yeah, that's a great idea.

Your sarcasm makes my point but I assume that you just wanted to argue pointlessly and don’t realize it.

 

[RockyTop85]

This is it. Dysfunction has become the status quo. I’m actually fairly serious when I say we should recall all of Congress in its entirety. They are not doing their job and haven’t for quite a while.

It’s equally unrealistic but a generation of nationwide independent legislative candidates that say “I’m running as an independent so I don’t have anybody telling me to put a party ahead of my constituents” should clean house. Big money and social media would stop that from happening.

 

[hog88]

...through Constitutional amendments that will never gain approval?

If enough states call a constitutional convention congress can kick rocks.

 

[Vol423]

State referendum. Doesn’t require Congress approval.

Of course we’d still have to overcome the party over country or state of the state governments

You need two thirds of the states to call it, and then you'd need 3/4 of the state legislatures to ratify it. Good luck with THAT!

Trying to enact Constitutional amendments makes passing a budget through Congress look like a picnic. It will never happen in today's environment.

 

[hog88]

All congressional members of both chambers should answer first to the Governor of the state they represent and next to the congressional chamber of their state. We should be seeing routine recalls as far as I’m concerned. They aren’t governing.

Absolutely not! That's a terrible idea, house members should answer to their constituents within their district (also should be the only people/corps allowed to donate to them) and senators should answer to their state legislatures.

 

[NorthDallas40]

It’s equally unrealistic but a generation of nationwide independent legislative candidates that say “I’m running as an independent so I don’t have anybody telling me to put a party ahead of my constituents” should clean house. Big money and social media would stop that from happening.

Don’t disagree. It took us right around 250 years to get this f$&@ed up at the federal level it won’t get unwound overnight if ever at all. But seriously what the average American should take away from the last 40 days or so is how useless the federal government is doing anything beneficial for their daily lives. Just MHO

 

[Vol423]

If enough states call a constitutional convention congress can kick rocks.

...but you can't get through that process either.