The Guvmint Shutdown

[Jocephus]

OH SNAP, gauntlet is thrown!

[sighyoung]

My way of learning is to heave a wild and unpredictable monkey-wrench into the machinery. It's all right with me, if you're sure none of the flying pieces will hurt you.

[planet planet]

So Boehner got a standing O? What are the concessions the dems made? All I've read is that they've made the validation of ACA subsidy recipients more stringent.

[sighyoung]

So Boehner got a standing O? What are the concessions the dems made? All I've read is that they've made the validation of ACA subsidy recipients more stringent.

I think that was the only concession. Everything else--including ending the government shutdown, lifting of the debt ceiling, a conference committee to negotiate broader budget issues, a continuing resolution of the precise length they wanted--was what the Democrats demanded and won. They really didn't have to give in at all.

The ACA may not matter, though, since as Ross Douthat points out, if the poor rollout of Healthcare.gov doesn't get fixed soon, I don't see these policies lasting.

[Radbird]

[Joe Shlabotnik]

The ACA may not matter, though, since as Ross Douthat points out, if the poor rollout of Healthcare.gov doesn't get fixed soon, I don't see these policies lasting.

It's a HUGE IT task. And I know how it takes months / years to get this scale of thing right in the private sector. I hope they are given the time to get it right but I'm not optimistic. This could really be a clusterfrack.

[pioneer98]

I don't think the hiccups in the implementation of the ACA will be that big of a deal, for these reasons:
1) Most people like me aren't directly impacted by it (already have insurance) and won't have to deal with it
2) The people who hate Obamacare cannot possibly hate it any more than they already do
3) The people signing up for it are going to like it even if it is a pain because the alternative for them is no insurance

Oh, the people in #2 are going to try to make the hiccups seem like a HUGE deal, but I'm confident apathy will win out.

[pioneer98]

Tea Party Republican Defends Being on Medicaid While Opposing Medicaid

You can't make this [expletive] up:

Let me set the record straight. Yes, I participate in government programs of which I adamantly oppose. Many of them, actually. Am I a hypocrite for participating in programs that I oppose? If it was that simple, and if participation demonstrated support, then of course. But, my reason for participation in government programs often is not directly related to that issue in and of itself, and it certainly does not demonstrate support. For instance, I participate in government programs in order to stay out of the courts, or jail, so that I can take care of my family; other things I do to avoid fines or for other financial reasons; and some are simply because it is the only practical choice. With each situation, I have to evaluate the consequences of participating or not participating.

He has 10 kids, all on Medicaid.

[TimeForGuinness]

Why do you believe they want the status quo, TFG? That's certainly not their battle cry.

Because there's too much money wrapped up in the status quo...you think all that money out there is going to allow the Tea Party to take it down? Doubtful. This is just politics.

A basic agreement gets done in the next 2 weeks which will reopen the govt...and they'll kick the can down the road a few months to work out a budget. Expect this to happen again around Christmas. Wheeee!

Wheeeeee!

[pioneer98]

Why do you believe they want the status quo, TFG? That's certainly not their battle cry.

Because there's too much money wrapped up in the status quo...you think all that money out there is going to allow the Tea Party to take it down? Doubtful. This is just politics.

A basic agreement gets done in the next 2 weeks which will reopen the govt...and they'll kick the can down the road a few months to work out a budget. Expect this to happen again around Christmas. Wheeee!

Wheeeeee!

You were off by almost 3 weeks! They got the government fully funded all the way to January 15! LOL!