I used to think John Boehner was a modern political version of George Babbitt, a successful climber prosperous but worried, wanting – passionately – to seize something more than motor cars and a house before it’s too late. Substitute Speakership for the cars and the house, then add “well-remembered” to it, and that’s what I …
I’m trying to understand whether Speaker Boehner is really as foolish as he seems in this battle, or if he’s got a cunning plan. Given today’s remarks, I’m leaning toward option one. “What the president said today was if there’s unconditional surrender by Republicans, he will sit down and talk to us.” John, John, John. …
Today on “This Week” Speaker Boehner said Stand and Deliver, President Obama! “We’re not going to pass a clean debt limit increase,” he said. “I told the president, there’s no way we’re going to pass one. The votes are not in the House to pass a clean debt limit. And the president is risking default …
This seems to cover the Republicans’ position: Can I burn down your house? No Just the 2nd floor? No Garage? No Let's talk about what I can burn down. No YOU AREN'T COMPROMISING! — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 2, 2013
I’m with Josh Marshall here. He cites an article from Byron York, a conservative reporter for the Washington Examiner, which quotes a House Republican as saying there are easily 180 or 190 “moderate” Republicans who would vote for a “clean” continuing resolution, meaning a bill to end the shutdown with no strings attached. Like Josh, …
I had a doctor’s appointment at Tripler Army Medical Center this morning. Both the VA and the main hospital were fully staffed and expecting to remain so. Anyone been affected by it so far?
Kevin Drum has it in one short sentence: The Republican Party is bending its entire will, staking its very soul, fighting to its last breath, in service of a crusade to…. Make sure that the working poor don’t have access to affordable health care. He goes on to say: I just thought I’d mention that …
Continue reading ‘What’s the real reason for this shutdown?’ »
So the House once again voted to delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act for a year (presumably on the theory that a unicorn will arise and kill it before it comes up for activation then) and strip Congress and its staff from receiving any subsidies they might be eligible for to help pay …
Bravely the House soldiers on toward a government shutdown at midnight Monday night, proud in its assertions that it knows best for the country, the other half of the legislative branch is full of traitors and knaves and the President is beyond the pale (heh heh! Get the joke?). The Senate and the White House …
He or his office groused after hearing President Obama warn the House not to shut down the government “The House will take action that reflects the fundamental fact that Americans don’t want a government shutdown and they don’t want the train wreck that is Obamacare,” Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said in a statement. “Grandstanding from …
Continue reading ‘Speaker Boehner is a stupid or selfish man’ »