US government shuts down; Congress remains deadlocked

[Katzenfreund]

Oct 1, 2013

The U.S. government partially shut down for the first time in 17 years on Tuesday as a standoff between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans over healthcare reforms closed many government offices, museums and national parks and slowed everything from trade negotiations to medical research.

Federal agencies were directed to cut back services and up to 1 million workers were put on unpaid leave.

In Washington, museums were closed to tourists and police erected barriers around landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial.

The political crisis raised fresh concern about whether Congress can meet a crucial mid-October deadline to raise the government's $16.7 trillion debt ceiling. Some Republicans have vowed to make that also conditional on defunding Obama's healthcare reforms.

Failure to raise the debt limit would force the country to default on its obligations, dealing a blow to the economy and sending shockwaves around global markets.

Republicans and Democrats in the House continued a bitter blame game, each side shifting responsibility to the other in efforts to redirect a possible public backlash.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/01/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE98N11220131001

My comment: For me, the solution would be to leave all those useless politicians unpaid, just like workers are. I’m sure they’d then find an immediate way out.

 

[NavyRet]

My comment: For me, the solution would be to leave all those useless politicians unpaid, just like workers are. I’m sure they’d then find an immediate way out.

That's not ever going to happen because the assholes passed a law that permanently exempts themselves and declares they are essential employees. For their pay to be stopped, cut or otherwise affected (except for AUTOMATIC RAISES) they have to vote for it to happen, which they will never do. Those assholes will get paid even if the world economy is in the shitter.

 

[nevyn68]

And our economists are saying today that this is a good thing for Australia in the short term.
Maybe even in the slight long term.

It's not good for you guys living in the US but what makes something good for us isn't half bad I'm sorry to have to say.
The $AU is going up again against the $US. Makes things cheaper for us. Drives cost of living down a bit.

I will say I do hope they work it out sooner rather than later.

 

[NavyRet]

I don't think it will go on too long, otherwise, some disgruntled out-of-work federal employees may just "go visit" some of those over-paid assholes.

 

[Katzenfreund]

As I don't follow American politics, I have a naive question. Couldn't the Republicans just vote down the bill they don't like instead of blocking the entire budget?

 

[Dr Pickles]

As I don't follow American politics, I have a naive question. Couldn't the Republicans just vote down the bill they don't like instead of blocking the entire budget?

It is a complicated dance and remember it takes two to fight... and when elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled...

The House (which represents the People) has the 'power of the purse' gets to say how/if things are funded. The Senate (which used to represent the States) has the power of Consent. Currently, the House has a overwhelming Majority in one party and the Senate a narrow Majority (54%) for the other party.

With a Majority, both the House and the Senate get to decide on what items are brought up for discussion and which bills are allowed to be voted on in their respective chambers. For example, the Democratic House under Nancy Pelosi only had 4% of the House bills heard AND passed by the Democratic Senate in 102d Congress (2006-2008) for example. With a Republican House and Democratic Senate it will fair no better.

By law the President is required to submit a budget every year, the House votes on it and makes their additions and deletions and forwards it it to the Senate for their consent. The Senate makes their opinions known in a 'conference committee' where representatives from both the House/Senate make a compromise and the bill is passed and returned to the House. The House blesses it (or not) and if passed goes to the Presidents desk for signature. The bill becomes law or if the President does not like it, he may veto it. The bill returns to the House and either dies and the start all over or if a 2/3d majority of the House reaffirms it, the bill becomes law w/o the Presidents signature.

In this case, the current President has never submitted a budget on time. The House has submitted several budgets to the Senate. In a parliamentary procedure, the Senate, for the past five years has refused to bring the budget up for a vote - until now. The US Government has been running on a continuing resolution which suits the Democratic Party's agenda just fine. (Republicans would probably have done the same thing if the power was reversed).


To answer your question, the (Republican) House has submitted 47+ bills 'voting down' the particular part of the bill that they (the People) do not want. The (Democratic) Senate has refused to hear those bills (as well as compromises) and resubmits their bill with the offensive part still in it. Both sides are being stubborn.


To further complicate matters, on/about Oct. 17, the US Govt. will have hit a spending ceiling where they will have to figure how much higher a limit of spending we will go to spend money we do not have.

 

[nevyn68]

This is another one of those things where the world is full of morons.
But their running the United States of America.

I do so pity you people right now.

 

[Dr Pickles]

For those interested in the coming debt-ceiling issue:

debt ceiling – dates to Founding Fathers
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/10/04/204129/next-budget-fight-debt-ceiling.html

FYI, The McClatchy Group is slightly to the Right, more Libertarian than GOP.

 

[Katzenfreund]

It seems to me that running a big country is too important a task to be left to people the likes of politicians.

 

[EMS]

It seems to me that running a big country is too important a task to be left to people the likes of politicians.

Problem is they're not running it....thats why all but the essential services have stopped...stoooooooooopid politicians

 

[Dr Pickles]

Who Shut Down the Government?

http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/10/04/who-shut-down-the-government-n1716292

As per usual, Thomas Sowell nails it again.


Note: there are two pages.