The Government Shutdown
By now, everyone knows that the Democrats have shut down the
government. The radical wing of the
party is holding the country hostage and is engaging in activity that is
tantamount to murder.
Those statements represent some of the nonsense we’ve been
treated to the last few days regarding Republicans, so I figured I’d try to
balance things out a bit, especially since the shutdown can be said to be
primarily the Democrats’ fault.
What do I mean? Both
parties were willing to see the government shut down because they were unable
to reach an agreement on a spending bill.
The conflict surrounds Obamacare.
Democrats are unwilling to compromise on the implementation of the law,
and Republicans are trying to at least scale it back. Therefore, to blame one party for the shutdown
is completely dishonest. The Republicans
passed bills that funded the government, but the Democratic Senate rejected
them over Obamacare. Given the
unpopularity of Obamacare and the fact that polls universally show the American
people don’t want it, if we have to place the majority of the blame somewhere,
I would think it would go to the party that is unwilling to compromise for the
will of the American people, namely the Democrats.
Of course, commentators will say that Republicans knew the
Democrats wouldn’t give, so their stand is futile, and therefore they are at
fault. Could, perhaps, the opposite be
true?
But Obamacare is already law; isn’t it wrong to allow a
shutdown over a bill already passed?
Being a law does not make something right. Republicans are using the power they have
left under our system to avert the implementation of what I would characterize as a disaster. I commend them on that.
Of course, a government shutdown is no joke and nothing we
should desire, primarily because of the financial strain it puts on government
workers, who may not be able to afford many furlough days. (Of course, how many jobs will Obamacare
cost?) Those people are in my prayers,
and it is for their sake that I hope this shutdown doesn’t last long.
But I am glad to see some backbone out of Republicans on this
important issue, and I pray we may still see the day when Obamacare is just a
bad memory.
