Bad Form

"We fought as hard as we could in a fair and honest manner and we lost. One of the reasons was because we were in the minority, and in democracies, almost always the majority governs and passes legislation."
Arizona Senator John McCain (R)

"Understand we're dealing with anarchists. They hate government."
Utah Senator Harry Reid (D)

"I don't care what John McCain thinks."
Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R)

*
Is this any way to run a country? This dysfunctional mess we find ourselves in? What I believe we actually have at the moment is two distinct countries of course and the national overlay of those two states leaves little hope for any improvement in the future. Barring secession of course.

I don't have any prescient or inside knowledge but I would be willing to bet that the current grandstand move by House Republicans is doomed to failure. No hope of accomplishing anything but a general alienation of the American populace. All that they are doing is reinforcing the divisions with the few moderates that still exist in their party.

When all is said and done they will probably end up claiming some pyrrhic victory after Obama graciously extends an olive branch promising them a greater voice in some grand budget deal of the future and gives them nothing. At least that is what I am betting will happen. And meanwhile, the nation gets a big headache and the little guy will once again get screwed. Because the righty radicals think it is a good time to burn the house down.

Once again I have to think about the zen maxim to not draw your sword until it is time to strike. And after surveying the landscape and divining that you have a reasonable chance at succeeding. I don't see it here, especially with House Representatives squaring off against their Senate party counterparts. The whole country is supposed to lay down for you bastard babies because you're unhappy? Go ahead and throw your tantrum and then take a big timeout. You can come back and play with the adults when you can behave and after you get those pampers changed.

*
I am so sick of hearing how the bill was passed (yes, it was passed) without any Republican votes and because of that is now in some way invalid. Brush up on your constitutional law kids, that's the way this democracy thing works. And he hasn't had a Republican vote for any of his policies in 6 years so why should he pretend that he can reach some compromise with you and pander to you now?

*
Did you see that the House Republicans slipped a rider in Sunday allowing employers to deny birth control to their employees on moral grounds and religious grounds? Not only that, presence of birth control funding would entitle them to opt out of coverage for a year. This is coupled by a perennial bill to defund Planned Parenthood.

The talking heads, pollsters and mavens all noted that the Republican party failed miserably with women in the 2012 elections. Do they think that they are going to suddenly make inroads into this demographic by doubling down on their troglodyte social agenda?

*
The problem is that the House Republicans have all gerrymandered themselves into safe seats in safe districts. Any flak they will receive will be from their right in the primaries. Although I am sure that many are concerned with the health of the nation, at least I hope so, the overriding motive has to be getting re-elected. So there is really no hope for common ground.

*
The optics of this debacle are pretty clear.  A CNN/ORC poll found that Republicans in Congress would shoulder more of the blame for a shutdown. Forty-six percent of Americans said that Republicans on Capitol Hill would be mostly responsible for a shutdown, versus 36 percent who would blame Obama and 13 percent who would blame both.

So 25% of Americans polled will blame you more than the other guy and you don't care, because it will play so well for the folks in your district and frankly, what else matters? Bravo!

*
I went to the outfitting store to get some straps to hitch my borrowed monopod to my camera pack this morning. The vacation to the National Parks between Wyoming and Montana that are scheduled to be closed at midnight tonight barring an unforeseen stroke of sanity barreling down on the beltway, which you should certainly not hold your breath for.

I will make do, lots of nice state parks I am looking at in the area, there are worse prison sentences than spending a week on a bar stool in Jackson Hole. But it sucks. And it even sucks worse for the man helping me in the store, who is in the naval reserve and ferries Navy Seals around on missions. He is now on no pay as are many of the private contractors who aid our defense effort. Awful thing we are doing to them, not to mention furloughing 800,000 civil servants and leaving millions without pay. Oh, I forgot, we hate the government and the people who work for them.

I heard on the radio that every day of government shutdown will actually cost the country about $400 million dollars, which in itself seems like a terribly sensible thing to do to a cash strapped country. On top of a sequester. Throw a wrench right up their into the gears. So much for your vaunted goal of fiscal sanity to say nothing of our responsibility to those we owe, at home and abroad. This shit will all be on you.

The tea bagging libertarians of course, feel that the free market can take care of most everything given a little time, except for national defense. So if the FDA can't make any of those poison meat inspections and the CDC doesn't have any manpower to combat any pandemics during the shutdown, well, we can take care of that stuff later. If you buy a chicken from Farmer C and your kin is killed by some food borne illness, well, don't buy their chickens anymore. Very simple and empowering.

*
What a stupid game of chicken. Are the cuckold Republicans now so emasculated that they have to engage in these theatrics as some sort of self testosterone check? Can you imagine, or better yet, do you ever remember the Democrats  holding the nation hostage and subverting the will of the electorate like the petulant little gop'ers are doing? Very sore losers.

*
So take that big blunderbuss you are swinging around teabaggers and just point it right at your own temple. Do yourselves in. Double down, pull the trigger. You owe it to the rest of us. And thanks for fucking up my vacation.

*

The Duel
  by Eugene Field

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
      The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
      Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
            (I was n't there; I simply state
            What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
      While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
      Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
            (Now mind: I'm only telling you
            What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
      Employing every tooth and claw
      In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
            (Don't fancy I exaggerate—
            I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
      But the truth about the cat and pup
      Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
            (The old Dutch clock it told me so,
            And that is how I came to know.)

*
With the GOP already failing to chart with minorities, women and other important slices of the demographic pie, you have to wonder if they have any hope of ever winning a Presidential election again? Well, I am sure they will, but it won't be a tea bagger. The rest of the country is hereby repulsed. Or, knowing that you are forever doomed to junior status, is this all a ploy for parliamentary style power sharing, some type of coalition government? Wither democracy?

*
The President would be a fool to negotiate looking down the barrel of a gun.

*
One of the unfortunate things is the failure of the House leadership to allow an up and down vote on the Senate bill. It would be sure to pass, enough breakaway Republicans would be expected to join the Democrat House members.