Unnecessary shutdowns

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

The federal government is shutting down a lot of things that are either don't need to be shut down (because they cost no money to operate) or actually cost more to shut down than they do to keep operating. These include both national parks and government agency websites.

http://www.ijreview.com/2013/10/84362-13-national-parks-impacted-government-shutdown/
http://reason.com/blog/2013/10/02/government-will-shut-down-websites-even

We're at the point where the government is just being petty and working on zooming well past that point.

For those who think it's justified because the Republicans won't budge on Obamacare, that just doesn't fit the facts.



As a libertarian, I'm fine with permanently cutting 800,000 federal workers and I think it's nice that they've identified the agencies we can do without, but I'd rather it happen with at least the standard 2-week warning for people. Pretty much all politicians in office right now are acting like children, but that's what happens when the electorate is also.

Comments

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

Your graphic is unreadable, but I'm choosing to see that as a good thing.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

They compromised from defund obamacare to delay obamacare for a year.

Cause ya know, the GOP wouldn't use that delayed year to obstruct it *again* or anything.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Delay the individual mandate, to match the delayed for a year business mandate. It's only fair.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

Why is that fair? It's logical to assume that it would take a business more time to implement changes related to the ACA into their enterprise. An individual doesn't have that burden. The only reason to delay the individual mandate -- a component necessary to make the ACA work -- is to make sure the ACA doesn't work thereby justifying its repeal. It's just a round-about way of building the original repeal into the budget while attempting to appear to be giving concessions. As I stated in another comment, giving concessions in exchange for paying for government is a tactical error, especially when the party asking for concessions exists in part to dismantle government and has shown itself to be incapable of basic governance/acting in good faith. They'll just keep doing it over and over again.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Yep, the dems can't cave to this or it will set a precedent that will make the country ungovernable. Imagine what will happen if every time a crazy wing of one of the parties doesn't like something they shut down government...

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

No, it's a stupid idea that doesn't understand the different points of the two mandates and their role in reform. The employer mandate isn't that important. The individual mandate is needed to balance the requirement for insurers to insure everyone. Delay the individual mandate and you fuck over insurers. How is that fair?

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a *GASP* compromise!!!

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Did you click on it? It should lead to the larger version. In sum, we should be impressed that the Republicans are willing to compromise from the debacle they created for themselves.

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of the Eat Your Brains song.



"We're at an impasse here; maybe we should compromise.
Open up the door, and we'll come inside and eat your brains!"

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of Terry Pratchett's Going Postal movie, where Lord Vetinari presents Moist van Lipwig with two choices: serve his sentence as the Postmaster General, or walk out the door behind his back. Before making that decision, Moist first goes to the door to check what's behind it. And there's a bottomless pit! So there's not really much of a choice for him, is there? ;-)

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

Yes, and another character at the end of the book, the former head of the clacks company, takes door number 2. So there is precedent!

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Mind you, he was pretty libertarian. But he didn't believe in guardian angels. ;-)

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

*shrug* It was the only timeline I could find.