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[worldrunover]

I think the most revealing thing about this shutdown is how Republicans in congress realize WHAT THE FUCK THE GOVERNMENT DOES.

"Hey guys, we need to fund NIH! Sick kids with cancer omg!"

"Hey guys, did you realize a lot of counter terrorism personnel isn't working right now?!"

"Woah, there's a storm coming! We need to ready FEMA! Guys let's fund FEMA!"

And that doesn't count the shit that has been AUTOMATICALLY been funded like the military and Social Security.

It's funny, but mostly sad. They're getting a real life civics 101 class by breaking the government.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I think the most revealing thing about this shutdown is how Republicans in congress realize WHAT THE FUCK THE GOVERNMENT DOES.

"Hey guys, we need to fund NIH! Sick kids with cancer omg!"

"Hey guys, did you realize a lot of counter terrorism personnel isn't working right now?!"

"Woah, there's a storm coming! We need to ready FEMA! Guys let's fund FEMA!"

And that doesn't count the shit that has been AUTOMATICALLY been funded like the military and Social Security.

It's funny, but mostly sad. They're getting a real life civics 101 class by breaking the government.

It doesn't click come election time. Remember voters want to keep all this stuff they just want to cut the stuff they don't like and which doesn't actually exist.

 

[Aaron Strife]

It doesn't click come election time. Remember voters want to keep all this stuff they just want to cut the stuff they don't like and which doesn't actually exist.

What if we cut into foreign aid a little? That's like what, 15% of the budget?

 

[PhoenixDark]

I think the most revealing thing about this shutdown is how Republicans in congress realize WHAT THE FUCK THE GOVERNMENT DOES.

"Hey guys, we need to fund NIH! Sick kids with cancer omg!"

"Hey guys, did you realize a lot of counter terrorism personnel isn't working right now?!"

"Woah, there's a storm coming! We need to ready FEMA! Guys let's fund FEMA!"

And that doesn't count the shit that has been AUTOMATICALLY been funded like the military and Social Security.

It's funny, but mostly sad. They're getting a real life civics 101 class by breaking the government.

Very good point, and I'd love to hear the president make it. It flies directly in the face of the two sided hypocritical argument on Fox/the right. Life is apparently no different with the government shut down...except for those WWII monuments being shut down, FEMA not being payed, intelligence officials being out of work, NIH not helping sick kids. You know, all the stuff in the CRs republicans are trying to pass.

Government does a whole lot of shit, and is quite visible when gone.

 

[Diablos]

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — A fire official says a man has been flown to the hospital after setting himself on fire on the National Mall.

Fire crews responded Friday afternoon to a report of a man on fire at 7th Street and Madison Drive. A witness says she saw a man dump a red canister of gasoline on his head and then set himself on fire.

D.C. Fire Department spokesman Tim Wilson says the man has life-threatening injuries.

His name and age weren't immediately known.

Katy Scheflen says she was walking along the Mall when she saw a man by himself pick up a can of gasoline and empty its contents on his head before setting himself ablaze.

She says passing joggers took off their shirts to help douse the flames.

-_-

 

[Manmademan]

What if we cut into foreign aid a little? That's like what, 15% of the budget?

Sure. let's cut the portion that goes to Israel every year. just a little. see how well that goes over.

 

[remist]

My representative is Renee Ellmers.

Motherfucking redistricting taking me away from David Price.

At least you don't have Robert Pittenger. My grandfather did some pretty substantial work on his house a while back without a contract because they had mutual acquaintances who recommended him. Pittenger didn't have any complaints about the work, but he basically told my Grandfather "You should have signed a contract, if you want to get paid then take me to court". Keep in mind he's like the 13th richest member of congress.

 

[Riki]

-_-

It's only going to get worse. People are going to take more drastic measures if this isn't resolved soon.
Such a simple fix to a problem that shouldn't exist.
Mind boggling.

 

[Diablos]

At least you don't have Robert Pittenger. My grandfather did some pretty substantial work on his house a while back without a contract because they had mutual acquaintances who recommended him. Pittenger didn't have any complaints about the work, but he basically told my Grandfather "You should have signed a contract, if you want to get paid then take me to court". Keep in mind he's like the 13th richest member of congress.

Typical. Barbarians. I bet all of those Tea Party people act that way.

 

[Diablos]

WASHINGTON -- Newt Gingrich has a terrible track record when it comes to squaring off against presidents in budget showdowns, but his major talent as a rising Republican insurgent in the 1980s and '90s was in identifying thin-skinned Democrats who could be annoyed into making major mistakes.

One example was then-House Speaker Jim Wright, whom Gingrich tortured with investigative leaks and legislative ambush maneuvers.

Now he thinks he has found another pinata for the GOP, as they seek a government shutdown solution, and it is not President Barack Obama.

“I am very positive about focusing pressure on Harry Reid,” Gingrich told me Friday. “Look at how he blew up at Dana Bash on CNN two days ago.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/newt-gingrich-government-shutdown_n_4046130.html

So uh, did Newt Gingrich just indirectly state that attacking Obama isn't working? He is right about one thing though, Reid can't really go off on people like he did Dana Bash, although her question was bullshit. It's not particularly how he answered it, just how he said it, his tone, etc.

 

[Riki]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/newt-gingrich-government-shutdown_n_4046130.html

So uh, did Newt Gingrich just indirectly state that attacking Obama isn't working? He is right about one thing though, Reid can't really go off on people like he did Dana Bash, although her question was bullshit. It's not particularly how he answered it, just how he said it, his tone, etc.

Has President Obama ever really been visibly mad? I mean, I've seen him pissed (especially recently for good reason). But like screaming mad?
Doesn't seem to fit his personality. They aren't going to get a rise out of him. He'll just destroy them with a look and a word.

 

[bonercop]

What line though, Marx-Engels-Lenin? Marx-Lenin-Stalin-Hoxha? Marx-Luxemburg-Political Irrelevance? Marx-Kautsky-Milton Friedman? This is a very important question that no one can ever answer for me.

marx-hitler-stalin-bin laden

 

[PhoenixDark]

Just realized the BLS jobs report didn't come out today, for obvious reasons.

kinda surprised no one has created a "0 jobs created in September" angle.

 

[The Librarian]

Also what the hell kind of shit did they do to your state? Those redistricting lines are disgusting.

Motherfuckers motherfucking redistricted me.

 

[Tamanon]

My town, Hickory, is split almost in half between Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx's district. Both are useless.

 

[B-Dubs]

Has President Obama ever really been visibly mad? I mean, I've seen him pissed (especially recently for good reason). But like screaming mad?
Doesn't seem to fit his personality. They aren't going to get a rise out of him. He'll just destroy them with a look and a word.

There is a reason Key and Pelee's Obama/Luther sketches are so good.

Motherfuckers motherfucking redistricted me.

Yea, you got hosed.

 

[Tamanon]

Has President Obama ever really been visibly mad? I mean, I've seen him pissed (especially recently for good reason). But like screaming mad?
Doesn't seem to fit his personality. They aren't going to get a rise out of him. He'll just destroy them with a look and a word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qv7k2_lc0M

 

[Rhomega Beta]

What line though, Marx-Engels-Lenin? Marx-Lenin-Stalin-Hoxha? Marx-Luxemburg-Political Irrelevance? Marx-Kautsky-Milton Friedman? This is a very important question that no one can ever answer for me.

I'm thinking Marx-Lenin-Stalin. The one where there's police everywhere, you need government papers to do everything, long lines for commodities like food. Oh, and genocide. It's this line because it's the scariest.

 

[Riki]

There is a reason Key and Pelee's Obama/Luther sketches are so good.



Yea, you got hosed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qv7k2_lc0M

This is amazing.

 

[Diablos]

Anyone else wishing every time you check the news, twitter, etc. that this BS would be over?

The longer it goes on the more annoyed and angry you feel about it.

Greg Sargent ‏@ThePlumLineGS 4h
.@robertcostanro has the latest offer House GOP leaders are mulling: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/360413/emerging-offer-robert-costa … still searching in it for any R concessions

Robert Costa ‏@robertcostaNRO 4h
.@ThePlumLineGS As we've discussed, Greg, to House Rs, extending debt limit and funding gov ARE the concessions + MAYBE seq trades for CPI

Is it really smart to drag this out to mid-October? We get dangerously close to default; if Dems maintain their position despite the GOP living in their altered reality and staying there, what happens? It's like Boehner is just setting this up to say "look at all the work I did", drop the mic, country be damned.

Boehner says he won't allow default... but what if the circumstances are not under his idea of what "concessions" should be?
i.e. we are literally hours from a default and the WH does not concede to what the GOP wants?

 

[Karakand]

marx-hitler-stalin-bin laden

national SOCIALIST german WORKERS party

I'm thinking Marx-Lenin-Stalin. The one where there's police everywhere, you need government papers to do everything, long lines for commodities like food. Oh, and genocide. It's this line because it's the scariest.

If we want to milk the exploitation train for every mile it's got, we should go with the full Maoist anti-Revisionist line (Marx-Lenin-Stalin-Mao). The Affordable Care Act is practically the Cultural Revolution, after all.

 

[theprodigy]

Anyone else wishing every time you check the news, twitter, etc. that this BS would be over?

The longer it goes on the more annoyed and angry you feel about it.


Is it really smart to drag this out to mid-October? We get dangerously close to default; if Dems maintain their position despite the GOP living in their altered reality and staying there, what happens? It's like Boehner is just setting this up to say "look at all the work I did", drop the mic, country be damned.

Boehner says he won't allow default... but what if the circumstances are not under his idea of what "concessions" should be?
i.e. we are literally hours from a default and the WH does not concede to what the GOP wants?

the GOP gets dunked on, that's what

Spoiler

hey Riki, what's your favorite Riki quote

 

[empty vessel]

Motherfuckers motherfucking redistricted me.

That's good. You can be a part of putting pressure on your representative that is to your right. Gather all your friends up and start bombarding her office with phone calls. Except for the ideologically radicalized politicians (which admittedly we have more of now on the right), all politicians can be moved by having their offices flooded. If enough people demanded it often enough and loudly enough, even John Boehner would support nationalized health insurance.

 

[Manmademan]

Anyone else wishing every time you check the news, twitter, etc. that this BS would be over?

The longer it goes on the more annoyed and angry you feel about it.


Is it really smart to drag this out to mid-October? We get dangerously close to default; if Dems maintain their position despite the GOP living in their altered reality and staying there, what happens? It's like Boehner is just setting this up to say "look at all the work I did", drop the mic, country be damned.

Boehner says he won't allow default... but what if the circumstances are not under his idea of what "concessions" should be?
i.e. we are literally hours from a default and the WH does not concede to what the GOP wants?

won't the discharge petition come into play several days before the risk of default?

 

[The Librarian]

That's good. You can be a part of putting pressure on your representative that is to your right. Gather all your friends up and start bombarding her office with phone calls. Except for the ideologically radicalized politicians (which admittedly we have more of now on the right), all politicians can be moved by having their offices flooded. If enough people demanded it often enough and loudly enough, even John Boehner would support nationalized health insurance.

lol have you seen her twitter feed?

 

[empty vessel]

lol have you seen her twitter feed?

No, I know nothing about her. If she is truly committed to the tea party revolution, then, yeah, you may not want to waste your time. But just spouting conservative nonsense isn't necessarily alone indicative of that.

 

[The Librarian]

No, I know nothing about her.

Then why are you telling me what I should do while I'm in her district?

 

[empty vessel]

Then why are you telling me what I should do while I'm in her district?

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were having a genuine exchange.

 

[The Librarian]

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were having a genuine exchange.

How is it a genuine exchange when you start off by telling me to do stuff when you know nothing about her or the situation I'm in? My permanent residence is in her district, but I'm in Wilmington for nine months out of the year.

 

[Clevinger]

You know, I wouldn't at all be surprised if the "partial government shutdown" type terms catch on.

CLINTON, N.Y. Hillary Rodham Clinton says the partial government shutdown is emblematic of too many people in politics choosing "scorched earth over common ground."

I doubt she actually said "partial".

edit: damn, remind me never to try to link shit on the phone

 

[NYCmetsfan]

What if we cut into foreign aid a little? That's like what, 15% of the budget?

don't forget waste and fraud

 

[NYCmetsfan]

That's good. You can be a part of putting pressure on your representative that is to your right. Gather all your friends up and start bombarding her office with phone calls. Except for the ideologically radicalized politicians (which admittedly we have more of now on the right), all politicians can be moved by having their offices flooded. If enough people demanded it often enough and loudly enough, even John Boehner would support nationalized health insurance.

You'd have to vote, Calls do nothing. They get logged and forgotten.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

What line though, Marx-Engels-Lenin? Marx-Lenin-Stalin-Hoxha? Marx-Luxemburg-Political Irrelevance? Marx-Kautsky-Milton Friedman? This is a very important question that no one can ever answer for me.

He's actually a secret Nepali manchurian candidate slowly pushing the sinister Marxism–Leninism–Maoism–Prachanda Path agenda

 

[empty vessel]

You'd have to vote, Calls do nothing. They get logged and forgotten.

This is incorrect. Calling is actually more important than voting. Although both are far inferior to organizing on substantive issues (and being part of said organizations and their activities).

The reason that calling is more effective than voting is that, except for extremely ideological and radicalized representatives (of which there are not many), all can be moved to support even the most liberal of positions through threats.

I mean, that's exactly what is happening now. It's just that the organization and threats are coming from the right.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

This is incorrect. Calling is actually more important than voting. Although both are far inferior to organizing on substantive issues (and being part of said organizations and their activities).

The reason that calling is more effective than voting is that, except for extremely ideological and radicalized representatives (of which there are not many), all can be moved to support even the most liberal of positions through threats.

I mean, that's exactly what is happening now. It's just that the organization and threats are coming from the right.

I took voting to mean more than actually voting. I was using it in the sense of translating words into actions. I think I understand what youre saying and agree with your point but disagree that calling is the right action. Organizing is the best solution. On calls, I took many defund obamacare calls this summer. Much more than supporting obamacare. The member I was working for still supports obamacare.

You have to actually show you're capable of changing minds and overturning the status quo the member expects. The right is pretty good at doing that right now in most of the country.

 

[TastyOreoFriend]

This is incorrect. Calling is actually more important than voting. Although both are far inferior to organizing on substantive issues (and being part of said organizations and their activities).

The reason that calling is more effective than voting is that, except for extremely ideological and radicalized representatives (of which there are not many), all can be moved to support even the most liberal of positions through threats.

I mean, that's exactly what is happening now. It's just that the organization and threats are coming from the right.

So then how many in the republican congression can we expect to break ranks and end the dead lock? I'm beginning to worry about just how far some of the more radical right is willing to take this. It's very clear that Boehner has about 0 control over his own caucus at this point.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

So then how many in the republican congression can we expect to break ranks and end the dead lock? I'm beginning to worry about just how far some of the more radical right is willing to take this. It's very clear that Boehner has about 0 control over his own caucus at this point.

EV's point is to undermine their rightward fear and make it a leftleaning one. Make them fear loosing the general not primary. Its not going to change voting overnight its a long process.

Its movement politics 101.

 

[empty vessel]

I took voting to mean more than actually voting. I was using it in the sense of translating words into actions. I think I understand what youre saying and agree with your point but disagree that calling is the right action. Organizing is the best solution. On calls, I took many defund obamacare calls this summer. Much more than supporting obamacare. The member I was working for still supports obamacare.

You have to actually show you're capable of changing minds and overturning the status quo the member expects. The right is pretty good at doing that right now in most of the country.

I agree with you about organizing. But organizing produces calls. Effective organizing (over the long term) produces a flood of calls--the most direct of threats! The calls usually aren't even from the people organizing or participating in organized activities, but people who are influenced by those activities (often without their even knowing it). That's the beauty.

How many otherwise politically ambivalent people do you hear spouting right-wing tea party nonsense, usually for no good reason? That's called organizing. They are influenced without even being politically inclined.

 

[Riki]

the GOP gets dunked on, that's what

Spoiler

hey Riki, what's your favorite Riki quote

"Riki's Sidekicks do good!"

If only for the followup.

And yes, if Boehner lets it drag out to Mid October (Or, heaven forbid longer) thn the House Republicans are dead. They're already destroying their image with the majority of the country. If they keep this up, they won't survive.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I agree with you about organizing. But organizing produces calls. Effective organizing (over the long term) produces a flood of calls--the most direct of threats! The calls usually aren't even from the people organizing or participating in organized activities, but people who are influenced by those activities (often without their even knowing it). That's the beauty.

I think we agree but calls need to be backed up with something, a movement. Calls in and of themselves do nothing. They can only illustrate a movement that exists beyond them. They're a product of a movement and organizing by themselves without the backing they're useless.

People calling in supporting single payer won't mean anything if they can't organize and find candidates, inform voters, hold rallies, hold town halls, protest, etc. They all come together.

 

[ido]

I love how Pelosi compared what the GOP is doing with letting hostages free one at a time.

It is as if a person robbed a bank and took hostages, and when they decided that one of those hostages should actually be freed, want credit for doing so.

O'Reilly last night was mind numbing. He equated Obamacare with agreeing to let your daughter go to a dance(the legislation passes), but then when you find out that a violent evil biker gang is going to be at the dance(after it has passed into law), you change your mind.

And of course Hannity was all, "WWII memorial, Reid hates children with cancer, WWII memorial, cancer kid, memorial, cancer kid, memorial..........."

 

[empty vessel]

I think we agree but calls need to be backed up with something, a movement. Calls in and of themselves do nothing. They can only illustrate a movement that exists beyond them. They're a product of a movement and organizing by themselves without the backing they're useless.

Yes and no (mostly yes). The problem is that you can't get the flood of calls that you need without organizing, not necessarily that calls without organizing are ineffective. I do agree that a flood of calls may not be enough, though, because organizing also changes media. And that can directly influence politicians as well. But yes we agree that organizing is the most important thing and that everything interrelates.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Yes and no (mostly yes). The problem is that you can't get the flood of calls that you need without organizing, not necessarily that calls without organizing are ineffective. I do agree that a flood of calls may not be enough, though, because organizing also changes media. And that can directly influence politicians as well. But yes we agree that organizing is the most important thing and that everything interrelates.

Yeah I think we're just squabbling over specifics. Organizing is how politics works and what, at a basic level all it is. Too often civics classes make it seem voting is the end of it.

 

[empty vessel]

Yeah I think we're just squabbling over specifics. Organizing is how politics works and what, at a basic level all it is. Too often civics classes make it seem voting is the end of it.

One difference between us, though, might be that I think organizing should occur about substantive issues, and should ignore parties and electoral politics.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

One difference between us, though, might be that I think organizing should occur about substantive issues, and should ignore parties and electoral politics.

My beliefs just tend to match up with the democratic party. The democratic party fits me really well. Obviously many on this forums its too right, but we agree on how the system works.

 

[bananas]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-republican-party-cannot-stand-by-and-let-obama,34074/

This is fucking hilarious.

 

[B-Dubs]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-republican-party-cannot-stand-by-and-let-obama,34074/

This is fucking hilarious.

They have been absolutely on fire since this whole thing started.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-republican-party-cannot-stand-by-and-let-obama,34074/

This is fucking hilarious.

This is amazing

 

[j_k_redtail]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/10/0...s-gop-unity-in-epic-battle.html?from=homepage

The overarching problem for the man at the center of the budget fight, say allies and opponents, is that he and his leadership team have no real idea how to resolve the fiscal showdown.

They are only trying to survive another day, Republican strategists say, hoping to maintain unity as long as possible so that when the Republican position collapses, they can capitulate on two issues at once — financing the government and raising the debt ceiling — and head off any internal party backlash. Republican lawmakers say Mr. Boehner has assured them privately that he will not permit a default.

Not 'if.' 'When.'

We're going to have a two week shutdown so the Speaker can save face. Ladies and gentlemen, today's Republican Party.

 

[bananas]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/10/0...s-gop-unity-in-epic-battle.html?from=homepage

Not 'if.' 'When.'

We're going to have a two week shutdown so the Speaker can save face. Ladies and gentlemen, today's Republican Party.

If he doesn't do it, he gets kicked out of Speakership. If he does, then Dems take the House in 2014 and he loses Speakership.