GOP Bungling "Unemployment Extension" issue - as usual
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- Created: Tuesday, 07 January 2014 14:18
- Published: Tuesday, 07 January 2014 14:18
- Written by Ax D. WhiteMan
Just when I think the GOP has found the last way to be on the wrong side of a political issue; they find another.
Today the Senate will take up the issue of extending unemployment benefits for 99 weeks. The fact that this is an absurd policy has nothing to do with the reality that the political optics are being bungled, once again, by the GOP.
Rather than simply oppose the extension on principal, they need to adopt the following position:
We regret that the dismal performance of the economy due to the destructive policies of this administration make it necessary to once again extend this "temporary measure," until we can correct the devastating economic policies of this administration.
... or something like that.
But again, that's probably too much for which to hope.
Add a commentWake up folks, ObamaCare Website isn't Broken
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- Created: Wednesday, 23 October 2013 11:31
- Published: Wednesday, 23 October 2013 11:31
- Written by Ax D. WhiteMan
News Flash - The ObamaCare website ISN'T broken.
- and they won't fix it.
Sure, they'll proclaim it "Fixed" and trot out some fools who've signed up, but the site will continue to be plagued with errors and a compliant media will dismiss all complaints as some sort of radical fringe "deniers."
This is how Government allocated commodities work.
When Governments own the factors of production, as in Soviet era Russia; first the Government requirements are met, and the consumers get the result. Take it or leave it, what ever it is.
The ObamaCare web interface was designed to collect, parse, and aggregate user data for the benefit of Government FIRST and deliver health care options to the user only after the primary goal was achieved. The Government will not change its priority and the site will never function appreciably better.
Getting ObamaCare will become the U.S. equivalent of getting commodities in the Soviet Union. Get in line early, stay late, pay high prices - and be thankful for what you've got.
Get used to it America - you voted for it - now deal with it.
Add a commentAre Democrats bluffing on "ShutDown" Politics
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- Created: Saturday, 28 September 2013 11:20
- Published: Saturday, 28 September 2013 11:20
- Written by Ax D. WhiteMan
Democrats have, at every opportunity, proclaimed their eagerness to reject ANY conservative efforts to place budgetary restrictions on this administration; and subsequently shut down the Government if Republicans request the slightest deviation from their spending demands.
The prevailing wisdom is that for some reason ANY shutdown, for ANY reason, amounts to political Armageddon for the GOP. Strangely, neither history or logic support that wisdom.
Yes, the MEDIA will scream as loud as possible that the GOP is destroying the country by not caving to the threat of a shutdown. Yet, it is really the Democrat constituency that suffers under a shutdown, and those are the people who will pressure their representatives to re-open the Government. When hundreds of thousands of Fed employees are sitting at home without a check, even for a few days-it will be those people who demand the Government re-open.
Private sector businesses, in general, would rejoice in a shut down.
One last thought. The GOP needs to remember that todays "Government" is seen far differently from the "Government" of the 70's and 80's. After the NSA and IRS scandals, far more people see this Government as an oppressive Leviathan, rather than a Benevolent benefactor.
The fallout of a "shut down" might be dramatically different than "prevailing wisdom" indicates.
Add a commentBoehner has the Winning Hand - Will He Play It?
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- Created: Sunday, 29 September 2013 11:32
- Published: Sunday, 29 September 2013 11:32
- Written by Ax D. WhiteMan
Despite the heroism of Ted Cruz, the battle of ObamaCare will take place in the House - not the Senate.
Even before the House has finished drafting its latest funding bill (CR) the Senate and Obama have declared that they will not accept it and will force a so called "Shut Down."
Boehner and the house GOP have a winning hand to play - if they'll play it. When the Senate rejects the current CR, the House should wait a few days and let the "shutdown fury" play itself out a bit. Take the time to reiterate that Obama and the Senate have two Bills on their desk to fully fund Government, but refuse them.
Despite their positioning to the contrary - it is Democrats, not Republicans that will face mounting pressure to cave. The House should submit a third and final CR something like this:
-Fully fund Government at existing levels
-Fully Fund ObamaCare Immediately
- Remove all individual penalties for not participating
Once the third and final CR is passed, the GOP will point out that the ObamaCare bill remains 100% in tact, and if it's as great as they say it is - people will enter the system voluntarily. This is the American way, and a true "pro-choice" position. In the face of mounting pressure to re-open the Political Patronage Distribution system we call "Government," It's hard to imagine that there won't be a few defectors to the "Pro-Choice" side.
Boehner should also add, that this is all we're going to do - if we want to leave the Government running in a state of "essential services only" until the 2014 elections - Fine. Let the people vote on whether or not they want to be forced into ObamaCare.
If we can't win that argument - we're not going to win any others anyway.
Add a commentObama Should Own His Role in the Defund Effort
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- Created: Monday, 23 September 2013 11:02
- Published: Monday, 23 September 2013 11:02
- Written by Ax D. WhiteMan
While Republican elites are busy attacking Ted Cruz for his efforts to derail the most intrusive government over reach in history, all sides are silent on the role Obama and the Democrats have played in this effort.
First the Democrats passed ObamaCare using extraordinary legislative "brinksmanship" to garner its passage despite large public opposition and not a single Republican vote in either house. The Obamacare Bill; as written, could never pass either house of Congress today. The Obamacare Bill, in its current form (modified by the Court and unilaterally by Obama) could not even have passed either House of Congress in 09.
Ramrodding such highly unpopular and partisan a law, with such a narrow margin was an invitation to defeat it through any political "brinksmanship" possible.
Most importantly, Obama had every opportunity to immunize any attempt to defund Obamacare by meeting the minimum requirements of the Constitution and passing a Budget. It is the President's own brazen refusal to pass a Budget that makes this law vulnerable to defunding efforts.
It is Obama's own fiscal mismanagement that has given the House of Representatives the power to mount an effort to defund ObamaCare.
Make no mistake. The House has Constitutional authority over spending. Republicans are well within their power to withhold funding until it's repealed. The only question is if they have the resolve to do so.
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