because you think that THIS is the appropriate time to grind your abortion axe?It's not even just abortion. Planned Parenthood (which they're targeting) provides a lot more than abortion-related services.
In 1995 and 1996 there were two government shutdowns in the United States. Comparisons are being made between that shutdown and the one that will take place this Saturday if Republicans and Democrats cannot work out a compromise. The 1995/1996 shutdown ended up being a political win for President Clinton, with the Republicans (especially Newt Gingrich*) appearing as uncompromising. What would a shutdown mean? PBS's Newshour: Government shutdown explained. Good news: the shutdown won't halt DC's Cherry Blossom Parade.posted by Deathalicious at 7:29 AM on April 8, 2011 [16 favorites]
* This time around, Newt Gingrich is again sticking to his guns and encouraging the Republicans to force a shutdown if necessary.
Bonus material: 1995 Government Shutdown Briefing for Managers by then Department of Labor Secretary Reich.
Senate majority leader Harry Reid is saying that he will not pass the one week C.R. because it includes a ban on taxpayer funding of abortions in D.C.posted by Jahaza at 7:32 AM on April 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
“It’s not realistic to shutdown the government on a debate dealing with abortion. It’s not fair to the American people,” Reid said this morning.
There’s just one catch: Democratic leaders have previously (and frequently) passed the ban.
In 2009, President Obama signed a budget that included the ban on taxpayer-funded abortions in D.C. Who passed that budget? A Democratic House and Senate. In fact, Reid has voted for a budget that includes the ban ten times since 1995. And he’s not the only Democrat: in addition to signing the budget in ’09, Obama twice voted for legislation that included the ban, while Vice President Joe Biden has voted for legislation including the ban seven times.
Wait, so the Republicans are shutting down the government to protest Planned Parenthood and abortion...?In part, yes.
It's actually completely unrelated to abortion, because it is already illegal to spend federal money on abortions.That's not so. I mean, yes, it's so that it's illegal to spend federal money on abortions, but it's not so that it's completely unrelated to abortion.
Can someone explain to me why the US government is shutting down?In as neutral terms as I can muster at the moment:
Funny that the Republicans picked the one issue most dear to their opponents for special budgetary treatment.Democrats have already agreed to spending cuts, in the recent temporary funding extensions. And they've signaled their willingness to agree to spending cuts this time, too.
It might appear as though the Democrats are going to oppose to the death any spending cut of any kind. The image sustaining into 2012, Democrats opposing state and Federal budget cuts.
It seems an obvious political trap into which the Democrats are once again drawn.
He can run the parts of the government that are left, or he can run no government. Which of the two of us do you think worries more about the government not showing up?If the government shutdown has bad effects, Republicans may be able to shift the blame on Obama as being too unyielding (Obama does not benefit from the same aura of affability surrounding Clinton that gave the lie to the Republican's claims that Clinton was being stubborn). If the government has negligible effects, or even ones that the "average" American doesn't perceive, than the Republicans can say, "See? We don't even need the government."
I don't know about THOMAS specifically.I'm the guy putting the .htaccess file in place.
I haven't seen much talk about the fact that most government websites will shut down, too. THOMAS will be unavailable.Holy cannoli, that is a big deal. Is that all websites or just the ones associated with the legislative body?
there will be zero back pay this time.Why do you say that?
I think the Tea Party is over if this happens, unless they can somehow convince the morons that worship them that they weren't to blame for holding hundreds of thousands of people's lives hostage over bullshit political games.Or if the morons that worship them are morons that worship them.
Paul Ryan just proposed Medicare reformNo, Paul Ryan just proposed eliminating Medicare (and Medicaid) within ten years.
You're ensuring that you won't see a "viable third-party candidate" in your lifetime because you're willing to settle. This bullshit immediacy have given us jack shit.If our nation's collective political opinions have given us "jack shit", then this thread, and all such worrying about the potential effects of a government shutdown, is much ado about nothing.
Sarah Palin wants to stay in the news. Don't help her.Why not? Frankly, from a purely political standpoint, I think that Sarah Palin winning the 2012 Republican primary would be a wonderful thing for this nation.
But you know what, everything Nader said in 2000 was trueI actually voted for, and contributed money to, Nader in 2000. I am ashamed of neither of those facts. However, not everything that Nader said in 2000 was true.
She got, what, like 47% of the electoral votes last time?She has an absurdly low approval rating and all polls that I've seen show that she would get epically trounced.
oh this has happened several times in recent historyWhen, other than the shutdown of 1995-96?
Source for the 60% (pdf, from OMB) It includes DoD, War fighting, VA, and Nuclear weaponsThat's 36 pages of charts. Perhaps you could please point out which specific chart and number you're referring to?
Why. WHY. WHY is the GOP going after education?Republicans have long had it out for public education. Just like public everything. Except public bombs.
The Tea Party is entirely motivated by angerNo, they are also motivated by fear, hatred, and several other emotions.
"Many commentators swooned earlier this week after House Republicans, led by the Budget Committee chairman, Paul Ryan, unveiled their budget proposals. They lavished praise on Mr. Ryan, asserting that his plan set a new standard of fiscal seriousness.posted by ericb at 11:05 AM on April 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
Well, they should have waited until people who know how to read budget numbers had a chance to study the proposal. For the G.O.P. plan turns out not to be serious at all. Instead, it’s simultaneously ridiculous and heartless.
How ridiculous is it? Let me count the ways — or rather a few of the ways, because there are more howlers in the plan than I can cover in one column. ...more.
Sorry! We're Closed!page, more or less out of spite?
A tea party freshman congressman explains to TPM why the policy riders are such an important part of the budget negotiations:Long story short: Republicans need to save face in front of their base.
"As Republicans, we promised in the pledge to America to cut $100 billion off of Obama's plan. If we're going to come back with less than that, we've got to come back with some policy riders to say look, I took less than $100 billion, but I've defunded Planned Parenthood or abortions in the District of Columbia. Or I've ended Obamacare," Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) said in an interview with our Ryan Reilly this morning.
'Everybody goes to clinics, to doctors, to hospitals, so on. Some people go to Planned parenthood. But you don’t have to go to Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. You go to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion, and that’s well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.'In fact, the exact opposite is true. According to Planned Parenthood officials, more than 90 percent of the health care services provided by the organization is preventive in nature. Each year, it provides more than one million cervical cancer screenings, 830,000 breast exams, and nearly four million exams, treatments, and tests involving sexually transmitted diseases. The federal funding received by the organization goes strictly toward these basic needs and others, such as birth control and annual exams. In fact, just three percent of its work is related to abortion." *
1. The purpose of the All Hands is to address the potential for furloughs as we approach the expiration of the Continuing Resolution on 8 April. At this time, we don't know what will happen in the appropriations process; however I wanted to provide you some general information on questions you may have regarding a potential furlough.posted by ctmf at 11:41 AM on April 8, 2011 [5 favorites]
2. MILITARY PERSONNEL: All military personnel are not subject to furlough but will continue to report for duty and will accrue pay which they will receive once Congress makes appropriated funds available. For the pay date of 15 April, military personnel will be paid for 8 days. Military personnel are strongly encouraged to check allotments tied to the 15 April paycheck.
3. CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
a. If a funding lapse occurs, only certain functions excepted by law, typically those which involve the protection of life and property could continue. In such a case, the government would temporarily shut down and employees performing functions other than those above would be furloughed. NAVSEA senior leadership is diligently working to apply Department of Defense and Department of the Navy (DoD/DoN) contingency plan guidance in order to identify those excepted NAVSEA functions and positions that may continue in the absence of available appropriations. Specific details on those deliberations cannot be provided at this time.
b. On Friday, 8 April, your chain of command will inform you whether you are (1) excepted and will continue to report to work or (2) non-excepted and furloughed. During a shutdown, non-excepted employees are not permitted to work as unpaid volunteers for the government. Any paid leave (annual, sick, court, credit hours, compensatory time, administrative leave, etc.) approved for use during the furlough period must be cancelled. An excepted employee who is absent from duty during the shutdown must be furloughed during such an absence.
c. Federal agencies do not have the authority to pay their employees during a shutdown, regardless of whether the employees are working as "excepted" or furloughed as "non-excepted". "Excepted" employees will receive pay for hours worked when the Congress passes and the President signs a new appropriation or continuing resolution. Congress will also determine whether "non-excepted" employees will receive pay for the furlough period.
d. Federal employees' health benefits continue during a period of lapsed appropriations lasting less than 365 days, regardless of the "excepted" or "non-excepted" status of the employee. Federal Employees Group Life Insurance coverage continues for up to 12 consecutive months while in a non-pay status without cost to the employee or the agency. Both Federal Long Term Care (LTC) and Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Plan (FEDVIP) deductions will cease for "non-excepted" employees. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will provide information on how non-excepted employees can continue LTC and/or FEDVIP coverage, as well as details on other federal benefits, through its website http://www.opm.gov/furlough2011/ OPM will update the information on its website regarding these matters no later than Friday, April 8th.
e. If a furlough does occur, all employees must report for duty on their first regularly scheduled workday following expiration of the current Continuing Resolutions to conduct an orderly shutdown of operations and to receive communications on furlough. For most employees, this will be Monday, 11 April. For some small number of employees whose first regularly scheduled workday following expiration of the current Continuing Resolutions falls on either Saturday, 9 April, or Sunday, 10 April, will report and conduct their orderly shutdown on that date. There will be no regular day off (RDO) under Compressed Work Schedule (CWS) in connection with the conduct of the orderly shutdown.
f. The work schedules of excepted employees are to be modified to insure employee availability during the entire week, i.e., CWS is suspended for the duration of the furlough.
3. Despite the uncertainties, I want to assure you that a possible furlough is not a reflection of the value the work each individual does in support of our Navy. I am committed to providing you with the best possible information as it becomes available. As always, stay safe, and KEEP CHARGING!
vr/kmc
Navy Federal will cover the 15 April payroll for those active duty members who have their direct deposit of pay at the credit union.Socialists.
He's not the one framing it in terms of caving. I don't think it's unreasonable of him to ask those who are doing so what they specifically mean.But what is a "cave" and what is a "compromise?"You tell us?
Ken Burns was interviewed by Brian Leherer on WNYC a few days back. There was the inevitable references to his Civil War documentary. Burns made some comments that were devastating regarding the similarity between public behavior now and during the antebellum period.
The longer the Obama admin is "in power," the less difference I see between that and having a Republican in office.Congressional Democrats vote with the recommendations of the American Civil Liberties Union something like 90% of the time. Republicans, something like 10%.
Ironmouth, can you really not stop viewing American politics solely through the lens of the team you've chosen? There are only two teams, and while I think most on MeFi know which one they'd rather be stuck on a desert island with, there's a long road from that to this black and white hagiography. The world is just a more complicated place than thatThis really seems like an odd criticism to me.
I haven't read Ironmouth as being hagiographic about the Democrats in a black and white world.I just took the time to go back and read through his 41 posts, looking for what you're referring to.
He has literally said the only way to judge this debate is by who is perceived as coming out on top and refuses to disclose anything that would change his mind on that. That is rooting for a team, not policy.
Sentences."The longer the Obama admin is "in power," the less difference I see between that and having a Republican in office."
If you remember, the GOP wanted all the cuts to come from discretionary spending and the Dems wanted some to come from non-discretionary spending.That's surprising. What non-discretionary cuts do Democrats want?
Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the five-justice majority, said that taxpayers may challenge a direct legislative appropriation for religious schools, but not a tax credit. He conceded that a tax credit and a direct government expenditure "may have similar economic consequences," but he said a tax credit is different because any injury to the disagreeing taxpayer is "speculative," and the money is directed by private individuals, not the state.Reading between the lines, Kennedy and the majority agreed that money isn't fungible. The money given in the tax credit is different from the money donated to the religious organization.
The Democrats believe it’s good to look like a winner, even if you’ve lost. But they’re sacrificing more than they let on. By celebrating spending cuts, they’ve opened the door to further austerity measures at a moment when the recovery remains fragile. Claiming political victory now opens the door to further policy defeats later. ...posted by cobra_high_tigers at 12:15 PM on April 9, 2011
Right now, the economy is weak. Giving into austerity will weaken it further, or at least delay recovery for longer. And if Obama does not get a recovery, then he will not be a successful president, no matter how hard he works to claim Boehner’s successes as his own.
I'm thinking that TNR is one place where the liberal wonks (Cohn excluded) might take a minute and ask themselves if their reflexive derision of the hippies for being unrealistic and lacking in pragmatism has served their own goals. When you wake up one morning and see a Democratic president praising the biggest spending cuts in history at a time of 8.8% unemployment, it might be time to take a look in the mirror.Funny I can think of a second place now I guess.
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posted by MrMoonPie at 7:18 AM on April 8, 2011 [5 favorites]