this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
201 points (98.1% liked)

politics

19097 readers
6217 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Washington is reaching a consensus: the government will shut down in 10 days — and Republicans will bear the brunt of voter disgust over it.

With House GOP leadership on Wednesday again showing little progress in moving a stopgap funding bill to prevent a shutdown, officials have begun a two-pronged effort to prepare for a shutdown that seems less avoidable every day.

There is the official side of government, where the Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget has been working with agencies to make contingency plans for when funding runs out. And there is the political arena, where party operatives are focused on a different goal: inflicting maximum pain on their Republican adversaries and seeking to pin them with blame for an interruption in federal services and paychecks for government workers.

While both sides will inevitably throw blame at the other, Republicans are feeling a keen sense of apprehension that their party will suffer badly should a shutdown transpire.

“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

top 33 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] negativenull@lemm.ee 74 points 1 year ago (4 children)

“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

The answer is in his question: “Name one time that WE'VE shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 45 points 1 year ago

"Every time I do something I get blamed for it! How is that fair at all?! Why doesn't someone ELSE get blamed now and then for things I do" -Simpson (R) probably

[–] PeepinGoodArgs@reddthat.com 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, except Democrats used to catch the blame all the time when McConnell filibustered something. It's part of their strategy to do things and have the other party get blamed for it.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

The tactic was for Republicans to sabotage government, and then use the failure they caused as a talking point about how government is useless and gets in the way. They could then rally people around the idea that government is an enemy that needs to be eliminated. But I think people are wising up to that strategy. There have been a lot of high profile problems recently that can all be linked to deregulation and rolling back government oversight.

[–] Backspacecentury@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago

Sounds like an onion quote.

[–] ATQ@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

You’d think a ‘Pub, of all people, would know that giving to someone who hasn’t earned it is socialist. As staunch capitalists, ‘Pubs earned all the blame and they can keep it.

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 64 points 1 year ago (4 children)

“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

Then stop doing this shit, Mike…it’s not rocket science.

[–] superduperenigma@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

“Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

This is a terrific selfawarewolves quote.

"Name one time that we did X and we haven't got the blame for doing X."

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

"Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do this."

[–] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

And if it wasn't their fault ( in the instance refusal to collaborate with the other side) they wouldn't always get blamed.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

We always get the blame for the things we do

Y'all the cishet white conservative concept of responsibility is wild. The idea that the problem isn't your actions, it's that people notice your actions and that it's you doing them is Narcissistic Abuse 101.

[–] NevermindNoMind@lemmy.world 45 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This whole thing is unbelievably stupid. Past shutdowns were also stupid, but the Republicans shutting down the government had something they wanted (entitlement cuts, funding for the border wall, whatever). Here there is no unified demand, it's just a dozen or so Republicans who were elected to burn it all down keeping their campaign promises. So why not just ignore them? Because McCarthy will lose his speakership if he so much as thinks about a bipartisan compromise.

There's no game plan here, no options, no strategy. For the dozen holdouts, the plan is the government shuts down until Biden and Senate Dems cave and agree to slash government spending by 10%, fund the border wall, and give the middle finger to Ukraine. That's not happening, ever. And they know that, these aren't serious demands, this is just an attempt to burn it all down but disguised as a principled position on government spending. McCarthys dumb plan was to pass a super partisan continuing resolution to keep the government funded for a month, which the Senate strip it of all the conservative junk and send it back to the house, and then ??? What conservatives would accept that??? We'd be right back in the same situation we're in now. But the holdouts won't even agree to that dumb strategy.

There's a longshot where all Dems and a handful of Republicans could sign a motion to vacate forcing a clean CR onto the floor, but 1) procedurally that takes a full month to do, and 2) you need Republicans willing to sign on bucking both McCarthy and the base. Even if this scenario saves the day, the government will still shut down for a month or more, and again it's only a continuing resolution so we're back in this same clusterfuck in another 30 days after it passes.

The only realistic way out of this is McCarthy does the right thing, works with Democrats to find a bipartisan solution, and stops listening to the derangement caucus in his party. He'll probably lose the speakership, he'll probably lose it no matter what happens anyway so maybe just do the right thing?

As I'm sitting here today, it feels like we're in for a looong shutdown, not because Republicans are dug into a demand, but because they have no demands at all. You elect people to burn it all down, and that's exactly what they are going to do.

[–] Jessvj93@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes, this is the big difference this time around, previously the threat of being blacklisted from the RNC/CPAC plus local obligations (contracts/ect) falling through. This time though we have people outside that establishment that want the government to shutdown. They want this to happen and to hurt, the only good move here is McCarthy working with Dems.

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

I think instead of government shutdowns from now on we should have government lockups. Congress can't come to an agreement? Everyone in Congress goes to jail till they sort it out. Bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread with water three times a day and a 6'x8' cell for every two members of Congress.

All other government employees keep getting paid and keep doing their jobs but Congress goes jail to sort it's shit out.

Like time out for kids.

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 7 points 1 year ago

Pope selection style. Watch the smoke

Yo at least let them have the grape flavored "nutrient packs" while you're at it..

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm a fan of "if government spending is so out of control" then when you vote "no"on funding the government, the immediate action is that all of your financial privileges as a congressmen are suspended. No pay, no travel allowance, no health insurance, not even a fucking parking pass. And you stay that way until you vote yes...on the NEXT government funding bill. Put your money where your mouth is.

[–] doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago

Ehh... hard for them to negotiate by yelling through cell doors, no?

I'd settle for locking them in the house floor until they've got it figured out.

[–] AlternateHeadline@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago

"The people single-handedly responsible for shutting down the government - causing economic upheaval and strife - have resigned to being labelled the 'bad guys.'"

Story at 11.

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

Republicans are shutting down the government yet again because they know that they can reliably use it to extract concessions from Democrats. And Democrats keep confirming this.

[–] Sweetpeaches69@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

👨‍🚀🔫👨‍🚀

[–] starrox@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

“A government of the people, by the people, for the people” must really leave a sour aftertaste in many American mouths these days. I dont envy you guys. All the best from a European nobody.

[–] PeckerBrown@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

You had me at 'Republicans resigned', then bitterly disappointed me.