DEBT, HEALTHCARE AND THE SHUTDOWN

Say what you will about the Republicans and the government shutdown (and thousands already have), it is indeed true that Obama refused the negotiate over the continuing resolution to fund the government or the debt ceiling.  The bottom line is that the Republicans got nothing for giving the President what he wanted.  Most Republican insiders--even those associated with the "tea  
party"--have pronounced the entire enterprise a massive failure for the party--one that will hurt them in the months to come.  Of course, those same Republicans were against the showdown strategy to begin with.  And maybe they were and are right.  Many hope this disaster will temper the hopes and movements of those Representatives and Senators who maneuvered the showdown.  And perhaps it will.

I have my doubts that this disaster will linger long in the memories of all involved and the public in general.  Politics has a short cycle.  Soon we will all be off to the next thing. 

My suspicion is that Obama and the Democrats never had any intention to deal and negotiate legislatively with any of the proposals the loyal opposition had in mind and are not inclined to do so now--especially on drawing back or delaying the implementation of Obamacare.  Even the proposal the Republicans had to eliminate all the exemptions Obama had given to some businesses and unions in the scheduled implementation has only a snowballs chance in hell..

Was it all worth it?  Most say not.  I mostly agree except I have one nigling thought in the back of my mind and it has to do with the tactics Liberals themselves employ in other avenues.

In my experience in Synod assemblies, Liberals bring forth many proposals which have no chance.  They can be resoundingly defeated and resented for wasting everyone's time.  But…and this is the big "but"…they will be back the next time with the same proposal.  They will do this again and again until they win.  The point in these fruitless efforts is to continually keep the issue before the assemblies and all future assemblies.  They will work through the various minor meetings and committees to advance their cause.  You have hand it to them:  they are relentless.

Conservatives in contrast typically will make their proposals once--convinced of the obvious rightness of their cause--and when they are defeated they will slink away, grouse about it, and that's that.

Perhaps the value in the shutdown is that it puts the national debt, excessive borrowing against the future, and the government increasing intrusion into this nation's healthcare "system" repeatedly before Congress and the public.  I don't know.  I don't know if it would ever work.  As with everything else, even with bad and detrimental policies, there are thousands who benefit and will fight hard to keep it that way.  Make no mistake, there are thousands who stand to make a lot of money and build careers from Obamacare--many have been positioning themselves for years to reap the benefits from government imposition into healthcare.

But nothing is gained by doing nothing and promising "we'll get 'em next time".

Just a thought.