Sowell: Who Shut Down the Government? (great read)

By Thomas Sowell
October 3, 2013


Even when it comes to something as basic, and apparently as simple and straightforward, as the question of who shut down the federal government, there are diametrically opposite answers, depending on whether you talk to Democrats or to Republicans.

There is really nothing complicated about the facts. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted all the money required to keep all government activities going — except for ObamaCare.

This is not a matter of opinion. You can check the Congressional Record.

As for the House of Representatives' right to grant or withhold money, that is not a matter of opinion either. You can check the Constitution of the United States. All spending bills must originate in the House of Representatives, which means that Congressmen there have a right to decide whether or not they want to spend money on a particular government activity.

Whether ObamaCare is good, bad or indifferent is a matter of opinion. But it is a matter of fact that members of the House of Representatives have a right to make spending decisions based on their opinion.

ObamaCare is indeed "the law of the land," as its supporters keep saying, and the Supreme Court has upheld its Constitutionality.

But the whole point of having a division of powers within the federal government is that each branch can decide independently what it wants to do or not do, regardless of what the other branches do, when exercising the powers specifically granted to that branch by the Constitution.

[Excerpt]

Read more:
http://www.creators.com/print/conservative/thomas-sowell/who-shut-down-the-government.html

To hold Obama, Reid and the Democrats in Washington innocent of this log jam of government is ridiculous. Democrats and the President are required to and should negotiate like adults and not the children they appear to be.

 

As long as the primary position of the democrats is 'we will not negotiate' then they closed the government.

 

There is nothing to negotiate. The ACA is the law and you are to follow it, end of story.

 

I read Sowell's article. What I don't get is that the ACA was passed by the usual means. Now the Republicans are refusing to allow it to be funded. So in essence the Republicans are refusing to allow the effect of lawfully created legislation. Is that right?

Forgot to add - I know it's none of my business as I'm not an American, but I'm just interested in how this impasse was created.

 

It really wasn't passed by usual means. The people didn't want it, but Democratic Senators were pretty much bought off through backroom deals---their states receiving preferential treatment, extra funding or who knows.... Not one Republican voted for it. The public didn't want it. It was not business as usual.

 

Exactly!!

 

Despite Sowell's sophisticated 'spin'... the answer is still: Extremist, intransigent, power-hungry and arrogant Right-Wingers.

 

NOPE. . .the Democrats said they wouldn't negotiate on a LAW that was passed AND tested by all means. . . and has survived all means.

It is not the job of the House to fight the law of the land. . .but simply to pass a budget.

The Republicans in Congress can continue to fight ACA for ever if they choose. . .but NOT by refusing to do what is their job.

By doing this, they are no better than terrorists who blackmail our rightfully elected government. It is a well known fact that the American government does not negotiate with terrorists.

 

Oh course the Republicans ran on shutting down the government in 2010, said they would do it as a tactic in 2011, and as recently as last month a letter signed by 80 House Republicans called for not appropriations bill to be passed without defunding ACA. Anyone who says the Democrats shut down the government is either lying, stupid or both.

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BS.....the negotiation is to destroy ACA and that is just not going to happen. The GOP is holding the country hostage because they didn't like the results of an election. This is borderline treason.

 

That is the truth!

 

And this is exactly the kind of thing, which should inform the majority of REASONABLE AMERICANS to not vote for "Republicans"; this is what they do (these days, at least).

 

“I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.”

― Martin Luther King Jr., The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr

We believe that the effects of ACA (sounds like Ca-Ca) are going to be worse for America than the numbers of poor, sick Americans that might be helped.

The effects of ACA will be most greatly felt (by those of us who haven't yet been able to recognize the evil behind it and the threat it poses to our long term freedoms) until after it is unlikely to be stopped.

Every day legions of former ACA supporters are starting to get wise.
At what cost are we willing to jeopardize our own future?

 

you're beginning to sound like a domestic terrorist.

But no, all appropriation bills have to come from the House, something I forgot until this article reminded me. It's in the Constitution, and it's the law of the land and we hope that you'd follow it.

 

You really are clueless, aren't you?

That is the silliest nonsense there could ever be.

I heard Chris Matthews say that and it is typical of his level of "tingle up his leg" style of journalism.

One of your fellow posters said the GOP was against Obama even before he became POTUS.

And the real question we should ask is, "why weren't you along side us opposing him too???"

When we RESEARCHED his background and found so many gaps and Black Holes and unanswered questions and leads which might have answered some of those questions turned into dead ends, and questionable people and questionable circumstances littered his back story, that we concluded he needed to come up with some more info about himself before we could feel he'd been adequately vetted and ok to be considered an acceptable candidate.

But the case against Obama has nothing to do with his color.

Unless you are playing the race card.

 

You are required to follow it, not fund it. Funding Obamacare is not the law of the land. Learn to read, man.

 

What did they do? Voted to fund the whole of gov't except for Obamacare and then Obama and Reid decided to make a point by shutting down completely unnecessary parts of the gov't? Obama doesn't want self-funded government-related things to continue, like the Army and Navy football games. This type of activity by the democrats is just asinine, totally unnecessary. Reasonable Americans don't vote for democrats because of this, irresponsible Americans do vote for dems because irresponsible Americans want a free handout. And when those irresponsible Americans don't get their way, they pout.

 

In fact, it was passed in a most sneaky and underhanded manner. A manner calculated to avoid having any red flags go up in the minds of most news organizations or the public.

Not that it would have mattered anyway, but not even the Democrats really knew what was in the bill they voted on.

And significantly, you'll be interested to know: THE LAW MAY HAVE BEEN INVALIDATED BY OBAMA HIMSELF !

How?

By making changes to the law as it was voted on he has made this current iteration a completely different 'animal' than what the Congress and Senate and the SCOTUS gave their ill advised consent to.

This current law hasn't been approved by anyone that counts.

The ORIGINAL bill, as it was when it was voted on, before Obama's Constitutionally overreaching changes, is not what exists now.

It needs to go back to the House for a vote.

LOLOLOL

 

Amen, brother!

 

Do you actually believe that lie? (I don't.)

 

Obama suspended the employer mandate which he is not authorized to do under any provision of the law. Obama's lawless actions make any argument that Republicans need to respect the law kind of hypocritical.

 

*Cough* bull(*)(*)(*)(*) *cough*

 

Don't you think Reid, Pelosi and Obama would be swift enough to expose that if it was a lie?

You don't make sense, Pal.

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I'm wondering why he's not being impeached by now!

 

Most Americans wanted something done with healthcare, just as they do today.

Certainly the system in place before did not help enough people. I'd say the better system is worth paying for; we'll be a better nation for it.

 

Name what was untrue about my post. Otherwise you are affirming what I said.

 

I don't think you comprehend reality well. (And no, I'm not your "Pal". Please, don't be a 'jerk'.)

Because the made-up offenses that the power-hungry racists chasing after him threw up on the wall... didn't stick.