Republican Power Move—Holding the U.S. Government Hostage—Did NOT Work. No Surprise!

It is a power move, short and simple—minority, right wing, Republican Extremists holding the government hostage to try to force Obama to negotiate on their terms.  It’s not working.  And it won’t work.  This is no way to run a nation.  It is no way to negotiate with an opposing party.  And it is no way to serve the American people—right, left, or center.

It is selfish, myopic, and childish, and very arrogant on their part.  Their defenders try to ward off accusations that they are holding the government hostage.  But that is exactly what it is. And they are desperately trying to place the blame on Obama.  Americans know better.  American voters are not that stupid.  Most Americans see it for what it is, political maneuvering, a last ditch effort to get their way using the only weapon, club, force, or leverage that they have at their disposal—shut down the government.  And so they did!

What petty nonsense!  The government should never have been shut down in the first place—not for the reasons that the Republican extremist group give (which of course keep changing now).  Obama was and is right to resist efforts to negotiate under such conditions.

And Americans are right to hold the Republican Party responsible for the Government shut down.  Especially blameworthy are the extremist rightwing, self-righteous, holier-than-thou subgroup within the Republican Party, who act as if they are God’s gift to America, as if they are the only right and true representatives of American values, practices, and virtues.  They are not!  And they are wrong for presuming as much.

And now comes the Debt Ceiling threat!

A word to Congress: Quit stalling!  Quit negotiating for short term fixes and long term postponements.  We’re right here where we are, because you’ve been kicking the can down the road all along, creating these artificial deadlines and due dates and refusing to soundly deal with the issues forthrightly for fear of not getting everything you want and demand.  Quit cow-towing to a talk-to-my-hand, hardnosed, recalcitrant and fractious minority group; go to work for the good of ALL of America.  Oh wait!  You can’t do that, can you—because your re-election coffers are being filled by big-pocket minority special interest groups!  Is that it?