My Facebook Friends are mostly from wealthy, suburban Dallas, so they're roughly 97% Republican, and probably 85% Tea Party supporters. It was suggested there that the Legislative Branch was under no constitutional obligation to fund ACA. An editorial to this effect was cited and my old high school Friend asked for thoughts on the implications of the editorial.
My comment was to the effect that while objectively true, it also meant that the next Democratic Congress could similarly refuse to fund the military. There was one intervening post before the name-calling began.
I've seen estimates that show 40% of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills and I wonder at the motives of those opposed to health care reform in this country. My conclusion is that they're generally opposed to social reform from the government, particularly when feeling they've been marginalized by the election of an African-American President.
If the current government shutdown is not extra-constitutional, then maybe the next Democratic Congress should seek cuts to the military in the manner this Congress has outlined. I've seen that we could cut our military budget by 80% and still have the largest military budget in the world. I wouldn't propose that drastic a cut, I think 75% is more reasonable.
Republicans have been so strident, so self-righteous, Americans are losing patience with them at long last. If things continue as they have, Democratic prospects in 2014 look better every day. Rebalancing the federal budget is something that should be done, and with progressive principles in mind. If the top 1% is taking in 70% of all annual income, then that 1% should be responsible for 70% of the federal budget.