The curtain is coming up now. The House is imploding and the Senate Republicans are scrambling to save face in light of their public relations nightmare they have to contend with running up into the 2014 elections. The Tea Party has entrenched itself in the mists of the party, driving it further right then ever before and leadership (such as Speaker Boehner, Senator McConnell and the like) have no idea on how to deal with the insurgence of the madness that is the Tea Party.
There was never any good reason or political gain to be had by the Republicans shutting down the government. There was no end game. No plan or strategy. Just some newly elected “cowboys” from areas of the country where the “stars and bars” still populate flag poles in neighborhoods and a diluted dream of another “war for states rights” fills their constituents heads.
Late last night Speaker Boehner tried one last time to bring his party to some semblance of logic by trying to scrape together enough votes to pass another budget. That was about as nonsensical as wanting a discount on homeowners insurance in Florida during hurricane season. It went over like a lead balloon too. Conservatives beholden to the radicals in their party crashed his exit plan and now the responsibility falls to the Senate once again.
Poll after poll is showing steep blame for the shutdown going to the Republicans and the old guard knows it. 74% of Americans are not happy with the way Republicans are bargaining over the debt and shutdown, according to the latest ABC-Washington Post poll on October 14th. A 28% approval rating according to the latest Gallop that was released yesterday. Its been an unmitigated disaster for their party. Self destruction is inevitable when you allow the lunatics to run the asylum, Speaker Boehner.
Senate Majority Leader Reid and Senator McConnell have reported that they are close to a deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling, in spite of all the nuttiness in the House of Representatives. When Senator Durbin was asked about the “rumored” deal that was about to go down late on Tuesday night he said, “In order to move this quickly tomorrow or as soon as possible thereafter we need the cooperation of members. If they want to drag their feet, use every objection they can, it’s going to take a few days.”
“It’s very, very serious. Republicans have to understand we have lost this battle, as I predicted weeks ago, that we would not be able to win because we were demanding something that was not achievable.” This is John McCain in the New York Times on Tuesday. The white flag is up. Of course it is. Because there was never anything behind the fight in the first place but meandering to their primary voters back in their home districts.
"We've made tremendous progress -- we are not there yet -- but tremendous progress, and everyone just needs to be patient." Those were the words of Senator Reid on Monday night. Let's pray he's right and the Democrats have enough courage and muster left in the tank to squash this ridiculous and pointless rebellion and get our country back on the right track without further delay.