Ok, I'll admit it. I'm pissed off. While the government shutdown isn't affecting me directly (yet) it is slowly but surely having an effect all across the nation. Whether it's the cancer patients being denied clinical trials at the NIH or death benefits being denied to the families of our troops that just this week gave their "last full measure" or any number of personal stories across the nation, I'm sick of the needless carnage that is being endured by the people of this nation for no damn reason. Now, as a lifelong Republican (registered Republican when I turned 18 in 1989, happy as heck in 1994 when "we" won the House after 40 years, favored impeachment of Clinton and voted for W twice) who calls myself "conservative" it could be expected that I would perhaps toe the party line and agree with "my" leadership. But HELL NO!!! There are times to tell truth to power (be that the politicians or the media) and this is one of those times.
So with your help I would like to make this a "community" diary with two simple goals. One is to put an end to the Boehner lie from yesterday and two is to stiffen the resolve of the Democrats in Congress.
If you are in support of the two goals and you are intrigued with the concept of a "community" diary follow me over the orange turdilipse to read a short diary that provides you an action item to accomplish the stated goals.
Yesterday during the press conferences of President Obama and Speaker Boehner there were two competing narratives. From the President's perspective he explained to the nation that this was akin to a hostage negotiation and that
"Members of Congress — and the House Republicans in particular — don't get to demand ransom in exchange for doing their jobs, and two of their very basic jobs are passing a budget and making sure that America's paying its bills."
Meanwhile, from the Speaker's perspective he told the nation that the President was being unreasonable and that
"What the president said today was, if there is unconditional surrender by Republicans, he'll sit down and talk to us. That's not the way our government works."
Now, here's what we know. The Senate has passed legislation to fund the government at sequester levels and President Obama has indicated that he would sign it at these levels. Now, I understand that politicians need to spin/lie to us at times but Speaker Boehner's claim that for the House to agree to this would be an "unconditional surrender" on the part of Republicans is a gobsmackingly stupid and false narrative that, with your help, is easily disproved.
So here is what I propose do to prove that Boehner's claim is a lie and to make this a "community" diary of epic proportions. In the comments section simply describe a policy initiative that you believe the government should undertake. If you agree with a policy iniatitive that you see listed in the comments section, uprate it. With proper participation we will see, without a shadow of a doubt, the difference between what the Democrats (as represented by the Daily Kos community) would like to see and the minimalist demands of sequester level funding that Democrats are willing to support to re-open the government and end the needless pain caused by this stupid government shutdown.
In other words, No, Speaker Boehner. Agreeing to fund the government at sequestration levels is not a super win for the Democrats that would constitute "unconditional surrender" on your part. What would possibly constitute a super win on the parts of Democrats would be if the policy initiatives listed below that receive a large amount of votes were implemented in exchange for re-opening the government. But that is not what they are asking for, are they? The difference between what you claim to believe and what is actually happening is too large to remain silent. Do your job. Re-open the government by allowing a clean CR to be put up for a vote in the House. And if you want to negotiate afterwards, perhaps the Democrats will have a few suggestions for you.
(Based on participation we might be able to write a conclusive "community" update that shows the difference between what Democrats want and what they are willing to settle for to end the BS that is the government shutdown.)