All the major news outlets are breathlessly reporting that both the House and Senate Republicans are getting close to a deal that will achieve bipartisan agreement*.
While the GOP desperately tries to re-create and re-invent their reasons for shutting down the government and dragging the prospect of debt default into the mix to try to undo the terrible damage to their "brand", I want to remind everyone - liberal, agnostic, and conservative alike - that it was all Because Obamacare.
More over the fold.
* Note: I'll believe it when I see it. You can't cure the GOP brand of stupid, after all.
Because Obamacare, real estate sales and transactions have stalled. According to Realtor.org, the effects of the shutdown and the debt ceiling manufactured crisis have broader effects than might otherwise be apparent:
- Certain FHA loans will not be processed or approved during the shutdown (HUD).
- No transactions related to Tribal (American Indian) lands will be processed during the shutdown (Interior).
- No loan activities will be processed for rural communities during the shutdown (USDA).
- VA guaranteed loans will be worked on during the shutdown, but the VA warns to anticipate processing delays due to decreased staff (VA).
- A myriad of ancillary but required loan activities for home buyers are affected as well. NOAA will not be conducting geodetic surveys to support those properties that might require flood insurance to get an approved loan. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not processing ANY forms requesting tax transcripts that many lenders require to process a loan. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not be providing social security number verification during the shutdown, an activity required by many lenders to grant a loan.
- Fixed mortgage interest rates - for purchase of a home or refinance of a home - have been creeping up over the last week. According to some economists, this is because of the uncertainty around both the shutdown and the debt ceiling debacle.
All because Obamacare. And this is just one market segment.
Because Obamacare, families where the primary income earner is a Federal employee OR a Federal contractor OR the owner of a non-contracting business that relies on Federal government employee patronage are suffering stress, uncertainty and financial difficulty. Via The Washington Post:
A married couple, both Federal law enforcement officers: "We can’t survive if this shutdown goes any longer. We had enough to pay some bills this month but barely enough for food."
A Federal employee, sole income-earner for a family of 5: "I’ve been furloughed since Oct 2. I am supporting a family of five on one salary. I filed for unemployment yesterday."
A Federal contractor furloughed because of the shutdown: "While “civil servant” federal employees will get back pay, I will not. I am essentially donating my life’s savings for Congress to play politics."
These types of individual stories are legion. Because Obamacare.
Because Obamacare, small businesses across the nation are "paralyzed":
While SBA officials have been unreachable due to the shutdown, a number of commercial bankers have reported that a backlog of loan-guarantee applications has started to build up in the past two weeks.
“It has come at the worst possible time,” according to Rogit Arora, chief executive for Biz2Credit, an online lending platform that connects small-business borrowers and lenders. In an interview, he said the last three months of the year tend to be busy ones for commercial lenders, as many retailers stock up for the holidays and other small firms start making plans for the coming year.
::snip::
In addition to the SBA shutdown, the halt to work at the Internal Revenue Service has thrown a wrench in some small-business owners borrowing plans, as bankers rely on the agency to perform certain income verification checks necessary to process loans.
No loan for you!! The irony of the Republican Party's
lionization of small businesses would be laughable if the effect of their shutdown wasn't so dire.
Because Obamacare, babies are going without food.
- Those states that had funds to support WIC in absence of Federal funding are running out of those funds.
- The same is true for TANF (welfare) programs.
- Head Start Programs feed 1 million needy children two meals a day - nutrition they wouldn't otherwise have. Head Start is only available to some children because of the charity of others.
- While not currently shut off, as the shutdown progresses, SNAP (food stamp) assistance will be affected.
- And let's not forget the countless Federal workers who don't have sufficient reserves to go without pay for 15 days and counting and how that affects their ability to feed their families.
For an additional dose of irony, I would note that the entire Republican Party 2012 Platform is littered with reverence for the American Family and children. I guess that reverence only exists in theory and not in actual practice. Because Obamacare.
Because Obamacare, we were all treated to the spectacle of Sarah Palin, Ted Cruz and Louie Gomert decrying the lack of access to the WWII Memorial during the shutdown that they supported, rallied, and created. As a further insult, Veterans were used for their twisted political theater, and they didn't like it one bit.
There are so many stories that 15 days of shutdown and months of worrying a bout the debt ceiling have created. I couldn't possibly pull together a comprehensive list.
For about the last 24 hours, reports about a possible Senate deal have been circulating. Regarding Obamacare, the rumor is that the Senate deal includes only this:
- A provision to verify income for those qualifying for subsidies; and
- A possible delay of the implementation of the medical device tax
No delay of the individual mandate, no defunding of Obamacare. Remember - it was the Sept. 29 House vote to delay Obamacare that forced this shutdown, ultimately, in the first place.
Politico says that the House draft proposal to end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling has these demands relating to Obamacare:
- Delay the medical device tax (in line with the Senate proposal); and
- "strip members of Congress (not staffers) of subsidies to purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act's exchanges"
Again - a far cry from defunding or delaying Obamacare. But it's all because Obamacare - don't let them tell you otherwise.
Diarist's note: The Politico article also says that the House plan continues to demand that Treasury not be allowed to use "extraordinary measures" to extend the time that the US can pay its debt, a deal-breaker. Also, while writing this diary, Boehner and his Cadre of Clowns came to the podium and basically mumbled a lot of nonsensical bullshit that indicates that he doesn't have the votes to get his caucus in line.
So always remember and never forget: we are living through these and other unquantified Bad Things because Obamacare, despite what they will tell you. Because, you know - Obamacare is slavery. And it's also just like Hitlercare, which lead to genocide.
Or maybe now it's about the budget. Or the debt. Or something.
Oh wait - I know: Because Benghazi.