(The cartoon above is by Martin Kozlowski at martinkozlowski.com.)I was wrong. I thought the Republicans would give in on the continuing resolution to fund the government, and take their effort to kill Obamacare to the coming fight over raising the debt ceiling. But I underestimated just how little the teabaggers in the House of Representatives cared about this country and its people -- and how invested in their own ultra-extremist ideology they are.
Last night, they had a chance to avoid a government shutdown, but they didn't even consider doing that. After the Senate had taken the teabagger effort to defund Obamacare out of the resolution to fund the government for a little while longer, and sent it back to the House, the House GOP again tacked an anti-Obamacare amendment to the bill -- knowing it would be rejected by the Senate (or vetoed by the president). This time they voted (231 to 192 on a party line vote) to delay the implementation of Obamacare for a year.
They called this a "compromise", but that's just a joke. It's their latest effort to kill Obamacare (and you can bet they would again vote to do this next year, if they got it this time). The Republicans don't believe health care is a right, but a product that should only go to those who can afford to buy it (without any government help). For them, insurance company profits are far more important than citizen lives.
The Senate will take up this odious bill on Monday, but they are sure to reject it. Majority Leader Reid (and the president) have already warned they would not approve any bill that harms Obamacare. That means the government will shut down -- at least for a while. The only real question now is how long it will take before enough Republicans come to their senses to and fund the government with help from House Democrats. The teabaggers won't give in, because they just don't care, so it will have to be from the few remaining sensible conservatives remaining in the party.
Folks, this is why the Republicans (especially the teabaggers) must be voted out of power in 2014.
