Day 16:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

Apparently there is much excitement today that some Senators are close to a deal to reopen the government and temporarily raise the debt ceiling. Wait, isn’t that how I began yesterday’s post? Oh, right, then came, “Hang on!  The House Republicans want to come up with something. Let’s give them a chance to work out a new proposal.” And what they produced was another meeting of House Republicans where they all pointed fingers at each other and agreed they can’t agree on anything. There are reports that Ted Cruz met late Monday with 20 of the most nihilistic House members and no doubt helped them hatch this latest idiocy. The truth is, these people want a default. In their fantasy, stated explicitly the other day by Sarah Palin on her Facebook page, “Defaulting on our national debt is an impeachable offense, and any attempt by President Obama to unilaterally raise the debt limit without Congress is also an impeachable offense.” So, see, by doing nothing, Sarah believes Congress will create a dilemma whereby the President can be impeached irrespective of his choice of action. (If any House Republicans happen to be reading this, I apologize for the use of large, complex words.) Of course, this is lunacy, because the President won’t default on the debt, the U.S. Government will default, courtesy a bunch of morons in Congress. I will admit, though, that such logic is only true in this universe; I’m not sure how these things work in the parallel dimension occupied by Palin, Cruz, and their delusional anarchist chums. But it’s worth noting that on Planet Palin, putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work and risking a worldwide recession are justifiable in the game of “gotcha” with the President. Anyway, today’s link should give you an idea what to expect from them next...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/zombie-apocalypse/

Day 15:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

Apparently there is much excitement today that some Senators are close to a deal to reopen the government and temporarily raise the debt ceiling. Most of the discussion seems to be over the issue of just how many days or weeks they can “kick the can down the road.” Since the original suggestion a few days ago to slide the next crisis into the midst of the holiday period generated much understandable criticism, our brilliant legislators are now talking about a reprieve until...wait for it...mid January 2014. This, they claim, will give them a “breathing space” to negotiate a real budget. As if the last two years plus wasn’t enough time to accomplish something, anything. Of course, any Senate plan may be DOA in the House if the lunatic fringe prevent Boner from allowing a vote. But, let’s face it, it’s kinda cute to see our Congresspersons pretending to do something. Sorta like watching children act like “grown-ups.” Anyway, rather than post a link to one of the numerous “much ado about nothing” write-ups in the press, I’ve decided to direct readers to something educational and, in its own way, relevant.

Nine Mind-Bending Facts About Black Holes from Weather.com

Day 14:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

In yesterday’s post, I wondered just who those 1 in 10 are who think Congress is doing a good job.  Well, a couple-thousand of them showed up on the Mall yesterday for something they called a “Million Vet March on the Memorials.”  Unsurprising that their math skills are wanting.  Ted Cruz was there, as was Sarah Palin.  And some clown from a wacko group called “Freedom Watch” called on the President to “put the Quran down” and “come out with his hands up.”  More proof that many of these Tea Partiers are delusional and potentially violent.  What they see when they look at the world is...well, I’m betting it looks a lot like the old pulp magazine cover above.  Nice to see a U.S. Senator there pandering to them as well.  And, yes, if the government ever reopens, then some dedicated federal employees will be able to clean up the mess they left at the World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and in front of the White House.

Wackos on the Mall courtesy CNN

Day 13:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

Amazing that this lunacy has continued for so long.  At least the House Republicans have finally stopped the “piecemeal” approach to reopening the government.  Now they’re just doing nothing.  I liked the “piecemeal” approach because it sounded so much like, “We’re releasing one of the hostages as a show of good faith to convince the authorities that we’ll let the rest go if they give us what we’re demanding.”  Too bad this isn’t simply a hostage stand-off with criminals surrounded in a bank. Then we could just give the loonies in Congress an airplane to flee the country and be rid of them.  Oh, and speaking of Congress, with something like only 11 percent of the population saying they think Congress is doing a good job, you have to wonder:  who are these people who think Congress is doing a good job?  Below is a link to a satire on The Onion that actually hits the mark.

Explanation of who supports Congress from The Onion

Day 12:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

News reports say the House Republicans basically held a “pep rally” today vowing to “stick together” and “hold strong” against any plan that does not cave in to their demands.  So much for negotiation.  But it’s Saturday, so let’s take a break from following the idiocy.  Here’s a link to a Huffington Post article about John Stewart’s interview with Malala Yousafzai, someone who has actually demonstrated real courage.  Stewart says he wants to adopt her.  Can we get her to take over as Speaker of the House instead?

Stewart interview with Malala courtesy Huffington Post

Day 11:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

News outlets are reporting a slight glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.  Seems the GOP is responding to polls suggesting they are now less popular than broccoli by lowering their demands to a “fig leaf” so they “have something to show their constituents for the shutdown.”  So they’ve threatened the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of us so they can get a “fig leaf?”  Well, here’s a reminder; Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves because they were ashamed.  So, harkening back to the beginning of this mess and the loutish Mr. Neugebauer, Republicans, you should be ashamed.

Glimmer of light courtesy CBS News

Day 10: Federal Employees Held Hostage

Well, folks, it looks like the grand plan now is to push the debt-limit off for a few weeks so there’s no pressure to reopen the federal government.  So what else is new; our representatives have been throwing the federal workforce under the bus for years now.  Nice, too, that the plan is to postpone the next debt crisis until the day before Thanksgiving.  What better way to celebrate our day of thanks than by potentially defaulting on the national debt?  But at least the stock market seems pleased by this development.  Anyway, the House Speaker says he just wants to have a “conversation.”  Given the drivel that this would likely produce, I’ve decided to mark the occasion by posting another of my lame poems, “Conversation Piece.”  Go to the sidebar and take a look.

The new debt-limit plan courtesy CNN