Who Shut Down the Government?

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Thomas Sowell:

Even when it comes to something as basic, and apparently as simple and straightforward, as the question of who shut down the federal government, there are diametrically opposite answers, depending on whether you talk to Democrats or to Republicans.

There is really nothing complicated about the facts. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted all the money required to keep all government activities going — except for ObamaCare.

This is not a matter of opinion. You can check the Congressional Record.

As for the House of Representatives’ right to grant or withhold money, that is not a matter of opinion either. You can check the Constitution of the United States. All spending bills must originate in the House of Representatives, which means that Congressmen there have a right to decide whether or not they want to spend money on a particular government activity.

Whether ObamaCare is good, bad or indifferent is a matter of opinion. But it is a matter of fact that members of the House of Representatives have a right to make spending decisions based on their opinion.

ObamaCare is indeed “the law of the land,” as its supporters keep saying, and the Supreme Court has upheld its Constitutionality.

But the whole point of having a division of powers within the federal government is that each branch can decide independently what it wants to do or not do, regardless of what the other branches do, when exercising the powers specifically granted to that branch by the Constitution.

The hundreds of thousands of government workers who have been laid off are not idle because the House of Representatives did not vote enough money to pay their salaries or the other expenses of their agencies — unless they are in an agency that would administer ObamaCare.

Since we cannot read minds, we cannot say who — if anybody — “wants to shut down the government.” But we do know who had the option to keep the government running and chose not to. The money voted by the House of Representatives covered everything that the government does, except for ObamaCare.

The Senate chose not to vote to authorize that money to be spent, because it did not include money for ObamaCare. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that he wants a “clean” bill from the House of Representatives, and some in the media keep repeating the word “clean” like a mantra. But what is unclean about not giving Harry Reid everything he wants?

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@Richard Wheeler:I said before:

RW, it was the American citizen vets that were arrested. It was the illegal aliens that were welcome. But, I guess you didn’t get the message.

Any veteran that believes that the C in C of the American military forces should use the power of his position to prevent American military veterans from visiting a Memorial that was built specifically to honor those veterans at a park that is ‘always’ open 24 hours a day 7 days a week while at the same time allowing illegal aliens to visit those very same parks and places without hindrance, and in fact, to be welcomed by that very same C in C. And if that same veteran believes it is a great thing that his C in C is doing in preventing active military servicemen from visiting a grocery store on the very military base that he is assigned to, then there is a serious problem with the patriotism of that veteran, no matter whether you were once valiant or not. While I have no issues with your military service, I have a problem with the fact that, for some reason, you have gone sadly astray.

@Richard Wheeler:

@Redteam: As I said, in NY. vets were protesting American atrocities in V.N. and after several warnings refused to disperse after posted curfew.

Well, to begin with, they were NOT protesting atrocities in V.N. They were protesting “atrocities” in Afghanistan.

But after a little research, I think the police did the right thing. They arrested phony Ranger, Robert Ward Reilly, who was a John Kerry wannabe back in the day when John Kerry was being a traitor to his nation, and Bill Perry, another phony VVAW who claimed “in-country” service only to get busted by action Vietnam vets for his lies.

Just your kinda guys, Richard.

@retire05: Tiresome Old 5 Arrests thrown out. As is typical, you blast the Admin. for the Trespassing arrests, as if Obama himself applied the handcuffs. Then you take a breath and decide arrests were warranted because you don’t like the protestors.
You’re a damn whirling dervish.lol

@Richard Wheeler:

You’re a damn whirling dervish.lol

Something you’re familiar with?

Redteam
I got to say it, I am so glad you and retireo5 are here to correct the liars, coming here to insult and throw their weigth on our group of good CONSERVATIVES,
BYE

@ilovebeeswarzone: Thanks, Bees. Basically what I’d like to help, if I can, is the farcical dishonesty of the Obamaites. Anyone that pretends to care about the direction of the country and then praises Obama has to be dishonest. There is not one single action that he has taken since he’s been in office that is the right thing for the country. But, just to be political, they praise him. Oh my…

@ilovebeeswarzone: How do you feel about Mata and Aye being gone? A shame you never took her advice.

@Richard Wheeler:

@ILOVEBEESWARZONE: How do you feel about Mata and Aye being gone? A shame you never took her advice.

I know you asked someone else this question, but I’m gonna answer it for you, from my perspective. First, neither of those two have gone anywhere. Since no one liked the toys they were playing with, they took them and went home. They are both still here, I assure you, reading the comments and wishing they could respond, but knowing that since they made such an issue of taking their toys and going home, they would now be embarrassed to admit they were wrong. Both will be back, as soon as they think everyone forgot their tantrums. I will comment that you also indicated that you were gone that day when the tantrums were flaring, but for some reason, you stayed.

@Redteam: You do love to jump in and answer for others. IMO you and tiresome old5 are the best “tantrum throwers” at F.A. I do think it a shame Bees has followed your lead.
The main reason I stay is to read the crap that you and O5 disseminate. Unbelievable ODS. I also get a kick out of the way Tom and Greg knock you down.
You’ll note, I will take a break now and then. You just keep spouting. Can’t turn off.
I’d be remiss not to give honorable mention to Dr J’s continuing posts. From his early support of The Mad Colonel to his continued photo shopping of the Prez. It’s like watching a NASCAR pile-up.

Redteam
at FLOPPING ACES, we get taken by the SMART COMMENTS FLYING HERE
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WEB, AND ONCE WE TASTE IT, WE ARE STUCK IN THE WEB OF THAT GIANT SPIDER, MOSTLY FRIENLY AND SO SMART, AND HOLDING ON TO CONSERVATIVES LIKE HER FOUND TREASURE, OF INTELLIGENCE DISPLAY TO HER FREE,
WHICH IS SOMETIMES EATING ONE WHO FLYE OVER, AND MOST OF THE TIME IN HIDING FROM US PLAYING WITH US HIDE AND SEE, WE CANNOT LEAVE, WE DON’T WANT TO LEAVE, SO WE STAY PRISONERS,
AND FEED THE SPIDER WITH MORE FLYE OVER WHICH WE COOKED,TO MAKE SURE SHE WON’T EAT ONE OF US,

@Richard Wheeler: .

IMO you and tiresome old5 are the best “tantrum throwers” at F.A.

It’s clear you don’t understand the word ‘tantrum’. Lib educational system does that to you.

I also get a kick out of the way Tom and Greg knock you down.

Aw, you would admire two of the ‘real’ tea baggers of the world. (note: that’s using the ‘lib’ definition of the words.)

You’ll note, I will take a break now and then.

Yes, I’ve noticed that when you are away from home for the weekend, you don’t comment. Note: wi-fi is available when away from home, for some. It’s like you to ‘blame others’ for the things you say. Anchors Aweigh!

@Redteam: Am I to believe you are proud of your limited education?
“blame others for the things I say.” How so?
“Tom and Greg real tea baggers of the world.” Wanna explain that. Are you a tea bagger?
Why would you suggest I don’t know the meaning of tantrum? Do you think Mata throws one any better than tiresome old5?
Do you ever get out of the house?
Anchors Aweigh back at you. I love The Navy. My Dad was a JAG Officer.

Good lord, is the Obama administration even still sane? How do you explain closing down a children’s event on an open beach?

It was announced today that an annual sandcastle contest on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach has been cancelled out of sheer malice by the Obama administration, despite the fact that the beach on which it is held — part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area — normally has no lifeguards, no rangers, is permanently open to the public, and requires no funds for day-to-day operations:

http://strata-sphere.com/blog/

@Richard Wheeler:

@Redteam: Am I to believe you are proud of your limited education?

What limited education? when did that come up?

“Tom and Greg real tea baggers of the world.” Wanna explain that.

Priceless!!

Why would you suggest I don’t know the meaning of tantrum?

Clearly because of the way you used it.

Do you ever get out of the house?

Huh?

@Redteam: Do you even realize how foolish YOU look. Repubs at 28% approval and sinking fast
Dems at 43 and Obama down to 37.
People are fed up and Repubs are perceived as sinking the ship.
You said Greg and Tom were Tea Baggers. You seem to know a lot about them. With such knowledge may we assume you are a Tea Bagger?

@Richard Wheeler:

With such knowledge may we assume you are a Tea Bagger?

What’s your obsession with Tea bagging?

@Richard Wheeler:

Obama down to 37.

Has a president ever been that low before? Well, other than Carter.

Has a president ever been that low before?

Yep. Someone left office with a final approval rating that was 15 points lower than that—22%, as I recall. I can’t seem to remember who that was.

Obama’s RCP approval average is actually 44.3% at present. Congress is down to 10.5%.

@Redteam: The obsession is yours . You called Greg and Tom Tea Baggers. How would you know that if you weren’t one yourself? Why not just cop to it RT? Are you a Log Cabin Repub?
Believe Bush was at 24% approval when he went out. Repub Party has never been this low.

@Greg:

Yep. Someone left office with a final approval rating that was 15 points lower than that—22%, as I recall. I can’t seem to remember who that was.

I can probably help you out with that, at the same time in his presidency (4 1/2 years) GWB was at 62.5 compared to your buddy’s 37%. Near the end of GWB 2nd term, after the Dims starting running things, he had fallen to 25, just a little below where Obama is now. Imagine how low Obama will be in another 3 1/2 years. I’m sure he’ll be setting a new standard. See, that wasn’t too hard was it, realizing you are riding a new low standard bearer…….

@Richard Wheeler:

You called Greg and Tom Tea Baggers. How would you know that if you weren’t one yourself?

Ah, so., the old you gotta be one to know one……. Actually they have let it be known several times, but then, you know that.

Are you a Log Cabin Repub?

Don’t know what that is.

Believe Bush was at 24% approval when he went out. Repub Party has never been this low.

Actually, GWB’s low was in Oct 08, see comment above this one that at the same point in his presidency GWB was at 62.5 compared to O’s 37. O has just started his slide, the bottom is a long way down for him. Just wait til he doesn’t grant the KIA military their death benefits.

@Richard Wheeler:

As is typical, you blast the Admin. for the Trespassing arrests, as if Obama himself applied the handcuffs. Then you take a breath and decide arrests were warranted because you don’t like the protestors.

Ha! You noticed that too, Rich? She should try doing a better job pretending her opinions are based on facts and such.

fact from pelosi, SHE SAID THE president let the illegals come, the VETERANS ARE VERY ANGRY TO HAVE THEIR PLACE SHOT AND ACROSS IS MULTIPLE THOUSANDS ILLEGALS ALLOWED IN THE PLACE, they have commited a crime by coming illegaly
FACT YES, FILTHY FACTS,
THE VETERANS ARE COMING TO WASHINGTON IN A MILLION VETERANS MARCH,
every thing is obama decisions, you should know that,
OBAMA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 5 DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN
BECAUSE HE IS A BAD COMMANDER IN CHIEF MAKING WRONG DECISIONS, AND REFUSE TO PAY THE FAMILY WHAT IS RIGHTLY THEIRS, NOW THEY TRY TO COVER HIM UP,
IT SOUND LIKE the BENGHASI HEROS EXPECTING HELP WHICH NEVER CAME, BECAUSE OF OBAMA MORE INTERESTED IN HIS ELECTION.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE,