The Atlantic - "The Two Basic Facts That Should Be in Every Shutdown Story"

[TomCADem]

The current crisis amply illustrates the corporate media censorship that is going on. The media hides the truth from the public and continues to give the far right cover by convincing Americans that Democrats are equally to blame. For every Democrat that tries to speak the truth, the media will play Ted Cruz on endless loop to offer a countervailing lie. At the end, despite the focus on the shutdown, most media stories fail to illuminate the public as to these two basic facts:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-two-basic-facts-that-should-be-in-every-shutdown-story/280179/

To people who follow politics these two facts are obvious. But they're not part of most "tragedy of gridlock" false-equivalence stories, and I believe they would come as news to most of the public. The two facts are:

1. If the House of Representatives voted on a "clean" budget bill -- one that opened up the closed federal offices but did not attempt to defund the Obama health care program -- that bill would pass, and the shutdown would be over. Nearly all Democrats would vote for it, as would enough Republicans to end the shutdown and its related damage. (And of course it would pass has already passed the Senate, repeatedly, unless the minority dared filibuster it, and would be signed by the president.) For illustrations of the wanton damage, see here and here.

2. So far House Speaker John Boehner has refused to let this vote occur. His Tea Party contingent knows how the vote would go and therefore does not want it to happen; and such is Boehner's fear of them, and fear for his job as Speaker, that he will not let it take place.

These two points are why the normal D.C.-poohbah moanings about the need for compromise do not apply. The Democratic administration, and a sufficient number of Republicans, already agree and are ready enough to compromise to solve this problem. If the normal machinery of democracy were allowed to work, the manufactured crisis would be over. The only reason the senseless damage is being done is that hostage-takers have terrorized members of their own party.

[Cha]

1. Bookmarked! thanks Tom. I know the corp media is Chuck Todding all

the facts about the shutdown and who's to blame and everything else. What I don't know is why?

Why do they want the teabaggers to win out over sanity and make themselves the laughingstock hyenas ?

My sister in NY said today, when I was explaining to her what the teabaggers are doing with the shutdown, that she's getting tired of the "media" manipulating the news. This is from a teacher who doesn't follow politics and doesn't watch the news that much.

She's smart and perceptive.. but, I can't imagine she's the only one out there. I reminded her again that I stopped watching it in 2002.. and I can tell they've only gotten worse.

[Scuba]

2. Kick

[davidpdx]

3. Kick and 30th record

Which will put it back on top of the greatest thread page.

[gtar100]

4. Why isn't this shouted from the rooftop of all media

and by all our elected Democratic officials? If this is true, it clearly shows our government has been taken hostage by a minority of the representatives.

Once again, it shows republicans cannot succeed when they have to play by the rules. They are afraid of a fair fight.

[randr]

5. Is it possible that Boehner has given the teabaggers all the rope they need

to hang themselves? Will we see Boehner and what is left of sensible Republicans come together on a floor vote once the public has realized the teabaggers are totally to blame. Will that cut the legs out from under Cruz and gang, as some Republicans have expressed interest in? With the teabaggers tied around their necks, the Republicans do not stand a chance in the next two elections. While most teabaggers are locked into fixed districts the remaining Republicans are under threat of primary challenges from their so called party members. They either separate themselves from this pack of idiots or face extinction.

[Jakes Progress]

6. That's cause they are republicans.

They don't like the word democracy. Sounds too much like democrat.

[Stuart G]

7. k & r thanks for posting..... nt

[Squinch]

8. Kick. Why isn't everyone reporting this?????

[ctsnowman]

9. K & R

[underpants]

10. Now he is now holding THEM hostage-scared of the primaries

Simple as that

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. EarlG following your lead. This graphic says it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017149114

[SansACause]

12. They can't filibuster it.

It's a financial matter, so only a simple 50 vote plus VP vote would pass it. That's how Obamacare was enacted.

[JDPriestly]

13. K&R. These facts are undisputed. And they prove that the problem lies entirely with John

Boehner and his failure to manage the Republican Party.

His drinking problem is way out of control, and that is why he can't lead the Republicans in the House.

Alcoholism indicates a lack of self-control. When you can't control yourself, your emotions (to a reasonable extent), others do not respect you, and you cannot lead them.

I had the misfortune to work for two bosses (at different companies) who had serious or had had serious drinking problems. Same issues. They were overly emotional, quixotic, temperamental. Had poor judgment. Did not handle money or company policies well. Both companies dissolved within a couple of years after I left them.

My bosses did not just drink too much, too often and at the wrong times, but they spent too much, bought things way beyond their means and, of course, went broke.

It's very sad. We make so much of a national issue over drug abuse. But alcohol abuse is more common, causes so many personal and social problems and is accepted as an inevitability.

I hope the new healthcare insurance law will give more people the opportunity to get help for their substance abuse. It is a health problem. No wonder Boehner doesn't like the ACA. He needs help, and no has no excuse not to get it. (I know. He has had insurance all along. But with the ACA, there is no excuse not to use his insurance. Almost everyone will have it.)