Obama, Boehner, and McConnell spend another Trillion Dollars

A short history of Government Shutdowns.

( Theme song for the night )
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIdPPVkkHYs

Politics makes for strange bedfellows they say and no more than tonight. Who would of "thunk" Senator Mike Lee and Representative Nancy Pelosi would find themselves on the same side of an vote? They both have different reasons but still, it's a sight to see.

Please take a few minutes to read a little history on government shutdowns, if only to inform yourself for conversations you may have with your friends tomorrow.

Shutting Down Government – Newsletter Article
Article for Newsletter
10 Dec 2014


In his victory speech after winning his seat in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, Republican, Senate Minority Leader, soon to be the Senate Majority Leader, flatly stated he would not shut the government down. The Republican leadership, which includes House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, has taken the same position of not wanting to "shutdown the government".  The history of “shutting the government down” shows that the phrase lacks any real impact.

Last Government Shutdown.
The last and longest government shutdown in American history was when Democrat Bill Clinton was President and Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the Republican Congress in November 1995 and in December 1995 through to January 1996. The clash over the 1996 budget caused a government shutdown for six days in the first shutdown and for 21 days during the second shutdown.

Eleven Government Shutdowns
The government has shutdown (partially) a total of 11 times since 1980; the fiscal year 1996 budget battle included two lengthy shutdowns. To avoid or end a government shutdown, the president or Congress must pass either the regular appropriation bill or a continuing resolution or C.R.

JIMMY CARTER – Granddaddy of Shutdowns
The whole concept of shutting down the government over a budget, appropriation bills, or continuing resolution, started with President Jimmy Carter.[1] The following list shows the number of times Carter had the Government “shutdown”.
 

• September 30 to October 11, 1976 (10 days)
• September 30 to October 13, 1977 (12 days)
• October 31 to November 9, 1977 (8 days)
• November 30 to December 9, 1977 (8 days)
• September 30 to October 18, 1978 (18 days
• September 30 to October 12, 1979 (11 days)
  
  RONALD REAGAN
  Throughout the 1980s, during the Ronald Reagan administration, the government spent most time on the brink of government “shutdowns”, as follows:[2]
   
• November 20 to November 23, 1981 (2 days)
• September 30 to October 2, 1982 (1 day)
• December 17 to December 21, 1982 (3 days)
• November 10 to November 14, 1983 (3 days)
• September 30 to October 3, 1984 (2 days)
• October 3 to October 5, 1984 (1 day)
• October 16 to October 18, 1986 (1 day)
• December 18 to December 20, 1987 (1 day)
  
  Reagan cast his first veto and briefly shutdown the government in a pattern that would repeat itself much of the next six years (and which was repeated most dramatically during Bill Clinton’s presidency in 1995).
  
  The Republican’s threat of not wanting to cause a “shutdown” amounts to little more than a diversion, an excuse for not taking action to defund President Obama’s unconstitutional executive action last month that would delay the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants and also defund agencies that enforce Mr. Obama’s unconstitutional immigration action.
  
  The fact is that Republicans want illegal immigration, as Republican George Bush wanted it, as his brother Jeb Bush and others want it, in spite of overwhelming voter support for taking action.  The Republicans are using the straw man of "government shutdown" as an excuse because they agree with Obama on shutdown. Romney agrees with it. The Chamber of Commerce agrees with it. Liberals, both Republican and Democrats want illegal immigration. The Republican establishment actually doesn't want to stop Obama on illegal immigration reform.
  
  Government Shutdown Is Merely Symbolic
  The reality is that a "government shutdown" is symbolic, not a reality; it amounts to defunding about 10% of the government on a temporary basis. Almost all of the government will keep running during a “shutdown”, as follows:
   
• Social Security is still operating and checks are going out.
• Welfare checks are still going out.
• The Defense Department will still be operating.
• State and local police will be working.
• Civil Servants will either be getting paid or will be back-paid after the so called "shutdown" is over, which is what has happened in the past.

What Does Get Shutdown?
What does get shutdown is the park ranger at the gate, who is laid off (temporarily with back pay coming).  This has the effect that visitors cannot get in to see the WWII memorial as when Barack Obama closed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II memorial and White House tours.  While a nuisance, it is not earth shattering.  Rather, it shows an arrogant indifference for the citizens for the country, veterans, and visitors from other countries. Is Congress still getting paid, even if with back pay?

Nothing Happened
Nothing of consequence has ever happened with any many so called government shutdowns, whether under presidents Carter, Reagan, or Clinton. In fact, a government shutdown amounts to “double speak” for nothing will happen except more illegals will come it. People that depend on the government get government services.

For the Republican leadership letting in illegals satisfies their campaign contributors so they can get cheap labor. Democrats want it for the same reason for they support big business as well.  Notice that in 2010, Republicans won in landslide; Democrat lost in a landslide. The same in 2014. The Democrats taken big losses in two recent elections, and the Republicans running around like fools saying the American people are not going to like them if they :shutdown the government".
This American people are demanding that the Republicans stop Obama.  The “government shutdown”, in two words, is a “straw man”, a phony argument made by the Republican establishment. Get ready to for tea parties to run candidates against the Republican establishment in the next election. Ever hear of Eric Cantor?
 

 

 

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[1] Budget Showdown: Q & A – How Many Times in US History has the Government Shutdown Over the Budget?, https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/how-many-times-us-history-government-shutdown-budget/ .

[2] Budget Showdown: Q & A – How Many Times in US History has the Government Shutdown Over the Budget?, https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/how-many-times-us-history-government-shutdown-budget/ .


 Yesterday, these nine leaders voted for a 1,603-page omnibus spending bill that forces American taxpayers to pay for the amnesty.

They didn't even allow a vote to defund the president's unlawful action!

1. John Boehner (R-OH), Speaker of the House
2. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Majority Leader
3. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip
4. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Chief Deputy Whip
5. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Conference Chairwoman
6. Greg Walden (R-OR), NRCC Chairman
7. Luke Messer (R-IN), Policy Committee Chairman
8. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Appropriations Committee Chairman
9. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Rules Committee Chairman

These leaders betrayed their campaign promises as well as their oaths to support and defend the Constitution. Now, they must be held accountable.

The omnibus bill also fully funds Obamacare, increases wasteful spending, and includes an earmark that gives the DC establishment an even greater advantage in campaigns against conservative candidates.

The bill was so bad that Republican leaders had to rely on 57 Democrats to pass it. President Obama even whipped votes in support of the bill.