4 ms·
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by anadem 11mo ago
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- GiorgioG 11mo agoCongress is still supposed to do its job.
- drooby 11mo agoBy impeaching and removing him, yes
- georgemcbay 11mo agoHalf of Congress clearly believes its job is to do whatever the gangster says.
- dfxm12 11mo agoHouse Republicans have been refusing to show up for work for over a month, while still collecting a paycheck. They expect air traffic controllers, et al. to work for free.
- trelane 11mo ago[flagged]
- tekno45 11mo agoisnt that the minority leader?
- SilverElfin 11mo ago[flagged]
- Trasmatta 11mo agoThe Republican party has the power to negotiate with the Democrats at any point and reopen the government. This is a Republican shutdown, through and through.
- trelane 11mo ago... and conversely, so do Democrats. Amazingly, Republicans were also blamed when the sides were reversed. If you're determined to blame someone, it is always possible to find a way to phrase things so it's their fault.
- danaris 11mo ago> Amazingly, Republicans were also blamed when the sides were reversed. Because again and again, it is Republicans who show they are uninterested in governance, while Democrats demonstrate their commitment to it—even if they are sometimes bad at it.
- CamperBob2 11mo agoThe Republicans hold sway over all three branches of government. They can reopen the government anytime they wish. Why do you suppose they're not doing that?
- trelane 11mo agoIt requires 60 votes, and the Republicans don't have enough of a majority, even if they were to all vote with the party. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5588295-spending-bill-government-shutdown-vote/ https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5588295-spending-bill-go...
- herufang 11mo agoIt does not require 60 votes. 60 votes is just a convention that republicans are choosing to abide by. The republicans could pass a funding bill tomorrow with a simple 50 vote majority, but they are choosing not to because it makes it easier to blame democrats (which you are falling for hook, line, sinker).
- Trasmatta 11mo agoNo, they cannot pass it with a 50 vote majority unless they end the filibuster. Ending the filibuster does not currently have support in the Republican congress, because of the intense political risks associated with that.
- herufang 11mo agoSo the republicans have the power to do a thing but are choosing not to do a thing? Yea, that’s exactly what I said.
- Trasmatta 11mo agoI don't think you understand the implications of ending the filibuster if you think this is just about convention, or "making it easier to blame the Democrats". Trump would love to end the filibuster, but the Republican congress is having to think very hard about what it would mean for them if and when the Democrats retake control of the Senate.
- tjpnz 11mo agoSounds like he's asking for a compromise and the other side is refusing to give an inch.
- Trasmatta 11mo agoExactly this. The Republican party is refusing to negotiate and compromise, and somehow it's the Democrats fault for not just completely capitulating?
- ModernMech 11mo agoInsofar as Schumer has the power to block the funding, Senate Republicans have the power to unblock Schumer's block. They just don't want to use it, because they feel it would not be politically advantageous in the future. The problem they have now is, at the end of the day, voters understand the buck stops at Resolute desk, and Schumer is not sitting there.
- Trasmatta 11mo agoYeah, they could end the filibuster, but they're terrified of what that would mean if and when Democrats take control of the Senate again. The Republican party plans to never leave power again, but they're not actually confident they can pull it off. If they were, the filibuster would be gone already. Last night's election was a good example of why that scares them.
- terminalshort 11mo ago> voters understand the buck stops at Resolute desk They do think that, but it's an incredibly stupid way to think about the US government. The president isn't a dictator.
- ModernMech 11mo agoWith great power comes great responsibility. If the most powerful person in the world doesn't bear ultimate responsibility when the party he controls can't fund the government he runs, who else is responsible? It doesn't matter he's not a dictator, he's POTUS, he's the leader. The throne comes equipped with a sword dangling above it. Past presidents understood assuming ultimate responsibility is in the job description, and voters understand it as well. Maybe you think it's incredibly stupid, but I think it's a hallmark of a great leader to assume ultimate responsibility, especially when negative outcomes are not in his control. Conversely, I think weak, feckless leaders pass the buck to subordinates and/or opponents.
- terminalshort 11mo agoPast presidents tried their best to weasel their way out of any responsibility for things going wrong and blame the other side for everything. That's being a politician. The only difference is that the power levels on Trump's reality distortion field are miles past what anyone thought possible in 2015.
- trelane 11mo agoThat is the joke, yes.
- unethical_ban 11mo agoBoth parties are responsible for the shutdown at this point. The debate is which one is more righteous: the one keeping it shut to prevent millions from having healthcare in sacrifice to the rich, or the side keeping it shut to fight for healthcare affordability for 15.million people and keeping rural hospitals open?
- trelane 11mo agoI am sure a Republican would have an opposite, equally slanted way if phrasing their position.
- deleted 11mo ago[deleted]
- unethical_ban 11mo agoI would love to hear what they could muster, because what I said is truth.
- qotgalaxy 11mo ago[dead]
- lotsofpulp 11mo agoIs it called a hijacking if the majority of passengers support the hijackers?
- op00to 11mo agoThe majority of American citizens do not support the policies of the current administration.
- khazhoux 11mo agoYou must be thinking of the ones that didn't vote? Yeah, they don't count. (voting is how you get counted)
- esseph 11mo agoEven the ones that did vote. They don't seem to support the tariffs, Venezuela/Columbia expeditions, ICE behavior, etc.
- SilverElfin 11mo agoThe current administration won the vote. And in fact the continuing resolutions that would fund the government have majority support in both houses of Congress, by the representatives of American citizens. But it needs 60 votes in Senate not just 50 votes. Right now most Democrat senators (all but 3) are voting against even a clean funding resolution that makes no changes to the pre shutdown status quo.
- runako 11mo ago> needs 60 votes This is a gentle fiction. The GOP has the 51 votes to change this rule by lunchtime tomorrow and proceed to govern according to the mandate they claim. They may choose not to do that, as is their prerogative. But they do not "need" 60 votes according to the Constitution, which is free online to read. One can even search for a 60-vote cloture requirement in the document and its amendments, which are in fact the real governing documents that describe how Congress is required to operate.
- WillPostForFood 11mo agoThe "gangster" wants the government open, republicans in Congress have all voted ~10 times to reopen. How can you not blame the only people voting to keep it closed?
- prh8 11mo agoRepublicans want it open with the conditions, conditions that are unacceptable for the health of society
- cdelsolar 11mo agothey're taking away people's healthcare
- mayneack 11mo agoThe republicans have a clear majority in all three houses. They can reopen if they want to.
- Erem 11mo agoDid any of these 10 votes meaningfully address concerns of the objecting representatives?