Today, October1, 2013, the U. S. Government is on a limited shutdown.
I think it takes a man and character to accept responsibility for his own actions. President Truman had a sign on his desk that said "The Buck Stops Here" because he knew that ultimately he was responsible for what the government did. This president seems to think that "The Buck Passes By Here". He has accepted no responsibility for anything his administration has done. Instead he plays the blame game by blaming the previous administration or republicans. Following his previous tact, he gets on the radio and tv and blamed the republicans, specifically the Tea Party Republicans in the House of Representatives for the government shutdown.
So whose fault is it? Spending bills are supposed to originate in the House. So the House passes a spending bill that de-funds the Affordable Healthcare Act. The Senate passes the bill without the amentment on defunding the Act and it goes back to the House. The House inserts an amendment that delays the implementation of the Health Care Exchanges for one year. The Senate sat on it for a while and rejected it. Both instances, the President said he would veto the bill. So the House passes a bill that it KNOWS the Senate would reject. The Senate rejects the bill KNOWING that the House will try again, but offers no compromise. The President just talks. The President offers no compromises. He's allowed the businesses to delay their implementation until 2014 or 2015, so what's the problem with delaying the exchanges for one more year. Maybe it'd give it enough time for bugs to be worked out. Okay there's the argument that by delaying it, it would keep people who really need the coverage to be another year without it. There has to be a compromise that can be reached that everybody hates but it would be something. It would show that both parties can work together to do the will of their constituents. I heard that from 58% to 70% of the people in this country do NOT want Obamacare). If those figures are correct, then who is doing the will of the people?
I just lose respect for people who, while being part of the problem take no responsibility for their part in the situation. And that's regardless of who they are. I have respect for the Office of the President, but sometimes I have no respect for the man in the office.
I'm not sure that the above makes a lot of sense, but there it is.
***UPDATE October 2, 2013***
Apparently one of the provisions in the bill sent from the House to the Senate on September 30 was to force BOTH houses of Congress to abide by the Affordable Care Act. Meaning they (Congress and it's staff) could not get waivers to opt OUT of ObamaCare. The Senate rejected the bill again.
I thought that was interesting enough to add to this post.
