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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Congressional Republicans are Sweating Over Ryan
Imagine that you are a U.S. citizen wearing a T-shirt to your local bar. One of those nasty ones that pictures a democratic politician such as Clinton or Obama in the crosshairs.
Good for a few laughs and a few scowls depending upon who else is standing at the bar, but no big deal. Right?
Now, imagine that suddenly, out of the blue, you get transported to DC across the street from the White House, wearing that same shirt, with a semi automatic rifle in your hands. Suddenly, the shirt is no longer a laughing (or scowling) matter. Suddenly, there are real consequences to wearing that shirt.
This is what has happened to Congressional Republicans. They thought they could get away with voting for Ryan's bill to destroy Medicare, because everyone knew it was a symbolic vote. With the Senate and the White House in Democratic hands, that bill was going nowhere except into the paper shredder. And the vote was a great way to pander to the banks and the health insurance industry and the Tea Party.
But now that Paul Ryan is on the Republican presidential ticket, the bill which every single House Republican (except four) supported is like an albatross around the party's neck. In case you missed the MSM coverage of the bill (because there was next to none) the Ryan Bill would eliminate Medicare and replace it with vouchers to allow us to buy health insurance on the "open market"---a market which has no interest in insuring seniors with health problems, meaning the vouchers would be worthless scraps of paper, and the nations elderly would go back to dying in the streets the way that the Christian Coalition God intended them to.
So, in effect, Congressional Republicans now find themselves standing on the White House lawn, armed with semi automatic rifles and wearing t-shirts with Medicare in the cross hairs. Right in time for this fall's election.
"It's not fair," thinks the freshman GOP congressman."We didn't come to Washington to write legislation. We came to get in Obama's way. We got in his way---and now they want to hold us accountable for the legislation we tried to pass. Is writing legislation even in our job description as Congressmen? Why the hell should we take responsibility for our actions. Everything is Obama's fault! He made Ryan write the bill. He made us vote for it. Blame Obama!"
Poor Congressional GOP.
wilt the stilt
(4,528 posts)I for one says lets' shoot them.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)That there was the possibilty of a political price to be paid for partisanship and obstructionism. And if they were too stupid to realize that, then they are too stupid to be part of running the country.