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Republicans Shut Down the Federal Government Again & Suffer Humiliating Defeat

This press conference has a "Billy Madison explains the Industrial Revolution" quality to it assuming Billy was senile.
 
Government scientist are now applying for unemployment benefits:

 
Newenglanddeac said:
This is fucked up.
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NED, I'm curious. Did you only start to feel this way during the Trump presidency? Like, if the Republican party had nominated Bush or Cruz, would you have been so critical of the underlying GOP dynamics that obstructed the Obama administration and are justifying this mess? I'm sorry if you have already answered. I'm just interested.
 
Millions face delayed tax refunds, cuts to food stamps as Trump administration scrambles to understand shutdown's consequences (WaPo news alert)


Food stamps for 38 million low-income Americans face severe reductions and more than $140 billion in tax refunds are at risk of being frozen or delayed if the government shutdown stretches into February — widespread disruptions that threaten to hurt the economy.

The Trump administration, which had not anticipated a long-term shutdown, recognized only this week the breadth of the potential impact, several senior officials said. The officials said they’re focused now on understanding the scope of the consequences and determining whether there is anything they can do to intervene
 
birdman said:
Government scientist are now applying for unemployment benefits:

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I know a Park biologist that is having to take a second job during the shutdown.
 
Strickland33 said:
NED, I'm curious. Did you only start to feel this way during the Trump presidency? Like, if the Republican party had nominated Bush or Cruz, would you have been so critical of the underlying GOP dynamics that obstructed the Obama administration and are justifying this mess? I'm sorry if you have already answered. I'm just interested.
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No worries...I’ve adressed it a couple of times before but obviously it’s impossible to follow everything on this board.

I started to become disillusioned with the GOP back in ‘08-‘09 when Obama was elected and then the subsequent rise of the Tea Party. I was working for the party back then. Watching some of my colleagues (not all) buy into the birtherism bullshit and the narrative that Obama was a socialist anti-Christ just felt egregiously intellectually dishonest and inauthentic to me.

Then 2010-on really pissed me off. Between Mitch von Hindenberg’s comment about making Obama a one-term president, Ted Cruz’s obstructionist grandstanding and the batshit Tea Party who basically overthrew Boehner...I was pretty much emotionally detached from the party. Although I still voted for Romney in 2012 (thought he would be good at the job...not out of protest against Obama).

Then 2016 was the final nail in my GOP coffin. At first, I actually feared a Ted Cruz presidency (due to his obstructionist and partisan tactics) more than Trump but that quickly changed. A Jeb Bush presidency would have definitely been more palatable and likely would have resulted in me not being nearly as outspoken as I am now...but I assume I would have still felt uneasy with the party, especially if douchebags like Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan and the entire intellectually dishonest right wing media echo chamber still had a big influence over party politics.
 
Newenglanddeac said:
No worries...I’ve adressed it a couple of times before but obviously it’s impossible to follow everything on this board.

I started to become disillusioned with the GOP back in ‘08-‘09 when Obama was elected and then the subsequent rise of the Tea Party. I was working for the party back then. Watching some of my colleagues (not all) buy into the birtherism bullshit and the narrative that Obama was a socialist anti-Christ just felt egregiously intellectually dishonest and inauthentic to me.

Then 2010-on really pissed me off. Between Mitch von Hindenberg’s comment about making Obama a one-term president, Ted Cruz’s obstructionist grandstanding and the batshit Tea Party who basically overthrew Boehner...I was pretty much emotionally detached from the party. Although I still voted for Romney in 2012 (thought he would be good at the job...not out of protest against Obama).

Then 2016 was the final nail in my GOP coffin. At first, I actually feared a Ted Cruz presidency (due to his obstructionist and partisan tactics) more than Trump but that quickly changed. A Jeb Bush presidency would have definitely been more palatable and likely would have resulted in me not being nearly as outspoken as I am now...but I assume I would have still felt uneasy with the party, especially if douchebags like Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan and the entire intellectually dishonest right wing media echo chamber still had a big influence over party politics.
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That's interesting. Thanks for sharing. Where do you see yourself politically now? Do you still work in politics? I take it that you'll cast another #nevertrump protest vote in 2020, but do you see yourself re-joining the GOP someday, joining whatever new moderate faction coalesces post-2020, or voting for centrist candidates in either party?
 
oh classic Pub saying they’d be “uneasy”, thought you’d be better than that NED. You’re a Romney in George Conway’s clothing.*

*just in case people don’t get it, this is a joke, NED is good people
 
At Trump's press conference today, a reporter asked Trump "What is the safety net for federal workers...[and] those who need SSI, those who need Medicaid?" Trump's reply? "The safety net will be having a strong border because we will be safe." In other words, I don't give a shit about federal workers or people who need benefits, I just want my big, beautiful wall. Democrats should start publicizing it right away whenever he says stuff like that, including commercials. The RNC is apparently already running ads attacking freshman Dem House members who voted for Pelosi for Speaker when they said they wouldn't, Dems should respond with direct Trump quotes like the one from today.
 
Highland Deac said:
At Trump's press conference today, a reporter asked Trump "What is the safety net for federal workers...[and] those who need SSI, those who need Medicaid?" Trump's reply? "The safety net will be having a strong border because we will be safe." In other words, I don't give a shit about federal workers or people who need benefits, I just want my big, beautiful wall. Democrats should start publicizing it right away whenever he says stuff like that, including commercials. The RNC is apparently already running ads attacking freshman Dem House members who voted for Pelosi for Speaker when they said they wouldn't, Dems should respond with direct Trump quotes like the one from today.
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This man really deserves the guillotine.
 
Listened to a little RW radio and the guy was simulataneously talking about the low unemployment rate while saying that no one is really feeling the impact of the shutdown and how much money we would save if we just laid off the furloughed workers.
 
Strickland33 said:
That's interesting. Thanks for sharing. Where do you see yourself politically now? Do you still work in politics? I take it that you'll cast another #nevertrump protest vote in 2020, but do you see yourself re-joining the GOP someday, joining whatever new moderate faction coalesces post-2020, or voting for centrist candidates in either party?
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Anytime. My hope is that sharing my political evolution may encourage other Republicans to take a step back and do the same (or at least question their beliefs).

I consider myself a radical centrist today (still lean slightly right). I want to keep taxes as low as possible because I think on the aggregate - consumers and companies generally do a better job of allocating resources than the government. However, I have no issue with raising taxes/revenue to pay down debt, pay for legitimate expenditures, control for unintended costs the market can’t control and mitigate the dangers of income inequality.

Same goes for foreign policy...I default to interventionism (via trade, military and diplomacy) in an effort to further our goals, protect our national security and encourage the adoption of liberal democratic values (small l and d). That being said, this needs to be done cautiously and prudently so I definitely do not condone the US intervening in every conflict that arises.

Basically, I support looking at issues in the context of the timeframe we’re in and the challenges we face. Sometimes you pull the tax cut lever, sometimes you pull the government spending lever, other times you pull the tax raising lever. We shouldn’t be handcuffing ourselves by signing pledges (fuck you Grover Norquist) or subscribing to ideological purity tests.

Politically, unless the Democrats begin conspiring with foreign adversaries to interfere in American elections, I don’t think I will ever vote for another Republican at the federal level. It would have to be someone in the mold of McCain, Romney or Charlie Baker for me to even consider it. And even if a moderate R returns to the top of the presidential ticket, I don’t think the GOP deserves to have any power in Washington until they take a time out for a long long time. The party needs to be destroyed before it can be rebuilt. I voted straight D in ‘18 (except for Baker) and plan to do the same (or vote for indies) in ‘20 and beyond.

I no longer work in politics but have had an itch to get back in since this recent fiasco.

Sorry for the long-winded answer. It’s margarita night (rocks and salt...not frozen) in the NED batcave and the words are flowing.
 
AsesinoDeTortugas said:
oh classic Pub saying they’d be “uneasy”, thought you’d be better than that NED. You’re a Romney in George Conway’s clothing.*

*just in case people don’t get it, this is a joke, NED is good people
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Lol. George Conway is quickly becoming my nevertrump resistance hero. Dude is either itching for a divorce (who wouldnt be if you’re married to KAC) or he and KAC have a pact so KAC can at least show her face again in DC after this disaster is over.
 
BarcaDeac said:
Listened to a little RW radio and the guy was simulataneously talking about the low unemployment rate while saying that no one is really feeling the impact of the shutdown and how much money we would save if we just laid off the furloughed workers.
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Much of Trump's rural, small-town base is probably delighted to see urban, college-educated government workers suffering. That'll show 'em - now they know how those of us in Podunk have to live!
 
Newenglanddeac said:
This is fucked up.
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Yes, it is. This woman is a PhD scientist, who gave up a tenured position at the University of Alabama to join the NSF to chair the integrative biology program. Now she is having to sign up for unemployment benefits because no one knows when this charade will be over and scientists have mortgages and car payments and shit.
 
Radical centrist. Holy shit that’s good stuff.
 
Does being furloughed even qualify for unemployment? I thought I read the employees get back pay on here (I have no idea if that’s true). Is it basically a free vacation or are these people straight fucked outta cash?
 
palmab03 said:
Does being furloughed even qualify for unemployment? I thought I read the employees get back pay on here (I have no idea if that’s true). Is it basically a free vacation or are these people straight fucked outta cash?
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Traditionally, Congress votes for the Federal Employees to receive back pay, but it's not guaranteed and it wouldn't surprise me if Congress eventually refuses to do it someday. Federal contractors and partner organizations that close don't get back pay from a shutdown.
 
Highland Deac said:
Much of Trump's rural, small-town base is probably delighted to see urban, college-educated government workers suffering. That'll show 'em - now they know how those of us in Podunk have to live!
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Likewise, they have no problem hearing that those mooches getting SSI and Medicaid will have to suck it up for a while. Until the bill comes from Shady Pines Nursing Home and Grandma's Medicaid is nowhere to be found.
 
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