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Tim Coffey's avatar

I'm at the point where I say, "bring it on". The base wants the spectacle, so give it to them, along with all the other consequences a shutdown will bring.

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Linda Oliver's avatar

I’m about at the “bring it on” point, too.

Bring Hunter Biden in manacles onto the floor of the Senate to stand before Gym Jordan.

“Explain yourself, why you and your father should be allowed to live! Silence! Senator Hawley, take him away! Speaker McCarthy, do you have something to add?”

“Yes! President Biden is hereby impeached, found unanimously guilty, and demanded to vacate the White House premises within the next 24 hours! The business of government is hereby concluded, let the government shutdown begin”!

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knowltok's avatar

"The evidence before the court is

Incontrovertible, there's no need for

The jury to retire.

In all my years of judging

I have never heard before

Of someone more deserving

Of the full penalty of law"

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TW Falcon's avatar

I have become comfortably numb.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

I just got a flashback

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knowltok's avatar

Bad trip?

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Tim Coffey's avatar

At least this spectacle will further humiliate McCarthy.

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Mike Lew's avatar

Emotionally and morally, I agree 100%. Unfortunately, a lot of innocent people will get caught up in it too. Need an expedited passport? Forget it. Waiting on a permit to start construction? Too bad. Taking away day-to-day useful government services is not the message that the GOP really wabts sent.

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Robert Jaffee's avatar

I’ve been waiting eight months just for Homeland Security to process my Global Entry application renewal. I already went through the process, including an interview with customs.

I’d hate to see what happens when my passport expires and I need to renew.

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Mike Lew's avatar

Easy, just blame Biden! [Yes, I'm kidding.]

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JF's avatar

Maybe a shut down is a useful reminder of how the “deep state” is part of our daily functioning as a society, before they blow it up for good, if they prevail in 2024.

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Daniel Appleton's avatar

The Party of Obstruction lives for this toxic, negative crap.

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Tim Coffey's avatar

I'm not sure about that, Mike. You have to remember that the elected GOP hates its base, so someone like MTG doesn't give a fuck if one of her constituents can't get an expedited passport. The goal of the MTGs of the world is to destroy the government.

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GlenD's avatar

I have a hard time imagining anyone who would vote for MTG ever needing a passport or even knowing what one is needed for.

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max skinner's avatar

What about getting a Social Security disability hearing? That system is ossified anyway but a shut down would make it worse. While some think everyone who applies for it is a layabout liar, there are disabled people who truly need it. MTG's followers may be among them.

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GlenD's avatar

Precisely. My wife was diagnosed with a still-undetermined form of Parkinsonism (a spectrum of diseases related to Parkinson's disease but with differing symptoms) in 2020 and had to apply for disability at the age of 59 because she was no longer able to safely and competently handle the demands and responsibilities of her profession as a family nurse practitioner. She submitted the application in March or April of that year with reams of documentation from physicians and psychologists, lab and MRI results, in addition to phone calls to the Medicare reviewer. We finally got the determination of approval of benefits for her in October, and that was considered fast. A huge percentage of applicants are denied and end up having to rely on the expensive help of attorney's to successfully resubmit their claims. We are fortunate to have had the financial reserves to get by for all those months. Most folks aren't so lucky, and having to deal with ballooning debts piled on top of physical and mental distress is a recipe for disaster.

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Tim Coffey's avatar

There's that.

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Mike Lew's avatar

Yeah, but in the long run this tactic reminds folks why we have a government. Short term: destruction. Long term: oh yeah, I'm glad SSA took my phone call.

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Tim Coffey's avatar

But only if said folks are rational actors who value and possess critical thinking.

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Mike Lew's avatar

That's the trick, isn't it? :)

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Tim Coffey's avatar

Yup. So, like I said, bring it on. Give the people exactly what they want, even -- or perhaps especially -- it'll make their lives worse.

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