The Fiscal Cliff

[Moliere]

Please tell me that you rode your bike. No commute should take that long unless you are running or riding.

Big accident on the freeway this morning....and even though the accident was in the north bound lane, both the HOV and south bound lanes were at a crawl

On a brighter note, I made my way through 1.5 episodes of Breaking Bad season 2, so I can't say I minded the pile up.

[byu71]

It's amazing how little the federal government affects my life and how much I have to pay for it. Then again, I haven't yet left the house today.

A lot of money is spent on benefits for a relatively small percentage of Americans. Take for instance the national parks. If you divide total American time available, how much of the time is spent in the national parks? Also, shouldn't the parks be making money? We should charge enough to enter the parks to pay for the cost of running them.

I would rather go golfing than to a national park. If visitors to the national parks are being subsidized by the government, why shouldn't I be subsidized for my choices?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

It's amazing how little the federal government affects my life and how much I have to pay for it. Then again, I haven't yet left the house today.

If/when the federal courts shut down, it will impact me. But I think a lot of people will be surprised at how little impact the shutdown has on their lives.

[byu71]

If/when the federal courts shut down, it will impact me. But I think a lot of people will be surprised at how little impact the shutdown has on their lives.

The media is going to have such a huge role in this. The media if they can help it will not let the public think it has little impact on their lives. They will pull out story after story of people getting hurt. It's like they report plane crashes but fail to mention how little impact they have on the population in general.

The media will also repeat the phrase (republican shutdown) over and over. I saw a poll where 46% were going to blame the republican in Congress, 36 or 38% the democrats in congress and 13% the President. Are those really numbers to come to the conclusion the public blames the republicans?

I would love nothing more than to see this backfire like a Roman candle right up Harry Reid's butt. He has now entered the Barbara Boxer realm of politicians that make me want to puke.

[venkman]

I had a call with my staff in London and I mentioned that it took me 90 minutes to get to work today. She figured it was due to the government shutting down. I guess it's being billed as a big deal in foreign countries. Funny that it really has no material effect in the US. Even gov't workers that don't have to go to work will likely receive back pay for their time off, so it's really just a round about gov't strike.

Assuming you're not living paycheck to paycheck, a government shutdown for government workers would be awesome. Paid vacation!

[TripletDaddy]

The media is going to have such a huge role in this. The media if they can help it will not let the public think it has little impact on their lives. They will pull out story after story of people getting hurt. It's like they report plane crashes but fail to mention how little impact they have on the population in general.

The media will also repeat the phrase (republican shutdown) over and over. I saw a poll where 46% were going to blame the republican in Congress, 36 or 38% the democrats in congress and 13% the President. Are those really numbers to come to the conclusion the public blames the republicans?

I would love nothing more than to see this backfire like a Roman candle right up Harry Reid's butt. He has now entered the Barbara Boxer realm of politicians that make me want to puke.

lol. you want to see Harry Reid's butt with a roman candle in it??

[byu71]

Someone said we are losing 1 million per day by having the Grand Canyon shut down. Really? I would love to have the progressive politician or pundit who said that availabe to answer a question. WHY did we shut it down then if we are making money on it???????????? Surely the Parks Service has the flexibility to keep some parks open IF WE ARE MAKING MONEY.

I either call BS or it is more proof of the lack of thinking goes on in the government.

[Flystripper]

Someone said we are losing 1 million per day by having the Grand Canyon shut down. Really? I would love to have the progressive politician or pundit who said that availabe to answer a question. WHY did we shut it down then if we are making money on it???????????? Surely the Parks Service has the flexibility to keep some parks open IF WE ARE MAKING MONEY.

I either call BS or it is more proof of the lack of thinking goes on in the government.

Its probably a million in revenue not a million in profit.

[byu71]

Its probably a million in revenue not a million in profit.

Again this would be in line with a progressives thought pattern.

We buy widgets at $20 a widget and sell them for $15. How are we going to make a profit? We will just sell more of them.

[Jacob]

A lot of money is spent on benefits for a relatively small percentage of Americans. Take for instance the national parks. If you divide total American time available, how much of the time is spent in the national parks? Also, shouldn't the parks be making money? We should charge enough to enter the parks to pay for the cost of running them.

I would rather go golfing than to a national park. If visitors to the national parks are being subsidized by the government, why shouldn't I be subsidized for my choices?

I didn't realize the government was shut down for 4 weeks in the 90s. No negative effects on my family.

As for the parks. I don't understand why the close. They shouldn't.

[byu71]

CNN headline" CNN poll GOP to receive brunt of shut down blame. 46% GOP, 13% Obama, 36% dems. Last I hear Obama is a dem. aren't the dems receiving the majority of the blame. Heck even as partisan as I am, I wouldn't even be so bias as to claim 49% to 46% rises to the level of "brunt". What progressive on here claimed in a reply to me that the main stream media is not "bias". I think it was Cali or Virginiacougar. Why would guys so smart be so succeptible to making assinine statements?

[BigPiney]

I didn't realize the government was shut down for 4 weeks in the 90s. No negative effects on my family.

As for the parks. I don't understand why the close. They shouldn't.

Are they locking the gates? I love the idea of going up into Yosemite without pesky backcountry rangers. No permits!!

[VirginiaCougar]

CNN headline" CNN poll GOP to receive brunt of shut down blame. 46% GOP, 13% Obama, 36% dems. Last I hear Obama is a dem. aren't the dems receiving the majority of the blame. Heck even as partisan as I am, I wouldn't even be so bias as to claim 49% to 46% rises to the level of "brunt". What progressive on here claimed in a reply to me that the main stream media is not "bias". I think it was Cali or Virginiacougar. Why would guys so smart be so succeptible to making assinine statements?

That is funny. It isn't big bad CNN out to get the GOP because of its deeply embedded bias. I am surprised at low indoctrinated that argument is within the far right. Anything away from the narrative and you get that. Look, even the primary GOP pollsters are saying the same thing. Go back and look at Rove and a number of others said - this was a DUMB idea to begin with and remains one. It will harm the GOP just like it did in 1996, where it can be argued that it impacted GOP Congressional elections for 2-3 cycles. It didn't have to happen.

Beyond the poll numbers, it is bad and harmful to Constitutional governance. There is a place to debate, approve, change, and remove legislation. It isn't at the end by holding the entire US government hostage to avoid the appropriate legislative process. You don't get to say, "we didn't get our way so nobody gets funding previously approved by the appropriate legislative process until ..."

If I ever hear Lee or Cruz talk about Constitutional governance again, after this little fiasco, they should have their mouths washed out with soap and be forced to write a la Bart Simpson "I don't understand Constitutional Governance" 5000 times on a blackboard.

[VirginiaCougar]

I didn't realize the government was shut down for 4 weeks in the 90s. No negative effects on my family.

As for the parks. I don't understand why the close. They shouldn't.

Why wouldn't the parks close? The shutdown removes (with just a few specific exceptions) the governments ability to pay any of its bills, regardless of whether the agency is financially self-sufficent or not. Another example, this weekend's Air Force vs. Navy Football game is cancelled because the travel and stadium costs can't be incurred, even if the football program were to generate sufficient revenue.

It is why a government shutdown is such a bad way to push a policy disagreement. You put at risk the full faith and credit of the US all for a narrow political disagreement.

[Jeff Lebowski]

There is no way that National Parks are financially self-sufficient. No way.