If you know me personally this may come as a shock to you. When I was in high school I was involved in Drama. I know, I know. Shocking. I, the introvert, the chronically shy person you know, was once somewhat of an extrovert. I had zero acting ability, but I loved hanging out with people who did.
In high school I was involved with a group the school district put together. It was called PRIDE. Pride stood for “Peers Responsible In Drug Education.” It was a lot of fun. We would drive around to other schools, mainly elementary or middle schools, and we would sing, dance and teach workshops on how to “say no” to drugs, have self-esteem, stuff like that. I got to meet and work with kids from other high schools. I made lifetime friends.
One time we were invited to Washington, D.C. to perform in front of the Presidential council. It was REALLY cool.
We had a really full schedule, and one day to sight-see. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Washington, D.C.
On the sightseeing day a group of friends and I walked into “The Banana Republic.” It was maybe the second time in my life I bought myself clothes. The girl who helped me pick out the clothes made me feel smokin’ hot when I was wearing them.
On September 20, this year, at a Ford Stamping plant our “campaigner-n-chief” said “We’re not some banana republic.” Upon hearing these words I found myself in an odd position. I completely agreed with the President. America is definitely NOT a Banana Republic. Have you ever been to the DMV? Most of America dresses like they belong in a leper colony. Definitely not a high fashion retail store.
And then I thought, “Maybe there is something I don’t understand,” so I went to the source of all knowledge: “Wikipedia.” According to Wikipedia a “Banana Republic” is apparently a political term used to describe a country where the political leaders are in cahoots with corporations, where government employees exploit there posts for personal gain or favors, and where the Press is either corrupt or state ran.
Hmmmmm?
In just the last few weeks:
We have World War II vets being turned away from a memorial built in their honor, but a Pro-Amnesty group was still allowed to use the National Mall for a reform rally.
We have a busload of elderly tourist ordered back on the bus at Yellowstone National Park, and then detained at their hotel by armed park rangers. The park rangers were ARMED. (Quick side note: have you ever wondered where park rangers go on vacation to “Get away from it all”?)
We recently had a report of emails from 2012 where the IRS shared confidential taxpayer information with the White House.
On October 8th the President had a press conference. Just days after the disastrous roll-out of Obamacare, any guesses how many questions the press asked the President regarding it? Anyone? Anyone? If you guessed zero you would be right. ZERO questions were asked about the nightmarish start of the biggest social policy program in history. Zero.
Normally, within 36 hours, families of fallen U.S. service members receive a death benefit of $100,000. The night before the shut down a bill was passed to include funding for the military. Five families of loved ones recently killed in Afghanistan were forced to wait for the death benefit because the Pentagon insisted the funding for the military didn’t include death benefits.
So, to recap, we have certain groups allowed to use the National Mall, we have park rangers acting like thugs, the White House and the IRS playing footsies with each other, we have the press in bed with the government, and Washington bureaucrats playing games by delaying benefits.
I’m admittedly not the brightest penny in the pond, but that kinda sounds like a banana republic. At a minimum it appears we are on the road. Or is it just me?
“But Danny,” you whine, “it’s the Republican’s fault for shutting down the government.” Yeah…not so much. Granted, it is being reported that way. And if you listen to the Democrats it’s even worse. Nancy Pelosi said the Republicans are “legislative arsonists”; White House press secretary Jay Carney said the Republicans are engaging in “blatant extortion”, and my personal favorite, senior White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer said the Republicans are trying to negotiate “with a bomb strapped to their chest.” It seems like every time I turn on the TV every Democrat says the same thing, “We refuse to negotiate with a gun being held to our head.”
Gun? What gun?
First, the House Republicans voted to fund all of government, except Obamacare, Obama gasped in horror and Senate Democrats refused to pass it. That started the government shut down.
Then the Republicans said “okay,” voted to fully fund the government, but wanted to delay the implementation of Obamacare for one year. Obama gasped in horror again and Senate Democrats refused to pass it.
Finally, the Republicans voted to fully fund the government, but added a requirement that there be no special waivers for big business, no special waivers for members of Congress and their staff. That everyone live under Obamacare. If anyone gets a waiver then everyone, every individual is eligible to the same waiver. Obama and the Senate Democrats fainted like Victorian virgins, then refused to pass it.
Clearly it’s the Republicans that are effing everything up.
If the Republicans had a brain in their collective head they would say the same thing every time a microphone was in front of their face. “How can Obamacare be the ‘Law of the land’ if certain, hand-picked, privileged groups and individuals, and their families, are exempted? Not murdering is the law of the land, there are no waivers for that. Not stealing is the law of the land, there are no waivers for that. If Obamacare is the law of the land, there should be no waivers.”
Even a “Dancing with the Stars” watching, low information voter will understand that.
(The wife and I love “Dancing with the Stars.”)
LIFEZILLA: Let’s face it. Without ME the internet would just be AWESO
Run for senate. Run for senate. You are right.
Great stuff Danny. Another dose of clarity from Lifezilla.
Love the Stephen Wright reference 😀 (Where do Park Rangers go..)
17 years ago we had a gov shut down with the same sound bites & the same BS. (A lot of the same players were involved back then too except they had more hair & less wrinkles)
Politically, America is a slow learner. Nostalgia, on the other hand, rules!!
…I just can’t get enough …I just can’t get enough!
Oh, Danny…you’re just adorable! You are just so cute sometimes, I can’t even stand it! ( ;
I hate to always be the voice of reason, but really, it is my cross to bear. Brevity is the soul of wit. I will be brief. Let me offer some clarity on the current situation.
Welcome to Obamacare — Capitol Hill style!
It seems that certain Republican politicos are arguing that the Obama administration has given a special subsidy to Congressional members and their staffs who are required to purchase health insurance under the statute. Some Republican politicos are calling it a Capitol Hill exemption from the act. So, what gives? Here’s the true story!!!
When the Obamacare statute was being hammered out in Congress, Republicans added a provision that requires Congressional members and their staffs to purchase insurance from the newly created health insurance exchanges. Currently these federal employees choose their health insurance from a number of health insurance plans offered by their employer, the federal government, the same as other federal employees.
The purpose for the Capitol Hill provision was, “if these new health plans are going to be so great, let’s make Congress use them too!” And the amendment itself wasn’t a terrible idea – you know, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. What nobody paid attention to, unfortunately, is that a large part of the cost of the current health insurance for these federal employees is now being paid for by the government – about 72% in fact. Just like practically every other employer in the United States helps its employees bear some portion of the cost of health insurance offered for its employees. Why didn’t somebody think of this problem? Remember, we’re talking about Congress here!
So, again, in simple terms, here is the question. Was it only the intent of the Obamacare statute to require these Capitol Hill federal employees to buy their insurance through the new health insurance exchanges? Or was it the intent of Congress to give those federal employees a pay cut as well?
The administration made the decision that even though the Capital Hill employees are required to purchase their insurance through the new health insurance exchanges, the act was not designed to cut the pay of these federal employees. That decision was based in part on existing federal legislation, which gives the government the power to help pay for the health insurance of federal employees—a provision that was not terminated by Obamacare. The decision was also based upon a common sense interpretation of what the act was intended to do.
But, lets be honest here. The government shutdown is not about whether or not Congressional employees will be held to the same standard. ha. That is comical. We all know that it has nothing to do with that. I think we owe it to ourselves to be honest about that much. Let’s at least debate the real issue about Republican goals and concerns-that it’s wrong to force people to buy insurance, that our deficit is too high to justify further spending, that Obama is evil and out to destroy the country. Whatever the issue Republicans have with Obamacare, it is certainly not whether or not they, or their staffers will be bound by it. Get serious. They have private insurance. Obamacare is a program for the uninsured. No Congressman or woman is going to be enrolled in a common health exchange. No America with any discretionary income will ever be part of Obamacare.
If Democrats changed their mind about this issue, you know as well as I do…Republicans would still not be happy. The issue is not about Congress living the same laws. They never have, silly. They only make the laws. They don’t live them. They are above the laws. That is hardly the issue at hand.
While we may not participate in the exchanges, the fact is Obamacare’s primary mandates aren’t about providing insurance to the un-insured. They are about getting everyone else in the country to pay for it, costs be damned. Those mandates affect EVERY man woman and child in America. There’s not a single premium in the U.S. that wasn’t affected and likely there isn’t a single one that shows an actual static or decreased price unless it’s because of a subsidy. That’s the problem Tisha. We can legislate the we move the Earth’s orbit out slightly to “cool” global warming. But that doesn’t mean it’s possible.
Obama, Reid, Pelosi and their cronies clearly have no skill in basic arithmetic. Even the CBO which always plays to the party at the top doesn’t come close to agreeing with the true costs and burdens of Obamacare. I have to agree whole heartedly here with Mr. Cavuto, and it’s not just FoxNews. It’s everyone in this country who’s tired of this BS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XDIvkJqLwU