Today, the U.S. Congress once again abdicated their Constitutional duties, and passed a Continuing Appropriations Resolution, in order to avoid shutdown. It is nearly a carbon copy (it may be, in fact) of the CR that passed Congress on 09.18.2014, a mere 377 days ago.
Whenever the *threat* of a shutdown is broached, the fear mongerers immediately take to the airwaves and beyond warning that Social Security benefits, food stamps, and other federal payments will not be made. In fact, back in 2011, the POTUS either lied to the American people with intent, or was ill-advised and/or ignorant when he said that Social Security checks would not go out if there was a shutdown. Ignorance would seem to be out the window, given his position as the head of government, but perhaps he just missed a memo. Obviously there would have been no way in the world for him to get in touch with people, it would have taken at least seconds to get that kind of information. Besides, if he found out, then it would be a Lie, or he would have had to change his script. Even without looking information up, or making a phone call, or sending a text, his statement flew in the face of what happened during the government shutdown in the mid-90s, and what would happen during the 2013 shutdown.
So the question I always ask when a government shutdown is on the horizon is "Who cares?" Outside of our military, whose job it is to protect us from foreign invaders, what job is essential? Certainly no member of Congress, as they do their job just as *well* whether or not they are actually working. In fact, I think time off would greatly improve the quality of output from most members of Congress. A government shutdown is simply a threat used by a specific political party in order to achieve the means that they want to, and in this case, it leads to the minority party (Quick digression - I am using "minority" to identify the party that is not in power at this moment. No other use of the word is intended.) having de facto rule, because the CR came from the previous session of Congress, when they had control of the Senate, and because most Republicans have less spine than a cestoda.
The lack of a proper government shutdown is a huge disappointment, in my opinion, because it means that the men and women who were sent to Washington, D.C. in 2014 are refusing to do the job they were sent there to do, namely reign in government control of their lives, and reduce the cost of government. None of that is occurring as they act much more like liberal Democrats than the LDs could dream of behaving. If Republicans are unable to live up to the tacit (and oftentimes explicit) promises they made in 2014, they will find themselves *out of power* when the 2016 elections occur. If they continue to do their job in the same manner, it's no less than they deserve. It's time for them to stop governing like they are afraid to lead, and fully time to actually start leading.
Either that, or head on home and watch the daffodils grow, as that'd be a more productive use of their time, though certainly a less profitable one.
