Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

Who Shut Down the Government?
Thomas Sowell | Oct 04, 2013

Even when it comes to something as basic, and apparently as simple and straightforward, as the question of who shut down the federal government, there are diametrically opposite answers, depending on whether you talk to Democrats or to Republicans.

There is really nothing complicated about the facts. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted all the money required to keep all government activities going -- except for ObamaCare.

This is not a matter of opinion. You can check the Congressional Record.

As for the House of Representatives' right to grant or withhold money, that is not a matter of opinion either. You can check the Constitution of the United States. All spending bills must originate in the House of Representatives, which means that Congressmen there have a right to decide whether or not they want to spend money on a particular government activity.

Whether ObamaCare is good, bad or indifferent is a matter of opinion. But it is a matter of fact that members of the House of Representatives have a right to make spending decisions based on their opinion.

ObamaCare is indeed "the law of the land," as its supporters keep saying, and the Supreme Court has upheld its Constitutionality.

But the whole point of having a division of powers within the federal government is that each branch can decide independently what it wants to do or not do, regardless of what the other branches do, when exercising the powers specifically granted to that branch by the Constitution.

The hundreds of thousands of government workers who have been laid off are not idle because the House of Representatives did not vote enough money to pay their salaries or the other expenses of their agencies -- unless they are in an agency that would administer ObamaCare.

Since we cannot read minds, we cannot say who -- if anybody -- "wants to shut down the government." But we do know who had the option to keep the government running and chose not to. The money voted by the House of Representatives covered everything that the government does, except for ObamaCare.

The Senate chose not to vote to authorize that money to be spent, because it did not include money for ObamaCare. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that he wants a "clean" bill from the House of Representatives, and some in the media keep repeating the word "clean" like a mantra. But what is unclean about not giving Harry Reid everything he wants?

If Senator Reid and President Obama refuse to accept the money required to run the government, because it leaves out the money they want to run ObamaCare, that is their right. But that is also their responsibility.

You cannot blame other people for not giving you everything you want. And it is a fraud to blame them when you refuse to use the money they did vote, even when it is ample to pay for everything else in the government.

When Barack Obama keeps claiming that it is some new outrage for those who control the money to try to change government policy by granting or withholding money, that is simply a bald-faced lie. You can check the history of other examples of "legislation by appropriation" as it used to be called.

Whether legislation by appropriation is a good idea or a bad idea is a matter of opinion. But whether it is both legal and not unprecedented is a matter of fact.

Perhaps the biggest of the big lies is that the government will not be able to pay what it owes on the national debt, creating a danger of default. Tax money keeps coming into the Treasury during the shutdown, and it vastly exceeds the interest that has to be paid on the national debt.

Even if the debt ceiling is not lifted, that only means that government is not allowed to run up new debt. But that does not mean that it is unable to pay the interest on existing debt.

None of this is rocket science. But unless the Republicans get their side of the story out -- and articulation has never been their strong suit -- the lies will win. More important, the whole country will lose.

HEART Loc: God's Country - COLORADO

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

So the republicans have a side to this? I cant wait to hear it on rush limbaugh.

Frank T Loc: New York, NY

First check your facts. If we don't raise the debt ceiling we will default on our debts and that will be disastrous for the economy.
Second, only 23% of the people support a government shut down to defund obamacare.
Third, The Republicans have no plan and should just stop whining.

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Frank, we can not keep raising the debit ceiling without getting the spending under control. The President would love it if there were no debit ceiling then he could spent as much as he liked but that is why we have a debit ceiling, so that the president can not spend without a budget. Congress has control of the money. Not the President. The President can ask for money and congress can yea or nay to his request. Think budget, Frank.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/pascalemmanuelgobry/2012/10/19/no-the-united-states-will-not-go-into-a-debt-crisis-not-now-not-ever/

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/heres-truth-government-doesnt-shut-down-0

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20130919&id=16917452

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/why-it-matters-debt-0

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/fundmastery/2011/07/12/the-u-s-treasury-will-not-default/ READ THIS ONE IF NO OTHER...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/data_viz/2011/07/were_not_broke_yet.html

Those should keep you busy for a few minutes.. IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO READ and LEARN..

Mike

Captryan Loc: Massachusetts

Well said.

travelwp Loc: New Jersey

Bush did it.

AUminer Loc: Brandon, Ms

Credits=225 billion$ month
Service debt(interest)24billion$ month
Guaranteed liabilities(SS,Gov't pen etc)80billion$ month
leaves 121 billion$ month. If we default, it will be due to the Executive branch CHOOSING to default. Just another way to cause as much discomfort for the average person as possible( Shutting WH tours, closing outdoor monuments, closing national parks, etc.)

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

It's funny, how a government with no money can pay people to close monuments that cost nothing to keep open.

jcs Loc: USA

My, my, how things have changed :

" The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of
LEADESHIP FAILURE.
It is a sign that the Government cannot pay it's own bills .
It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's RECKLESS FISCAL POLICIES .
Increasing Americas's debt WEAKENS us Domestically and Internationally .

LEADERSHIP means that " The buck stops here "

Instead, Washington is shifting the BURDEN OF BAD CHOICES TODAY onto the backs of our children and grandchildren .

America has a debt problem and a FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP .
America deserves BETTER "

Sen. Barack Hussain Obama , March 2006

PS: back then our National debt was ~ $ 9 Trillion and it was all President Bush's fault .
Now it's almost $$$ 17 Trillion and it's all the fault of the "tea party" and Fox News . Lol

Captryan Loc: Massachusetts

Hey Frank, YOUR facts are wrong, The g'vt has more than enough revenue to pay the interest on the debt without an increase in the debt ceiling .

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

Isn't it a fact that all liberals facts are wrong?

Zophman Loc: Northwest

Failure to increase the debt ceiling does not mean we don't pay on the debt. The government will have to figure how to make ends meet...just like you and me! If they decide to pass up a payment on the debt so be it. If they cut back on other programs they can make the debt payments. I know this is simplistic reasoning but don't you think it's time face the music?

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Why would we default on our debts? Could you please explain that? It seems to me that the government collects close to $250 billion each month in tax revenue, are not Social Security and Medicare self funded, so the threat of not sending out those checks is pure BS. As far as debt service goes our interest payment only about 20 to 30 billion each month? Seems that there is plenty of money collected for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and debt service, so where do we default? Oh! Maybe on Kerry's wine glasses....

Please explain how we default.