The Two Basic Facts That Should Be in Every Shutdown Story

[decay]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch...ry/280179/

my local REPUBLICAN representative gets it. Charlie Dent has been a good level-headed guy for years.

It's this report*, by All Things Considered host Melissa Block, based on an interview with Republican Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania (right). Dent has voted for the various defund-Obamacare resolutions that have come down the pike. But in the segment he explains why he thinks it's (obviously) time to return the government to normal functioning and work out health-policy differences through established channels.

One reason to listen to this story: it shows, in contrast even to some other NPR coverage, how you can be "fair" in presenting a story without sinking into the mire of false-equivalence, "everyone's to blame"-ism. The other reason is for a reminder of the two basic points above.

* http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...=228198600

BLOCK: But if the legislation that's emerging is being dictated by the demands of this small, as you say, vocal couple of dozen members of the House as opposed to forging a coalition, a bipartisan coalition, whose fault is that?

DENT: Well, I'll tell you what. That's one reason I was pushing back, because I don't want to reward bad behavior. I want to make sure that we can - that there are plenty of members in the House Republican conference who feel as I do that we have this responsibility, this affirmative obligation to govern, and that we ought to get on with it.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

Then why did he vote to defund Obamacare? It will only take 17 Republicans to change their vote.

[Acer]

Imagine a liberal caucus in a future Congress holding up the works demanding pro-choice legislation....

[Surfrider]

"Imagine a liberal caucus in a future Congress holding up the works demanding pro-choice legislation...."

They would be run out of town on a rail.

[beagledave]

Imagine Rand Paul on a hot mic,,,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eziI4h3J0Eg

[$tevie]

Please remember that the Tea Baggers aren't demanding some kind of legislation.

They are demanding the right to tinker under the hood of existing legislation. Legislation they were unable to repeal despite trying to do so over 40 times. Legislation which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Legislation which the GOP presidential candidate vowed to repeal and for which promise he was soundly rejected.

The ultimate case of Sore Losers. And they have no exit strategy, just blind insanity.

[Dennis S]

It will only take 17 Republicans to change their vote.

Is it worth screwing up the whole country for a Republican to keep his piddly job in the House? Too bad there are no longer any Republicans with the character of Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus.

[Speedy]

Dennis S wrote: Too bad there are no longer any Republicans with the character of Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus.

And Dwight Eisenhower.

[Dennis S]

Speedy wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]Too bad there are no longer any Republicans with the character of Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus.

And Dwight Eisenhower.
I was talking about two who did the right thing regardless of their temporary career setback and refused Nixon's order to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Being a US Rep is not the be-all-end-all and anyone who puts that above doing what's best for the country and thousands of families has no character at all.

There have been lots of good Republicans and there still may be some, but not many of them are proving it so.

[Spock]

Dennis S wrote:
There have been lots of good Republicans and there still may be some, but not many of them are proving it so.

Far too many invertebrates in congress.