Shutting Down the Government Over Health Care by Dean Baker

[xchrom]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/10/04-2


A man holds a sign at the Tea Party Patriots 'Exempt America from Obamacare' rally on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, September 10, 2013. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Much of the media, and certainly the Democrats, have been unfair to congressional Republicans in characterizing their decision to shut down the government as "outrageous," "crazy" or even "terrorism." It is undoubtedly an extraordinary measure, but sometimes extraordinary measures are warranted.

Suppose it were 1968, when the United States had more than 500,000 soldiers in Vietnam and was bombing the country on a daily basis, killing thousands of people every week. How many people would view it as outrageous if Congress had voted to shut down the government until President Lyndon B. Johnson agreed to end the war? In fact, most people might view the inconveniences associated with a shutdown — and the real pain endured by government workers — as justified if it could bring an end to the killings in Vietnam.

The difference between shutting down the government to end an unjust war (or to advance any of the other great causes of recent decades) and what the Republicans are doing now is that the Republicans do not have a great cause. They are trying to keep people from getting health care. This is the disaster the Republicans hope to prevent by shutting down the government.

There are many grounds for complaining about aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. There is no public option, so people have no choice but to get care through private insurers. The cost controls are limited, which means that doctors, drug companies and medical-supply companies will likely continue to overcharge patients.

[B Calm]

1. All republicans are worried about is who they can screw over next!