slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

In noting the date of this article, one may understand: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Roles are simply reversed.

“Reality is made up of circles but we see straight lines.” -Peter Senge

By Napp Nazworth , Christian Post Reporter | Oct 2, 2013 5:45 AM


There has been much finger pointing going around lately. Republicans say it is the Democrats fault; Democrats say it is the Republicans fault. To get at the root cause of the current government shutdown, though, one must understand why our Founding Fathers designed our government the way they did.

All democracies have two basic functions – policy and representation. Democratic governments must both get things done (policy) and account for the diverse interests of the populace (representation).

These two basic functions, though, are in tension with each other. The reason is simple – an institution that must represent the views of many will have more difficulty coming to an agreement than an institution that represents the views of a few. A democracy that performs its representation function well has more difficulty with its policy function. Likewise, a democracy that is more efficient at making policy will suffer in its ability to represent the diverse interests of the country.

When the U.S. Constitution was written, our Founding Fathers clearly had a preference for a government that performed its representation function well over a government that performed its policy function well. Compared to the U.S. government, on the other hand, the English government tends to favor its policy function over its representation function.

Imagine for a moment that you were going to design a democracy from scratch. If you wanted to make sure that your government was really good at getting things done – the policy function – would you have a bicameral legislature, separation of powers and midterm e******ns? Not hardly. All of these design features, and more, were put in place by our Founding Fathers to make sure we had a government that represented the diverse interests of the country. They were less concerned about designing a government that got things done, or made policy well.

Now, back to the shutdown.

"But one faction of one party, in one house of Congress, in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to re-fight the results of an e******n," President Barack Obama remarked Monday.

Besides the fact that the government did get shut down, at least partially, Obama appears to misunderstand that our government was designed such that "one faction of one party, in one house of Congress" could have a great deal of influence, at least compared to its size.

Plus, while v**ers did choose Obama to be president, they also chose Republicans to control the House. Indeed, Republicans took control of the House in 2010, and were re-elected in 2012, in large part as a rejection of the president's policies. So, when they reject the president's policies while passing legislation, they are representing the will of their v**ers. The only e******n that seems to count, in Obama's view, is the one that elected him, while the e******ns that put Republicans in power should have no consequences.

Our Founders wanted a government in which all factions were represented in the policy process, and that is what is happening. With a diverse group of factions represented, holding sharply different views about the role of government, our government is having difficulty performing its policy function, or simply getting things done.

So, we have the Republicans who are representing the interests of their v**ers, Obama and Democrats who are representing the interests of their v**ers. With a deeply divided e*****rate, our government is representing those interests so well that they are unable to reach an agreement. And, it is all the fault of our Founding Fathers. Blame it on them.

pappadeux Loc: Phoenix AZ

All this is well and true if not a bit lengthy.So I shall make my comments "short sweet and snappy" S.S.S. The primary and possibly the only reason for the 'so-called' shutdown is a self-serving powerplay by the political party currently out of power.It appears that their power now comes from the immigration of immigrants legal or otherwise, preferably 'illegal' as it is the democratic party stands by these folks in order to gain faithful lifetime v**ers. As a result, we have a government by disruption and disorder.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

What changed?

We all slept in our beds last night.
The sun rose this morning.
Bacon still fries up on the griddle.
Coffee still tastes like coffee.
The fish are still biting on a Saturday morning.
Electricity still t***smits to our homes.
The dog still needs to go out.
Cold beer is still cold beer.
There is still oxygen in the air we breathe

In short, life goes on regardless of the status of the Federal Government. I don't miss them one bit, do you?

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, CO

All good points, however one negative aspect of "Schumer's Shutdown" is the military won't be paid, but as we all know the democrat's could care less about our men and women in uniform!

Lonewolf

I have to ask you this they new for months daca needed to be address and they also new the child healthcare act needed to be renewed, but they sat on their hands and waited till things became critical so trump could have a chance to get funds for his border wall.
peope and children take second place to a wall.
They had plenty of time they accomplished less than any congress in history and their in complete control. Why should we put even one of them back in office.??

moldyoldy

Very true, and the last shutdown was caused by ted cruz, who wanted to appease the tea party, this time the it is much the same, with trump blowing in the wind with no real position.

buffalo Loc: Texas

Experts: government shutdown may cause human combustion

In one of the most controversial and destructive acts of his presidency, Donald Trump, the worst Republican president since Hitler, is threatening to shut down the government! This is bad news for all Americans according to several government agencies.

Senior accountant of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Fred "Nonpartisan" Phelps, says the shutdown may cost the average American family up to $85,000 per day. "Women and minorities would be hardest hit," said Phelps coining a new phrase.

Citizens may not be able to access data from the Bureau of T***sportation Statistics. Over the next month, children will be asking, "Mommy, what's a t***sportation statistic?" The impact this will have on our children, our future, is simply unacceptable and entirely avoidable.

Furthermore, if no deal is reached by midnight tonight, funding will be halted for the Department for the Prevention of Spontaneous Human Combustion causing them to shut down their hotline, a service otherwise accessible to millions of Americans. Estimates show that over 1,475,286.04 preventable spontaneous combustions will take place every minute past midnight for as long as Trump refuses to see reason and negotiate.

Worse yet, millions of necessary government employees will have to go without work wondering when they will be compensated for what essentially amounts to a paid vacation. "The stress is k*****g me," said Claude McElroy of the Agency of Banjo String Quality Assurance. "If I'd known Trump was gonna do this, I'da planned for a fishin' trip. Instead, all I can do is stay at home an' watch YouTube videos all day like I do at work. I'm madder 'n a wet hen, and I feel like I could blow up any minute now. Course, there ain't nothin' I can do 'bout it since Trump come around and personally cut my phone line. Now I can't call that spontaneous combustion hotline and git the help I need. The Mrs. is already crying her eyes out, and that Trump don't care!"

Completely unmoved by the suffering he's inflicted on middle class Americans, sources close to the president say that he spent the afternoon with Ivanka checking out a new top hat to go with his obscenely expensive pinstripe tuxedo. Anonymous sources claim that Trump, while inserting a monocle into his right eye to inspect his new hat, simply told reporters, "I can't be bothered with that."

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

Where you stand depends on where you sit. You are correct about not knowing how Trump really thinks because, as usual, he has multiple positions to fit his convenience.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/369756-trumps-comments-blaming-obama-for-2013-government-shutdown-resurface

buffalo Loc: Texas

CHIP expired tonight, DACA expires the end of March, good job Dems

moldyoldy

If we want immigrants to come and work here, it seems that young people who grew up here, are working or in school, would be great additions to our society. They were brought here by their parents, without their consent. Those who signed up for DACA must be good citizens. Would 800,000 new future citizens be a big problem, they are already here. They would need a pathway to citizenship that could take decades of living exemplary lives. The whole thing seems just mean spirited.

Lonewolf

They had a deal but trump destroyed it at midnight with a tweet ,he can't keep a position for vary long keeps changing it even McConnell said he dident know what trump wants
if child healthcare was important why dident they reinstate last week?

Lonewolf

[We have many in school becoming nurses and doctiors and are working their way through school. Also many started businesses and are vary successful.




quote=moldyoldy]If we want immigrants to come and work here, it seems that young people who grew up here, are working or in school, would be great additions to our society. They were brought here by their parents, without their consent. Those who signed up for DACA must be good citizens. Would 800,000 new future citizens be a big problem, they are already here. They would need a pathway to citizenship that could take decades of living exemplary lives. The whole thing seems just mean spirited.[/quote]

buffalo Loc: Texas

That wouldn't have made for a good dog and pony show both parties bulls**t the sheople with. Both dems and repulsives are just the left and right arms of the corporate party.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

They'll be paid, just not until the politicians decide to stop acting like spoiled children and do their jobs. They're not working for free, don't you doubt it.

Holdenbeach4u Loc: Holden Beach , NC

I blame the Whole US Congress because they are acting like little children because they want it there Way always ! What ever happen trying figure out what’s the best for
Americans ! They make big salaries and great health care when they retired !
I would say : Fired all these i***ts in Congress and get new blood into Congress!