butai Loc: US

What do you think this means, if anything, as far as the future of the Grand Old Party: "House Republicans ignored the Chamber of Commerce's pleas to keep the government running. The shutdown is costing the U.S. economy $300 million a day, according to IHS, a global market-research firm, and it’s only the latest sign suggesting that the old adage, “Republicans are the party of business,” no longer holds true. From the austerity imposed by sequestration to the refusal to reform i*********n l*ws to the shutdown and now, as appears likely, another debt-ceiling showdown when U.S. borrowing authority expires on Oct. 17, the GOP’s actions have put a strain on one of its most valuable partners: the business community."

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-03/republicans-are-no-longer-the-party-of-business

old white guy Loc: south Wisconsin

I think the GOP is being forced "kicking and screaming" to be the party they have always claimed to be. That being the party claiming to hold the moral high ground. Not sure they like it but the "democratic" party may as well use a likeness of Karl Marx as their insignia. It is clear to me that they have lost their minds, but there are so many of them, what with all the i*****l a***ns and legal aliens in our midst.

UncleJesse Loc: Hazzard Co, GA

They still are except that it is no longer their top priority and is second fiddle to less government. I never understood, after first hearing of the individual mandate, how they didn't see it increasing business and jobs for the insurance and medical industry. In addition, small businesses get a tax break on top of a tax credit just as Romney had done. However, they prefer to ignore those features and focus on the fact that it is a government mandate. Can you imagine the job losses if they eliminated all the auto insurance, liability insurance, uninsured motorist insurance, personal injury protection insurance, workers compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, business liability insurance, physician liability insurance, mortgage insurance and business loan insurance mandates that have been in place for decades? It would also be very expensive if you opted to purchase it because unless it is required, there'd be a smaller pool of underwriters to compete for it.

John Deere

If yoy take the time to look into each of the insurances you've mentioned, technically, none of those you mentioned are required. No one forces you to buy or drive a car so 4 of your insurances aren't needed by everybody. A person can hire themselves out as contract labor and there are businesses who will only use contract labor. No need for workmen's comp. or unemployment insurance. And no one forces anyone to get a loan of any type, so no insurance requirement there. The problem with Obama care in my opinion is 3 things. 1) It's forced onto people whether they need or want it and there's no way around it. 2) It doesn't lower health care insurance, it actually increases it. You are right that in theory the more people buying the insurance, the cheaper it's supposed to be. But that's not happening and Obama promised the rates would go down, permanently. 3) Whether or not you want to call it rationing or death panels, the fact is that it's in the bill. It takes away a person's choice to decide whether or no they want to live with the help of medical science, or die because the government says NO to the life saving medical procedures available to save life. I'll give you credit for trying to make your point without being rude.