By William C. Walker Jr.
(Warning contains some explicit language)
October 21, 2013
So why did I use that infamous scene from that great movie Training Day? To highlight the approach that President Obama seemed to be taking during the government shutdown and in general when dealing with House Republicans. Now am I saying that President Obama is acting like Denzel Washington’s character in Training Day? No I’m not, but I do believe he’s always looking at the bigger picture and understanding that he has to stay at least a move ahead of his Republican opponents a lot like chess. So after just over two weeks of the Republican initiated government shutdown, it’s over and the President’s tough stance seemed to work. I can honestly say I’m not sure what the Republicans strategy was. I don’t even think they know what their strategy was except to be one not based in reality. I mean this all started because they wanted to destroy Obamacare (The Affordable Care Act). Yet after pointless vote after pointless vote that they knew would never get through, they decided to shut the government down. Never mind the countless number of government workers they would have to be furloughed, or the countless number of low income families that would be punished, they were going make a statement. Now did the President immediately cower to their demands on negotiating on Obamacare? No he didn’t nor should he, it was the signature piece of legislation during his first term. He fought to get it through the house and senate and he did; it was attacked in the Supreme Court yet made it through deemed constitutional, and finally the GOP’s last ditch effort to defeat it was during the 2012 election. It was a clear cut choice in the matter if you wanted to keep Obamacare you’d vote for the President, if you wanted any chance of repealing it you would vote for the Romneybot 2012. The people spoke and the President was re-elected.
After all of this you would think the Republicans would learn, well this guy’s not going anywhere and no matter how petulant or irrational we act we still don’t fully get what we want. Yet no they were digging their heels in and they were going fight. I don’t believe they learn from history nor look at the grand scheme of things. It was almost 2 decades ago when there was last a government shutdown under the Clinton Administration. It hurt the Republican party then and it appears it will hurt them now. The Republican party approval rating is at an all time low. Granted no one in Washington is winning anything in terms of popularity. But in terms of who’s getting the blame in regards to this latest fiasco, it’s the House Republicans. Blame that they 100% earned with their 2 year old temper tantrum tactics. I would give them credit if their foolishness actually worked. But as this graphic that Rachel Maddow presented once the government re-opened shows, for all their antics they got zero return.
The reality however is even though the President’s handling of this matter may be like a chess master this isn’t a game. Things like the sequester, government shutdown, and debt ceiling affect real people. Jobs are lost and fearful questions like of how will we keep paying the mortgage or feed our kids? These are questions that many families face everyday, they’re not pieces on a board to be moved around or deemed expendable so you can make a statement. I just hope we all keep this in mind when Election Day roles around in 2014. When we all have to opportunity to let Republicans know there’s consequences for your actions and this isn’t some game.
Though this is a hilarious clip
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