Big show for you tonight. We are hittin the House at UF/UF for episode 19, as we take on our governments’ inability to get things done.
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Episode 19: Shutdown Smack-Down!
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On to the tease.
2 horsemen short of an apocalypse
Harry being Harry
Senate Majority Leader Harry Ried, (D, NV) makes major gaff, stating there is no reason to fund kids cancer research if we can’t fund other areas of gov’t. A truckload of backlash ensues Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Ted on the down low
Ted being Ted
Senator Ted Cruz, (R, TX) fresh from his historic filibuster gets caught having secret meetings with House Republicans. Cruz urged them to go AGAINST Speaker John Boehner, (R, OH). Is Cruz at the center of the Republican Civil War? We report, you decide!
Envelope never had a chance.
T-Nak being T-Nak
The great one uses his amazing powers to divines some universal truths. Plus we have the greatest envelopes this side of Office Max.
All that plus former Press Secretary Dana Perino believes all doctors in U.S. are white, english speaking, males. Shhh don’t tell her over 300 languages are spoken in America.
Episode 19: Shutdown Smack-Down!
Don’t miss out!
Unfiltered and Unfettered 
Okay so we all know from polling (every man, woman, child and invertebrate has been polled it seems) that the public broadly supports the Dems on the gov’t shut down / healthcare circus. And we kinda know that they support the GOP on the debt ceiling issue if they manage to frame the argument as being about “fiscal responsibility” and spending etc.
So theoretically the first battle should have been settled in the Dems favour and the second one in the GOP’s favour. The war playing out in a 1 – 1 draw.
Theoretically. Because an interesting thing may very well happen on the way to next month’s circus.
The budget debacle (in which polling shows the Dems should win the battle for popular opinion) is STILL not resolved and the debt ceiling fight is about to start in earnest.
Thus it seems that the two battles will now become one MEGA battle (revolving around both issues) in which the winner takes all.
This could be VERY interesting. Mainly because just as the public supports the Dems on the budget / shut down issue, they broadly support the GOP on the debt ceiling issue. So if the two fights turn into one BIG fight, who will the public end up supporting?
This battle is turning into a winner-takes-all Super Bowl of political warfare.
Boehner has made it clear that he wanted to avoid the shut down confrontation (which he knew was a loser in terms of public opinion) in order to save his ammo for the debt ceiling crisis, which is he thinks he can win. And he may kinda sorta get what he wants now as the shut down / ACA fight carries on so long that it merges with the Debt Ceiling fight.
So who will win this showdown?
Will the Dem’s be able to make this mega-confrontation all about the gov’t shut down & ACA stuff and win, or will the GOP manage to grab the narrative and make the fight all about the debt ceiling / supposed “fiscal responsibility” and win this gloves-off political cage fight?
With mid-term elections just round the corner,the stakes couldn’t be higher. The team that wins this mega-fight will triumph in the mid-term elections, and the one that loses this stand-off loses in the mid-terms. Control of the House and Senate will be probably be decided this month.
Maybe.
Tony, great point on road rage. Just read an article and watch the accompanying video of a guy pulling up along side a car he had a problem with. This guy rolls his passenger side window down as he came along side the car he was pissed off at and pointed a gun and fired one shot! Crazy stuff on the highways! Turns out this guy is a doctor who works for a state prison!
Thanks Tom,
When we realize how little a thing it is and put it in perspective, once we learn to get rid of it, it can really improve our life. I saw that thing about the guy pulling the gun, what was the point what did it accomplish?
Great podcast guys. I loved the close and wholeheartedly agree that our country is in disarray. It seems like the right time to empty both houses and refill them with people who are not career politicians or in the pocket of big business but focused on doing the work of their respective chambers (thanks for reminding us of their duties Fran) FOR the people. I know, I am an idealist! Keep up the podcasts!