Look I get it. You don't like government.
You've been telling me for more than 30 years how "government is the problem and not the solution".
I believe differently: government does some things well (national issues, ensuring the economy works) and the private sector does some things well (consumer products).
That's ok. I can agree to disagree. I do have one question though.
Why won't you take credit for what you believe?
Aren't you proud of your success in shutting down the government? Shouldn't you be shouting it to the high heavens?
Quit trying to tell me you want to negotiate.
"All of us here, sitting at a table (are) waiting for Senate Democrats to join us so we can begin to resolve our differences." - Eric Cantor
The negotation happened during the Affordable Care Act. Single payer and the public option were negotiated away and we went with a conservative market-based plan.
This process took a year and conservatives got 80% of what they wanted. So when you say you "want to negotiate" now, let's be honest, you don't want to negotiate.
You want to undo the negotiation.
And you're perfectly ok with the government shutting down if you don't get what you want.
Quit trying to tell me you had no choice.
Another View: Faced with 'tyranny,'GOP had no choice. Des Moines Register.
You do have a choice. Your choice is what you believe. You don't believe in government.
At least this is what you've been telling me since Barry Goldwater.
Interestingly enough, when government fails, you succeed.
Isn't this a perverse incentive?
If you don't believe in government, and you are the government, isn't your incentive to do everything possible to make sure government fails?
Quit trying to place the blame on someone else.
"Obama owns this shutdown now." - John Boehner, USA Today Op-Ed
And yes, I know Democrats are also out there making the argument that Republicans own the shut down.
So who do we believe? Both parties are equally at fault, right?
Well, when one party has been telling me for more than 30 years they're against government, I think it's pretty safe to say that they're against government.
This same party also seems perfectly willing to use government shut down tactics to get what they want. For instance, we already know if the shut down doesn't succeed, we're going to see the debt ceiling game again.
This is because of core conservative beliefs. If you don't believe in government, you have nothing to lose by threatening to shut it down.
The question I have is: If anti-government beliefs are so good for our country, why are so few Republicans willing to own them these days?
"I'm not in favor of abolishing the government. I just want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub." - Grover Norquist
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Follow-up Question: Wouldn't a better belief be to look at what government does well and the private sector does well and find a balance that works best for everyone?