Brinkmanship and a Fractured Congress

It seems like news of the government shutdown is everywhere. It is splash across the headlines of every major newspaper, it is the subject of televised debates on all of the major news networks from Cleveland's own Fox 8 to CNN and no one can walk into a coffee shop or restaurant without hearing things like "If those damn republicans would just stop fighting against the healthcare law" or "I wish those liberal nut jobs that make up the democratic party will just see the light already."

The threat of a government shutdown isn't a new thing. It happened in the 1990s and we have had threats of it happening again on and off for a while now. Anyone remember the sequester? Worrying about the government being able to fund their business is not a new thing to the American people, but that does not make it any less upsetting.

It does seem to be the easiest thing to pin the blame on one party or the other. Why not let the democrats take the heat for the whole mess?  Because why not let the republicans take the blame is an equally as valid question.

The bottom line here seems to be that one of the main reasons that the country has even gotten to this point is because no one can compromise anymore. I know I have not been around for that long, but even a twenty year old college student can see how fractured and broken our system is.

Ted Cruz has just proven how little practical work is actual done in Congress. His 21 hour filibuster against Obamacare included a reading of Dr. Suess' Green Eggs and Ham. Now forgive me if I am wrong, but last time I checked, children's books don't do anything to help Congress pass a budget or do anything for the American people.

As the Oct. 1 deadline approaches, we seem to be stuck in the same rut that we were in during the sequester. The republicans are still dead set on defunding Obamacare, the democrats are dead set on keeping Obamacare in place and the President has said that he is going to veto anything that defunds the healthcare law. So we are at an impasse.

When is our government going to put aside their own petty desires and act instead of stubbornly standing on one side or the other? Who is going to be the first to extend the proverbial olive branch and start to work towards a more unified government that works for the people?

It will never cease to trouble me that a system that was set to unify the people and make sure that everyone's voice is not only heard but respected is so broken.

We are slowly but steadily reaching the breaking point. Our government is eventually going to have to act and their decisions will decide the American people's faith in the system we hold so dearly. I only hope that someone is going to be able to convince everyone else that it is best to work toghter than constantly fight against each other.