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Friday, December 13, 2013

The GOP Civil War and Obamacare

I’ve been watching with amusement, over these past months, as the Republican party tries to bring their factions together after losing some key elections in November, while simultaneously tearing themselves apart.  This week’s budget deal was fertile ground for dissention, as Majority Leader Boehner finally grew a set, and called out tea party leaders and outside conservative groups, for criticizing the bipartisan deal.

Obviously, Boehner and the GOP establishment learned that when they shut down the government, people notice and blame them, despite creative efforts to shuffle the blame to the Democrats.

The Republicans are in a spot.  Traditionally, conservatives’ primary mission has been to prop up big business, by all means possible.  Most often, that means maintaining expensive, government-funded programs and tax breaks that benefit the chosen few, despite the constant rhetoric of “smaller government.”  (What they mean is smaller government for “us.”)

This is coming into conflict with the Teabagger faction, who actually wants smaller government and less spending (in areas that don’t benefit themselves, personally).  So the tug-of-war is on.

As for me, I remain a bemused spectator.  As long as they’re fighting among themselves, they’ll never wage effect campaigns for national office.  The people have shown that aside from some secure, heavily gerrymandered districts, they don’t like operational dysfunction.  They want the bills paid, roads cleaned, fires put out, and the trains running on time.

But it’s not like they’re completely ineffective.  Just look at the ACA website.  Sure, it’s been a disaster and the rollout was poorly executed.  But did you think conservatives were just going to let it totter out without some added roadblocks?

What most people don’t know is that there has been an orchestrated effort by conservative groups to wage a “denial of service” attack on the site, to further weaken confidence in Obamacare.  That’s right.  The GOP is actively working to disrupt the system and simultaneously criticizing Obama because the system isn’t working.  (Just like they’ve been doing in Congress for the last 6 years.)
 This information was disclosed in a video from a hearing by the Homeland Security Committee, where acting assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security’s office of Cyber-Security and Communications, Roberta Stemphley, confirmed 16 separate cyber attacks on the ACA portal.  Right-wing websites have been distributing the tool to carry out these attacks, calling it, “Destroy Obamacare.”

That all sounds pretty official, so why don’t you know about it?  Here’s why.  The Republicans don’t want anyone to know that their people are behind these attacks, because it undermines their credibility.  And the DHS and Democrats don’t want to give these tools and websites any more publicity than they already have, so to lessen the severity of the attacks.  All sides pressure news organizations, which will not do anything that is going to cost them access to party VIPs.  We must never forget that cable and network news shows* are not interested in educating or informing the public; they are interested in getting you to watch.  Period.

*This obviously excludes Fox “News,” whose only goal is to energize existing conservatives and generate new ones.  Which is not really news.

So the American people are left to believe that the ACA site is a mess purely because Obama fucked it up. 

So I’m happy that the GOP is fighting with itself.  The more shit they throw at each other; the more rational people wonder what they ever saw in them.

I wonder if there are any rational people left?

10 comments:

  1. "I wonder if there are any rational people left?" Me, too. Fortunately, the Covered California ACA website is working great. But seriously... what an evil bunch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does anyone actually realize that they're working SO hard to make it harder to get health insurance for the masses? They're so hung up on the "mandate," you know, just like the one we already have for car insurance!

      Delete
  2. It's sad when I'm more sane than all politicians ever.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's no joke! You could come to power and mobilize the military for a full-on war on Zombies, and still do less damage to the country than these clowns.

      Oh, and when that happens, can I be in your Cabinet? Like, Secretary of Mirth?

      Delete
  3. Good news here is Florida folks are signing up in record numbers. People are spreading the news of easy access and real savings.
    Thank you for. the link to "Right wing web sights,,," . A real eye opener but confirms what I suspected.
    These fools scare me a zillion times more than terrorists (they are domestic terrorists) and almost as much as climate change disaster..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They ARE terrorists... There's no difference, other than they're egged on by talk radio, Fox "News" and party leaders engaged in zero sum politics.

      Delete
  4. AMEN! Our best hope is they have a few or a lot of suicide bombers in their ranks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You hit the nail on the head, brother. And honestly, it just makes me so sad that as a whole, people have become so effing selfish and "LA LA LA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

    Just your brain, damnit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I have lost mine, that's: Just USE your brain.

      Damnit.

      Delete
    2. It's funny how people are so fast to claim their right to their beliefs and opinions, but so quick to deny that same right to others.

      Delete

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