Negotiating

The House of Representatives crafted a continuing resolution (CR) that would keep all the government running - even at its deficit-spending levels - but included the defunding of Obamacare.  The Senate thought it was almost perfect, except for that last bit.  They stripped that out and sent it back.  Moderating its demands, the House included a one year delay of the individual mandate (it's only fair since the employer mandate has been delayed for a year) and a requirement that the Congress not get 'special' treatment with regards to health insurance subsidies.  The Senate stripped out the add-ons and sent it back, giving not an inch.  It is Harry Reid's way or shutdown!  See, negotiating.  Harry is counting on the media to blame the Republicans no matter how recalcitrant he proves to be in this back and forth; they will.

President Obama took to the airwaves to blast the Republicans' efforts, saying that the people didn't repeal the law when they had the chance back in November (i.e. by electing Mitt Romney).  I did not realize that the election was a referendum on Obamacare (I believe the Obamacare referendum was the 2010 "shellacking" election).  Nor, I suspect, did the voters.  After all, they did vote for all these pesky Republicans who - presumably - are representing their constituents.  Right?

To my astonishment, the Republicans haven't cracked yet.  Barring some last minute deal, it looks like the government will shutdown in about an hour.  How long will that last?  Once it does, the Republicans are in dangerous waters.  To fold after the shutdown, they MUST get something or the whole exercise will be a PR nightmare.  At least the timing is much better than the last one which happened during Christmas and New Year in 1995/6 and led to the Gingrich Who Stole Christmas.  Once shutdown, the Republicans can send piecemeal CRs to bring everything back.  Suddenly, the refusal of a Democratic Senate and a Democratic President to accept money to reopen the government will look bad.  They will have to say "Give us everything we want or we won't accept anything."  This might work out better than I'd have expected.

But, more likely, the Republicans will cave and get nothing.  Why?  Because, as I pointed out in a previous blog, they are spineless.