Four Progressive/Media Lies About the Possible Government Shutdown

As things stand now the government is poised to "shut down" in just a few hours (12 midnight). The mainstream media continues to place the blame on Congressional Republicans controlled by those evil racists in the tea party who "act like terrorists with bombs strap to their chests" (sorry guys that's not a bomb-- as Gabriel Iglesias would say--I'm just fluffy).

Before the rhetoric starts getting a bit crazy later in the day, allow me to clear up some of the lies you will hear today. Most of what you will hear is that the GOP is just trying to be obstructionist and Anti-Government.

Argument 1-The GOP is just trying to make Obama Look Bad:   The truth is the Republicans are just trying to listen to the American people.  Yesterday CBS's Bob Schieffer claimed that most polls show Americans favor Obama's signature law. Sorry Bob but you are wrong. If you take a look at Real Clear Politics averages, not only do Americans disapprove of Obamacare but they have NEVER approved of Obamacare.  The red line on the chart below is the percent of people who don't approve of Obamacare. As you can see since 2009 there has never been a time where those in favor outnumbered those opposed.

Has anybody noticed the reporter who asked Harry Reid, Jay Carney, or the President "You insist that Obamacare cannot be touched but polls show the American people are against the legislation, why are you ignoring the people?"

If you haven't noticed that's because no one has.

Argument 2- Elections Have Consequences. Obama beat the guy who favored repeal of Obamacare. True enough. But to the chagrin of many Republicans killing Obamacare was not the key issue in the campaign. And if Presidential elections have consequences so do congressional elections. Many of the Congressmen and Senators who are fighting Obamacare were elected based on the promise to bring that oppressive law down.

Argument 3- The GOP Just Wants To Shut Down The Government. In the past week the GOP controlled house has sent TWO bills to the Senate funding the Government.  The first time the Senate refused to negotiate took out what they didn't like and sent it back.  The very next day the House sent a revised bill to the Senate. Instead of acting immediately, the Democratically controlled Senate decided to take the day off. Today they will strip out the GOP's compromise send back to the House with just a few hours to the shut down deadline, still refusing to negotiate, still refusing to bow to the will of the American people

Argument 4- The Republicans refuse to negotiate. Just three days ago President Obama:

President Obama today accused Republicans of political extortion, saying they are trying to “blackmail a president” by threatening to shut down the government or refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless he agrees to gut his signature health care law.

Making a sales pitch for “Obamacare” before a crowd of students in Maryland, the president said that critics of the Affordable Care Act have become “more irresponsible” as implementation approaches.

“Some have threatened a government shutdown if they can’t shut down this law.

Others have actually threatened an economic shutdown by refusing to pay America’s bills if they can’t delay the law. That’s not going to happen as long as long as I’m president,” he said to cheers at Prince George’s Community College. “The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.”

At the same time the GOP has sent over two different bills one defunds Obamacare, the other delays it for a year.  The word is that the House GOP caucus has already come up with a third options should the Democratic-controlled Senate simply strip the bill of the provisions they don't like and send back to the House with no negotiations permitted. Now explain to me once again who is refusing to negotiate?

As we get closer to the midnight deadline, the mainstream media and congressional progressives pollute the news with the four lies above (and some more). Understand them for what they are...progressive talking points.