Crazy Talk

Posted by Bob Lord

Thsi is what happens when your efforts to appear "centrist" are over the top.

From Kyrsten Sinema, per Arizona Eagletarian:

A government shutdown is an abandonment of Congress' basic duty, and that’s shameful. Arizonans are angry and I don't blame them. I am angry. Time has run out and both parties are responsible. Every single effort by the House and Senate must be a step towards finding common sense and middle ground.

Both parties? Really?

If both parties are responsible in this instance, is it even possible for one party to behave so extremely and unreasonably that it alone is at fault?

If the House Republicans sought to repeal Social Security, would the Senate be duty bound to take steps towards "finding common sense and middle ground"?

Here's the glaring logical flaw in Kyrsten's statement: You don't "find common sense." Your position either is based on common sense, or it is not. If both parties' positions are based on common sense, there is a middle ground that also is based on common sense.

In order to "find middle ground" the beginning positions of both sides have to be based on common sense. Otherwise, there is no basis for "finding middle ground." How can one party that is grounded with common sense find middle ground with a party lacking commons sense?  

Quite simply, the position of the House Republicans is lacking in common sense. If you pretend it does not, you've just validated the tactic of threatening to shut down the government unless the other side caves in to your demands.

Here's the test you can run to see if a party's negotiating position is based on common sense: Would the party still take that position if the concessions it is seeking were made without condition? If the answer is no, common sense is lacking. In this case, if the Senate gave in to all the House Republicans' demands, the House Republicans would not be opposing the Continuing Resolution. So, it makes no sense that they are opposing it now.

Here's another way to look at it: The clean continuing resolution represents the common ground. Neither side is in favor of shutting down the government. So, the Democrats already occupy what should be the common ground.

Bottom line: When your efforts to be a "centrist" are over the top, there's a good chance you'll engage in crazy talk.  

5 thoughts on “Crazy Talk”

  1. Sinema and Barber get no forgiveness from me on this lack of any moral compass on this issue. The GOP are trying to overturn a bill duly passed by both Houses, signed by the President, upheld by the Supreme Court and re-affirmed by re-electing President Obama for a 2nd term. This is a democratic Republic and the majority voted for these things. No, the GOP is totally responsible for this shutdown and their actions, along with Sinema and Barber, are an affront to our legal government processes.

  2. Someone should remind her of JIm Hightower’s old title: “There’s Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos”…

  3. Wow. Representative Sinema casts this vote and then has the gall to insult our intelligence!

    I’m finished waiting for my Representative to show signs of caring as much about the lives of her constituents as she does herself and her own re-election.

    The search begins for talented individuals whose self-serving nature is far outweighed by the desire to work on behalf of the people and to fight for the values we hold dear.

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