Cenk Uygur hosting from YouTube Space LA. According to the conservative National Review, public opinion may be changing on the government shutdown. This is wishful thinking and dead wrong. Some government services and agencies might be reinstated as a gesture of compromise after public outrage has been voiced. This would be another example of caving by the Democrats and should not be done. Conservatives and their mouthpiece, Fox News, are characterizing the shutdown as a “slim down”. Brian Kilmeade might be right about something. Shocker! He pointed out that Americans already had a referendum on the ACA during the 2012 election and the GOP lost. The Chamber of Commerce urges the GOP to stop the shutdown due to economic repercussions, creating a division within the party. The Tea Party faction is now at odds with the pro-big-business faction. This is a big deal. The Chamber of Commerce, thanks to the influence of money in politics, practically dictates public policy in the United States.
The GOP leadership continues to dish out the talking point that Democrats are unwilling to negotiate during the ongoing government shutdown. This is ridiculous. Democrats have already offered a concession of $70 billion. These concessions are ineffective as a negotiation tactic as conservatives will always demand more cuts. This is how Republicans continue to win the overall public policy battle. The problem isn’t that Democrats don’t negotiate, it’s that they negotiate far too much. The bipartisan partnership with big-banking industry continues as regulations on derivatives trading are still being eroded.
Joseph Nachio, the former CEO of Qwest, was sent to prison in 2001 after refusing to comply with the NSA’s domestic spying program. This happened before 9/11. He was convicted on an insider trading charge after questionable blocking of exculpatory evidence. The fact that this CEO seems to have been singled out when other CEOs could easily have been charged with trading violations as well suggests that he was targeted because of his noncompliance. Bill O’Reilly admits he was and continues to be a thug on 60 Minutes. He also claims his inspiration for what he does comes from God. Smile and nod.