Federal Budget (and Obamacare) In Critical Condition

Here we are again, folks.  Another showdown over the federal budget in Congress, threatening to harm the American economy if they don't pass some kind of short-term fix before the end of September.

This time around, it's the debt ceiling--currently at $16.7 trillion--that needs raising again because, as everyone knows, government tends to spend more money than it takes in.  But it's being held hostage by a group of Republicans who see this as one last chance to gut the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare, which is due to begin on the first of October.  They're even willing to shut down the government over this.

One version which has already passed the GOP-controlled House couples the debt limit with the defunding.  The Democratic-controlled Senate's version keeps the new debt limit, but loses the defunding.because President Barack Obama won't sign anything that renders the biggest accomplishment of his administration useless.

This has led to the spectacle of Republican Ted Cruz of Texas commandeering the Senate floor for over 21 hours, making it the fourth-longest filibuster in history.  (Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina had the longest at around 25 hours in 1957, when he railed against the Civil Rights Act.)  In it, Cruz talked--and talked--about how ACA would cost too much money, discussed the Revolutionary War, and quoted from Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham.  Anything to fill time, right?

So what did this stalling tactic accomplish for Senator Cruz?  Kudos from the Tea Party, and not much else.

As open enrollment under ACA gets underway, all the noise in Washington points up a basic problem:  The reason the GOP has been successful in casting doubts about Obamacare is that it has been poorly understood by most of the general public.  Yes, it will lower your rates.  No, companies can't deny you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.  Yes, you need to get coverage or you will face a penalty.  Other than that, the Obama administration has not done a good job in educating the public.

Even state-run exchanges like Minnesota's MN Sure has been having their problems.  Despite being cited for having the lowest premiums in the country, all the TV ads featuring Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox can't explain how MN Sure works, either.  It also doesn't help that there have been glitches that might compromise people's privacy.

And the Republicans want to replace Obamacare with what, exactly?  They haven't done a good job of explaining that one, either.  Or maybe they don't have to.  They seem to want to go back to the way things were, when Big Medicine ran things.

Unless something resembling a compromise (rare in Washington these days) can be reached by Monday, the federal government will be unable to pay its bills.  Government buildings and parks will close.  Employees, military personnel and others will either be paid less or laid off.  Is this what the Republicans want?  Starving the country while feeding their egos over a president and a health care bill they don't like?

And you wonder why Congress has a 14 percent approval rating.  Oh, that's right.  We elected these guys.  Shame on us.