I'm not what you'd call a big fan of Sean Hannity, because I think, to a certain degree, his success has gone to his head. Maybe not on the same scale as say, a Bill O'Reilly, but still, there are those occasions where I do find myself in agreement with him. One of those occasions was last night, when he told his guest, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), that if Republicans pass a government funding bill next month that includes money for Obamacare, they'll lose his support. Now while some might say that by his even saying such a thing demonstrates a kind of arrogance, I would argue that, instead, it was said out of nothing more than pure frustration. Because I'm feeling pretty much the same way, but I don't have the platform from which to make my frustration known nor am I anyone that those in Washington listen to.
Gowdy, who I am a big fan of, supports defunding Obamacare, and has predicted a "robust debate" over funding the healthcare law that Barry "Almighty" is now rather selectively enforcing. Gowdy told Hannity, "We just have to have one of those 'come to Jesus moments' as a party where we say, 'You know, what do we stand for? What is enough to fight over?'" This is where Hannity piped up saying, "This is it for me." Going on to say, "I'm going to tell you, congressman, you guys don't do this, you've lost me. I'm done. Because there's no difference between you, then, and the Democrats at that point. None." Gowdy responded by saying, "Juries like contrast. Voters like contrast." Adding, "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to provide contrast." But will it just be another opportunity squandered?
As anyone knows who has been paying even the slightest amount of attention, in the absence of regular budget bills, Congress must pass another continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government at current levels as the new fiscal year begins on October 1. Conservative Republicans insist that the CR must not include money for Obamacare, but Democrats will never agree to that, and a stalemate on funding the government would cause much of it to shut down. Democrats, Barry "Almighty" included, would be only too happy to blame Republicans for a government shutdown because it would give them fodder for their attempt to regain control of Congress in the 2014 midterm election. And that worries Republican leaders. But I think they are wrong. Desperate times call for desperate measure.
And as is usually the case, our lily-livered-lint-licker of a House Speaker, John Boehner, has been his usual noncommittal self when it comes to discussing the passing of a CR that defunds Obamacare, saying in July, "No decision has been made about how we're going to deal with the CR next month." However, Boehner and other Republicans see the repercussions of Obamacare -- including the loss of full-time jobs -- as a winning midterm campaign issue for themselves. In the House, Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) has sponsored a bill, H.R. 1005, the Defund Obamacare Act. Gowdy is one of the bill's 138 co-sponsors. And in the Senate, Republicans Ted Cruz (Texas) and Mike Lee (Utah) have sponsored similar legislation. But these guys can't win on their own, and sadly those in leadership aren't helping.
There's an old country song that goes: "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything, You've got to be your own man not a puppet on a string, Never compromise what's right and uphold your family name, You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything." The Republicans in Congress have now, I believe, arrived at what could very well prove to be for them, and therefore the country, a very pivotal moment. And the urge to support something in the name of political expediency must be set aside in favor of supporting that which is in the best interest of our country. So I find myself in agreement with Mr. Hannity, in that if the Republicans refuse to do what we all know must be done, then, essentially, there is no difference between them and the Democrats! And if there’s no difference, why vote for them?
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