The executive branch has been using "extraordinary measures" since roughly May to keep from hitting the debt limit, effectively allowing this to culminate into this "crisis". Why would they do this, you might ask? Could it be because we've elected a leader whose leadership style was that of a community agitator and he is managing as if that's still his job. He needs to create a crisis in order to create a government solution.
The GOP started this negotiation by asking for complete de-funding of Obamacare. They have caved on every major issue: Defunding Obamacare; massive tax hikes on medical devices; & the individual mandate requiring individuals, to purchase healthcare insurance - Obama exempted businesses from this mandate for 1 year via executive order. The GOP is down to the final 3:
- The Vitter Amendment which says Obamacare ought to apply to everyone equally (currently the executive branch & all political appointees are exempt; congress gets 75% subsidy - by executive order).
- Reinstate the income verification for Obamacare subsidies (also changed by executive order)
- GOP wants to extend government funding through Dec 15th to allow time to negotiate a longer term financing deal; Democrats want a deal through the 2014 election cycle which would repeal the 2011 deal which has forced the sequester - saving billions since it started. This is a BIG sticking point, as this is goal post that was moved by the Democrats at the last minute. It would effectively allow an ADDITIONAL $1 Trillion deficit in just 2014.
Given how much the GOP has caved, it does not seem unreasonable for a person who knew anything about leading from the front to hash out these 3 points and put this behind him.
Unless, he see's some political advantage to maintaining this crisis....?
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