With each passing day of the government shutdown, Republicans seem to become more and more deluded in their hopes and aspirations in its conclusion. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) has written to House Republicans with certainly that the Democrats will give in to the GOP’s demands and reopen the government on the right’s terms. But the exact opposite is happening.
On Thursday, Cantor sent a memo to House Republicans, saying that he is “confident that if we keep advancing common-sense solutions to the problems created by the shutdown that Senate Democrats and President Obama will eventually agree to meaningful discussions.”
In the memo, Cantor presents bill that he notes the House intends to pass to lighten the effects of the Republican-driven shutdown. In the bills presented, they would reopen the National Institutes of Health, make sure military reservists and the National Guard gets paid, fund veteran benefits, reopen national parks and monuments, and reopen local spending in Washington D.C.
As it turns out, the Republicans are desperately wanting to reopen the very same government functions that were once deemed as “non-essential.” This move is no doubt a response to the American public’s overwhelmingly high disapproval of the shutdown, not to mention disapproval by those directly affected by it.
Obama has remained staunchly against negotiations with the GOP and, now, it seems as though the Republicans are the ones who are actually caving.
What’s basically happening, whether or not they are aware of it, is that the GOP is slowly reopening the government under new bills that would still maintain the semantical appearance of a government shutdown. And President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) never had to cave or agree to any negotiations.
And as far as President Obama buckling, Cantor couldn’t be more wrong since Obama has actually been increasing his fight against the GOP with no signs of slowing. Just yesterday, Obama heightened his advances on the GOP and said for House Speaker John Boehner to “Take a vote, stop this farce and end this shutdown right now.”
“Boehner won’t even let the bill [temporary operating budget] get a yes or no vote, because he doesn’t want to anger the extremists in his party,” said Obama. “Send me the bill, I will sign it. The shutdown will be over and we can get back to the business of governing and helping the American people. It could happen in the next half hour.”
Josh is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. Follow him on Twitter @dnJdeli.
