Government Shutdown

As I work for the United States, people around the office have been buzzing about what they planned to do if there is a shut down. Some people will be knitting, others will be doing yard work, and so on. I have been asked what I plan to do during the shutdown. I proudly state that I will be a malcontent. Here is an example: I do not agree with the potential riders the Republicans plan to add to any budget. While the EPA may need changes and I certainly am supportive of elimiating tax money to pay for abortions, those issues do not belong in a budget. They are always tacked on though, by both parties, but have no business being part of the budget. However, while I certainly don't think the Republicans are not acting right, the blame for this budget situation falls completely on the Democratic party. But, it takes two to tango right? Yeah, it does now, but a year ago, when this buget should have been passed, it didn't. For all of 2010, the Democrats had control of the Senate, the House, and the Presidency. Therefore, the Democrats had every opportunity to pass a budget, but they did not. So, don't act like there is anyone to blame for us being in this situation other than the Democrats themselves. Chuck Schumer blames the Tea Party Republicans for holding up the process, but the Tea Party Candidtates did not even come into office until January 2011. That is four months after the Fiscal year started! Why didn't the Democrats actually do what they were supposed to and pass a budget before the Fiscal Year began? It is because they are cowards. Don't get me wrong. As a general rule of thumb politicians care more about getting elected than they do about actually doing their jobs. There are some who put their jobs first, but they are the exception, not the rule, in both parties. The wind of change last election cycle was palatable. Democrats knew that a wave of smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and social conservatism was growing bigger. Democrats, for being associated with the abomination that is Nancy Pelosi, were "in their sights" (to steal a line from the near equally offensive Sarah Palin). No matter how blue the dog, Democrats knew that big D would be a big problem. But, if they showed some sense, they would obviously lose their hardcore left base. So, they simply did nothing. Take a look at this entry from four years ago. After four years with the reigns of government, the Democrats, still haven't done anything, unless you count paying a lot of foreign banks a bunch of money and passing a disgusting healthcare law. You see all kinds of potential budgets coming from the House, but there has not been one continuing resolution, or full budget that has come from the Senate. Both parties love to point the finger at one another, but at least the Republicans are putting something out there. The Democrats seem to have given up on taxing, but they are still the party of bitching. Neither party is doing the right thing now, but we would not even have gotten to this point if the Democrats had done anything at all in 2010. -J ***Correction: my political information officer has informed me that budgets must orginate in the House. Still, at that time there we no ideas even coming out of the Senate, nor was their any Senate attempt to work up the budget sent by the House. As such, my point remains.