Sasha's commentary for October 10, 2013: Shutdown Style

In this edition of Sasha's commentary, we see that the GOP is in denial over the government shutdown. The debt ceiling is included, with many shrugging it off. But it's playing with fire, as we've been known as a financially stable country (for the most party, paying our bills for two hundred years). But recently, that sanity and stability is being threatened by what I am calling a Republican psychological meltdown (See me circa 2002 for a good example. Yes, that sort of meltdown). I hope President Obama starts calling the shots, because America is hanging on for her life. Her government is in a comatose state right now. And thus, I hope the GOP loses its jobs. And that reminds me: I will spend the rest of my life destroying the Tea Party: and why do I say that? The Tea Party is part based on paranoia and part on conspiracy theories. And I'll say this about the Tea Party: we need more Rockefeller Republicans and New Democrats. 45% of very conservative respondents of a poll saying that an elite is aiming for a new world order? What the bleep?

Props to my Connecticut neighbors (who I used to hate but thanks to a television cartoon and other factors) I adore. I remember Newtown very well, and when I heard about the Newtown shooting last year, something inside me became a little sick. Sandy Hook residents deserve their new school with all the heartache they've been through. And let it be safe AND beautiful.

I'm not surprised that the Franklin County budget exceeds the state tax cap. New York state government is so tightly regulated that it's a double strike against municipalities: lots of regulations and mandates combined with a tax cap. Cuomo's tax cap plan is nice, but it needs to be combined in a shrinking state government. Huge state governments are a thing of the past in most states, and sadly if New York wants to succeed, we need as lean of a government as Texas has.

Turns of the First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry, is more with her husband's arch nemesis, Wendy Davis, on women's rights. (Of course, the first lady does agree with some of the restrictions). My only letdown: it seemed as if she was half fed talking points.

This is not the first and not the last blog I'm doing on the shutdown. But it's easy to explain why the GOP is taking the hit: the Tea Party faction. In general, the Tea Party is wildly unpopular, and the Tea Party Caucus is made up of some fifty plus members, about one fourth of the total Republicans in the House, with at least another twenty-five members of the House Republicans altogether who although not Tea Party Caucus members will vote with them regardless. I'd say the Tea Party plus House members ideologically aligned with the Tea Party standing at about 100. Wikipedia shows about fifty, which I call bull on. We do need a short term spending plan, but I see a few decades of American austerity budgets regardless. How about this: we have the military be on a spending leash, tax the rich and start rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure. HINT: Amtrak could use a LOT of new trains. Republicans are in deep denial. Deep, deep denial, in fact, one poll shows the GOP with its lowest approval rating this year. At this point, only a mediator can help things. And the Tea Party losing elected office. People with that much paranoia need not be in public office.

The shutdown is so bad that even Chinese media is pointing fingers at our reckless spending. This is where I say Chinese capitalists are selfish and ruthless, if not heartless: they've been buying our debt for years. The problem is that the richest of Americans don't have to pay their fair share in taxes. What we need to is tax the heck out of the wealthiest of Americans. Or have Warren Buffet run the country.

I'm glad to see Bill de Blasio getting a warm reception from the fiscal conservative community. While we're on the de Blasio gravy train, Chirlane McCray is an amazing woman: a complete opposite her husband, except for political views. She's a short African-American woman, her husband is a tall white guy. And somehow they make a real good team. In fact, she has been pretty much the behind-the-scenes coordinator for the de Blasio campaign. But then again, I see marriage as a partnership, which is pretty much the way the de Blasio's see theirs. I have a feeling that de Blasio will be a well-grounded mayor. Just make sure the unions are getting their fair share but aren't taking the city to the bank and you have a great next few years in the making. But de Blasio does have an impressive personal life: he will be the first mayor in ages to have kids in public schools (at least his son) and he has a tight family.

It's about time Governor Cuomo. And if I ever see you with your BlackBerry, I'm going to tell you to go Android or I WILL SMASH your phone. Stop being a hypocrite. And I have a feeling that de Blasio will be a nightmare for Cuomo.

So HOW is Congress more popular than of all things, Miley Cyrus? She can spoof congress, not to mention that 60% of Americans want an entirely new Congress.

We have a week, if not less, to raise the debt ceiling, and the GOP and Obama really need a mediator at this point. A FEDERAL MEDIATOR. Tomorrow I plan to call the White House about this. This is getting ridiculous. Either Obama's going to cave or we're going to default. The two can't agree on JACK. Would both Obama and Boehner out of their positions help matters? Peter King, the congressman from Long Island, is a bit of a jerk and slightly anti-Islamic, but I would give him my vote of confidence as House speaker, as he has no interest in the job

I believe in recall elections because sometimes lousy elected officials NEED to lose their jobs, but a group of Colorado Republicans have gone off the deep end. You got your recall wish, and you want more? Before introducing more gun legislation, we really need to deal with our nation's long standing paranoia of government. I know this is risque to say, but Adam Lanza has caused more problems in death than in life. Lanza's legacy is WHY we need more gun control. For every mass shooting we have we see an increase in gun control efforts. Unwillingness to lose an election?

Missed but not forgotten? God, please! The Jenners can take down Speaker Boehner while they're at it!

And finally, I appreciate the Onion's constant work at showing how stupid Americans really are. Even Congress is too lacking in common sense to realize this. Bring in a freaking mediator at this point.

*Unrelated: the top ten school districts in Upstate New York. Why are they not in the Albany suburbs?

Also, this twenty-something has one cool mom! Rebuilding a VW camper? Neato!

Here's a college student who saved voting rights for other college students in North Carolina!