If people are horrified by the verbiage of this headline, please know that it is a term used by test pilots in the Air Force and was used heavily during the book and movie called “The Right Stuff.” The term “screwed the pooch” is a term given when a test pilot pushed his aircraft too far and the mistake would cause the loss of the aircraft or, worse the loss of his or her life. The erroneous test pilot was said to have “screwed the pooch.” Unfortunately, these brave men and now women, often paid dearly for their test pilot efforts, which was a recurring theme in the movie.
I use the term to portray what the GOP has been doing to itself over the past few years culminating in the current state of affairs where a few are holding the country and their own party hostage with demands that are so strident, others in their party are balking. In fact, the GOP leadership is close to its wits end as they are being pushed by the US Chamber of Commerce, business leaders and conservative columnists and papers to cease the charade and come to the table. They have screwed the pooch.
I was somewhat hesitant to use this term as it was used with brave and daring test pilots who were paid and loved to fly jets to their outer limits and beyond. They called it “pushing the envelope.” I find no bravery in the Tea Party as I see a stubbornness that has arisen from a faulty data, misinformation and unlimited funds from a few key donors. These donors have heavy ties to the fossil fuel industry, so from my view and that of other independent voters, the donors are using the passion in Tea Party group for a cause that the group is unaware.
These donors want to perpetuate the fossil fuel profit making engine by any means possible. They want to dismantle environmental regulations and gain full access to dig, drill and exploit. Even as we speak, the GOP is considering the push for environmental restrictions being lifted as part of the debt ceiling and budget bill. Why would they do that at a time when the United Nations sanctioned International Climate Change Group scientists have just noted they are 95% sure global warming is man-influenced and the folks in China are having a hard time seeing the sun and breathing clean air is becoming a luxury.
The stubborness tracks to the position on Obamacare which is largely a GOP idea. The exchanges, in particular, are right out of a GOP playbook that wants more competition for insurance coverage in a state. And, one of the biggest Tea Party proponents lives in Texas, which is where the most uninsureds in America exist. They are dead last by having the highest tally of uninsureds. I get back to a simple question – why aren’t you in favor of Obamacare? And, why won’t you expand Medicaid, as well?
But, I guess one of the troubling aspects in the budget deal is the current proposal passed by the Senate has the GOP preferred sequestration restricted budget baked in. In other words, the GOP has garnered approval from the Senate on a major concession and that is to continue fairly capricious cuts. If the House voted for this Senate bill right now, it would pass with enough GOP Congressional representatives joining the Democrats. One GOP Congressman said if the vote was confidential, 150 GOP members would vote for it. That is almost 70% of the GOP representatives. What does that tell you?
Obama has made some concessions with this budget. He is not going to unwind his healthcare law. And, in spite of the overall like/ dislike of Obamacare, since the GOP disinformation campaign has been so effective, people don’t know what it is, including some representatives, senators and governors. Yet, if you ask about the features of Obamacare, people like the features in the majority. What has already been made effective – extending coverage to age 26 for adult children, elimination of lifetime limits, elimination of preexisting conditons on kids (the adult part is effective 1/1/14), limiting insurer profits on premiums, and improving senior drug coverage – are well received. The exhanges are a good idea and will let people have access to coverage.
I have written numerous letters to my GOP representative to stop siding with the Tea Party and start being a reasonable steward. The Tea Party has screwed the pooch and per conservative columnist David Brooks is on the downward side of their success.The GOP has screwed the pooch as well, but they still have time to remedy this and make a course correction. Let’s hope for our country they do. Speaker are you listening?
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