In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> Are the American Republicans power-mad, or mentally retarded? Anyone got any idea? Either way, they look very foolish to the rest of the world.
All of the above I think. It's worth remembering that the democrats in the US are basically liberal tories in our speak. Republicans would be, in our eyes, extreme right wing tories.
Luckily we don't have anything in the UK which corresponds to the lunatic right wing of the GOP, however these freaks are, in most Uk views, boarderline insane extreme religious nutcases. Presumptions of sanity are therefore not given.
From my reading of the situation, this small minority of lunatics are somewhat upset that despite 43 votes and a court case they have failed to derail the universal healthcare bill (Obamacare), and appear to have utterly lost the plot and are prepared to do *anything* to stop it.
Moderate republicans are as frustrated with them as everyone else, and the leader of the house is really not helping matters by refusing to table a vote on the finance bill as he knows that enough moderate republicans would vote with the government to pass it.
This last is especially insane - this use of a procedural loophole to avoid having a vote that you know you will lose.
Oh, and in fairness, there's a fair amount of Democrats who are not exactly doing all they can to stop the situation as they are very well aware at how insane this is looking to the general population and are gleefully rubbing their hands watching the GOP making itself unelectable.