October 15, 2013
The Randi Rhodes Show 


The Senate is still working on a plan to try and avoid default. The plan would reopen the government until January 15th and raise the debt limit until February 7th. America is like a death row inmate whose lawyers are working on a stay of execution. That’s what we’ve been reduced to—we no longer even consider solving our problems. We’re just ecstatic if we can put them off for a few more weeks.

Today, Republicans in the House came up with their own alternative plan to avert the crisis. Great—an alternative plan from the alternative universe! The House plan includes a couple of vicious swipes at Obamacare. There is the problem in a nutshell—House Republicans aren’t going to give any plan a chance unless it includes something that won’t give it any chance. The House Republicans have been floating doomed bills trying to chip away at Obamacare for months now. I guess they want to send just one more down the toilet before the plumbing explodes.

Darrell Issa said that the House Republicans began their meeting to work on the plan by singing “Amazing Grace.” Uh guys, maybe it would be best if you stopped working yourselves into a religious frenzy before getting down to work on legislation. Self-righteousness and zealotry don’t really lend themselves to compromise. Better go back and try again, guys. And this time, instead of singing “Amazing Grace,” try something like “Kumbaya.”

Republican poll numbers are getting worse. 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress have handled the crisis in Washington. And by “handled the crisis in Washington,” they clearly mean “the way they caused the crisis in Washington.” 54 percent “strongly” disapprove of the Republicans. Republicans! You either hate them, or you strongly hate them. Nobody is on the fence!

Yesterday Ted Cruz held a secret meeting with 15 to 20 House members of the Tea Party Caucus. The group met at a Capitol Hill bar. I wish I knew that they were there—I would have bought them all a round of kamikazes.