Obama - The Government Shutdown and the Affordable Care Act

The roll-out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has proven to be less than stellar. Clearly, the ACA was not ready for prime-time. This opinion piece is not about the numerous flaws of the ACA or the growing failure of the roll-out, but a reflection on the detestable partisan political games being played by the Democrats.

In October, the deadlines on the government spending authorizations and the National debt ceiling were under heated debate. The pending failure of the ACA was just begging to simmer. Within context of the debate, one of the topics under consideration was the funding and/or delaying implementation of the individual mandate of the ACA. The Obama administration said NO to negotiations and shutdown the government. The Democrats, like sheep, simply went along with the Obama mantra. The Republicans unfortunately caved. The Democrats then asserted how the American people won because the Republicans were duly trounced.

Unbelievably, now that the Democrats have knee-capped the Republicans, some Democrats in the name of protecting the American people want to delay implementing the ACA!!!!!!  I assume that the Democrats will now assert that delaying implementing the ACA was really their genius inspiration to improve the ACA. Washington Post (October 25, 2013) article by Aaron Blake:"10 Senate Democrats sign Shaheen letter pushing for open enrollment extension".

Where were these Democrats when the spending/debt issues were being vigorously discussed?  Essentially, the Democrats (hypothetically) participated in letting an "innocent" person get ostracized and vilified. Now that the innocent person (beaten, bruised, and in torn rags) is writhing in the gutter, the Democrats come forward with great faux solemnity advocating that the ACA enrollment period needs to be extended for the benefit of the American people. Hypocrites. Below are some reader comments that were made on Mr. Blake's article.

n_slash_a commented: "Seriously!? Just just a week ago these same Democrats were saying that Republicans were "destroying America" for suggesting delaying Obamacare! Two-faced traitorous hypocrites!!"

DrEvil007 commented: "I guess this means these 10 tolerant, open minded, intelligent Democrats have been transformed into intoloerant, ignorant racists since anyone who has demonstrated any resistance to assimilation into the Obamacare collective was labeled as such. It would have been nice if they went along with the Republicans lead and the government slowdown could have been avoided. How bad is this that theses 10 Democratic Senators are trying to delay it?"

bhughes3, concerning motivation of the Senators who signed, commented: "That's right, so their constituency won't hang them or burn them at the stakes. Which will happen anyway."

Obama himself has demonstrated duplicity.  On one had he asserted that the ACA was not on the negotiating table. Consequently Obama refused to discuses anything concerning the ACA with the Republicans.  Yet Obama has made and continues to make unilateral decisions, without consulting Congress, on delaying, modifying, waiving portions of the ACA as he sees fit. Now that the Republicans have caved, Obama has extended the enrollment period. Washington Post article: "Americans will have an extra six weeks to buy health coverage before facing penalty". Obama could have negotiated such an agreement with the Republican to avoid the government shutdown.  While extending this deadline, may be well within Obama's executive authority, it nevertheless is another demonstration of Obama's "kingship".