Government Shut-Down Final Answer?

"If you respond to stress of conflict with an ingrained pattern that includes avoidance, anger, denial, etc., it can get in the way of effective communication, distancing you even further from your partner."  (Dr. Phil)


Dear Congress:

Let's just pretend for a second that you -- the House & the Senate, are partners. Oh, wait, per Article I of the United States Constitution, you ARE partners.  Equal partners in the legislative process, neither one enacting without the consent of the other.  Silly me.  What was I thinking?

Like in any relationship, communication is key.  Only the self-absorbed re-hash the past, point fingers, give up without actually having a meaningful, productive conversation, and walk out when selfish motives and melodramatic insolence dissolve any remaining granules of rational thought or diplomacy.

Well, if you are the dysfunctional partners, then "We, the People" are your children, and like any divorce or separation - the children are always the ones who suffer most.

Unfortunately, this spans far beyond any awe-inspiring daytime talk-show host caveat.  For the sake of us "kids", it's high time you put on your big boy pants and work together, like the responsible, civilized adults we pay you to be and fix this.  

Every dollar spent locally returns more than 4 times to our local economy.  When people are laid off (without pay), they cannot spend, (pay bills, mortgage, buy groceries, etc.) which that puts our local economies at great risk.  And that's only one of the effects of your little shut-down stunt.

While it is admirable to act with integrity and stand up for the values in which you believe, it crosses the line when you fail to remember the moral obligation rested upon you to act in good faith on our behalf.

The both of you - House & Senate - You should be ashamed of yourselves for engaging in this asinine barking contest, anxious to mark your territories at any cost to the American people.

I mean, I'm no expert; I quoted Dr. Phil, for crying out loud.  Just goes to show you even a lay person, such as myself, can pinpoint the problems in this relationship as well as recognize the absurdity of it all.

If I were a talented cartoonist, I'd sketch a single-panel depicting the President, Ted Cruz, and Harry Reid (among other prominent lawmakers) as contestants on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".  Answer choices would include: "Vote on a Funding Resolution", "Repeal the Medical Device Tax", "Delay Affordable Care Act for 1 Year", and "Cause a Government Shutdown", with the latter one selected and the host's, Cedric the Entertainer, speech bubble reading,

"Is that your final answer?"