Editor’s note:  Natalie’s sister, Delphine Hogston, posted this message on Facebook this morning (14 October).  It summarizes beautifully what the issues are in the current impasse in Congress, and also takes to task we the people–who need to challenge the inability of Congress to do its work. 

Delphine Hogston says:

Rant for the day (October 14, 2013) — very tired of the political situation, and the ignorance of the rest of us. Republicans seem to have won the message battle. The Democrats need to strongly point out that the budget for which they are requesting approval IS the budget the Republicans asked for.

The Affordable Care Act IS the law, and is NOT bargaining chip. (Note to my conservative friends — this is NOT what the President, and the rest of us liberal types originally wanted, but it is the COMPROMISE that was passed by the Congress.)

Note to those who think “our” taxes are too high — did you know that the share of taxes paid by individuals has gone way up compared to the share that corporations pay? Don’t you think that companies who profit through our system should pay their fair share for the infrastructure that helps them make money?

Note to the ultra conservatives — the longer you delay this process, the more time you give the rest of us to actually research the issues, and see just how badly you’ve mis-represented reality.

In my opinion, the long-term goal of the very wealthy, and the conservative zealots, is to insure an uneducated electorate so desperate for a job of any sort that we’ll put up with terrible conditions, just to put food on our tables & a roof over our heads. Hence the cuts to education and social supports, such as SNAP and WIC. Plus we won’t have time to find out why things are so bad. Walter Reuther, we need you now.