(via MSNBC)
Republicans put on their lab coats, grabbed their stethoscopes and said it’s time to fund the National Institute of Health.
That's right. The very people who are 100% responsible for shutting down the NIH are now demanding that it be re-opened.
Without a hint of irony.
Congressman Andy Harris, an anesthesiologist, carried a stethoscope around his neck as he said “we should make sure that every child, each and every one who has cancer can be taken care of by the world’s best at the NIH.”
Yes, the people who are shutting down the government to prevent people from getting health care, the people who are hysterically warning the American people about all the imagined dangers of having a government agency involved in health care are demanding that a government agency be allowed to continue providing health care which it is only not doing because they themselves insisted on shutting down the government to prevent the government from being involved in healthcare. . .does anyone elses's head hurt?
“I think the Speaker and I have both said that the Republican position is we believe we should fund this government, but we also believe that there should not be any special treatment for anyone,” Cantor said. “That is why we believe the right solution to that is to provide for a delay of the individual mandate under the health care law.”
So no one should get special treatment, but only some government agencies should be funded, only the ones Republicans are okay with? And these kids with cancer should get treatment but not other people with cancer or other diseases, because no special treatment for anybody?
Death of irony, part II:
(Via TP)
Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) told a Raleigh TV station Wednesday that she would continue to accept and keep her government paycheck during the shutdown. Her reason, she explained, was that she needs the money.
“I need my paycheck. That’s the bottom line.” Ellmers explained. “I understand that there may be some other members who are deferring their paychecks, and I think that’s admirable. I’m not in that position.”
Oh, that's the bottom line, is it? You need your paycheck? So even thought your party is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT RESPONSIBLE for 800,000 federal workers losing their paychecks, you needing yours is the bottom line? That's the only thing that really matters? Granted, you donating your paycheck to charity wouldn't do much to mitigate the harm that your party is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING, but do you really not see the inherent irony here? You know, how maybe these workers also need their paychecks to, um, eat and pay rent and what-not?
Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) took a similar line in an interview with Omaha World Herald: “I’ve got a nice house and a kid in college, and I’ll tell you we cannot handle it. Giving our paycheck away when you still worked and earned it? That’s just not going to fly.”
Oh, well if you've got a nice house, then that's perfectly understandable! Of course you need your money. You need your money so much more than someone who's one missed paycheck away from eviction. Yeah, working without getting paid? That's total bullshit. I mean it's total bullshit for a man of your stature, for other people. . .
Some federal employees have to work, with no pay in sight
October 5, 2013The IRS, National Park Service, USDA and MSHA employees are working on a skeleton plan, with essential employees only, but even the ones who are working aren’t getting paid.
Also with sequestration, Federal Bureau of Prisons employees did not have to report to work, but with the shutdown, federal law enforcement officers and correctional officers are mandated to report for duty.
“We’re mandated to go to work, but they’re not paying us to show up.”
So, you know, fuck you guys.
