REPUBLICANS FLUSH $24 BILLION DOWN THE TOILET

PUMPING UP THE DEFICIT
Johann Wagener 10-16-13

They blabber about bringing down the deficit. About fiscal responsibility. They then blow more than $20 Billion of taxpayer dollars in the process; not to mention trying to extort the government they claim to represent if healthcare to their constituents is provided.

Was there anything else that could have been done with that $20 Billion plus? Let me think. Oh! How about food stamps for the people in need? Or a small cost-of-living raise to Social Security recipients? And, let's not forget the VETS they like to throw a lot of empty praise at but not the money they need for their care.

The Republicans, and especially their zealous extreme right wing have once again shown where their loyalties lie. They have again taken advantage of a system of government that is adapt at tolerating corruption to a fault, and they have again stomped on what few values this country is holding on to.

Here Is How Much The Government Shutdown Cost

WASHINGTON -- The government shutdown has taken at least $24 billion out of the United States economy, the financial ratings agency Standard & Poor's said Wednesday.

The firm said the shutdown caused it to cut its forecast of gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter by at least 0.6 percentage point. The agency lowered its estimate for GDP growth to close to 2 percent from 3 percent.

The estimate represents a staggering cost to the economy of a completely self-inflicted political catastrophe. Unlike the 2008 economic crisis and other past recessions, the government shutdown had nothing to do with larger economic trends. The numbers show Washington's brinksmanship caused real damage beyond furloughed government workers and the Washington, D.C., region.