Ridiculousness

The Republican shutdown of the government continues. Now Republicans are making even more demands.

DemocracyNow:

In addition to undoing "Obamacare," House Speaker John Boehner and the Republicans are also seeking cuts to programs include Medicare and Social Security in the upcoming debate over raising the debt ceiling. The United States faces an October 17 deadline to raise the debt limit or fail to pay off its debts. On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said the shutdown is already causing major damage to the economy...


Not only are the Republicans holding the entire country hostage, they are now asking for more for their ransom.  AthensNews has some info:

...A powerful bloc of Tea Party-sympathetic Republicans in Congress (including the two specimens who represent Athens County – Steve Stivers and Bill Johnson) have refused to support a continuing budget resolution, something that's usually a routine vote. They won't support any bill that funds the Affordable Care Act, and are demanding that essential components of health-care reform be delayed, in return for their support of the budget resolution.

They're doing this to cripple both the Affordable Care Act and the president whose name has been appropriated for its informal monicker, Obamacare....

The Republicans are acting like absolutely hysterical children. President Obama won two elections based on his plan and then the passage of health care. The American people wanted it. No matter how loud the Republicans yell, they cannot change the election. Judging from the overwhelming response to the new health care enrollment, it appears that the popularity of the plan is far more than anyone expected.

A new poll by PPP  for MoveOn provides some insight on how the Republicans are being hurt by their refusal to fund the government:

Twenty-four new surveys in GOP-held House districts, commissioned by MoveOn.org and conducted in the wake of the government shutdown, make clear that Republicans could easily lose control of the House if the next election were held today. The surveys challenge conventional wisdom that gerrymandering has put the House out of reach for Democrats and indicate the shutdown has significant electoral implications.

The list of potential problems for the GOP can be found here. The list includes two Ohio Republicans---Johnson and Joyce.