We’ve got the House Republicans’ balls in a vise, and it’s time to start squeezing.
Calling these assholes on the phone is good, but organizing protests outside their district office is better. There’s a pretty good chance local media will cover it, especially if you contact people at your local newspaper and tv stations. Maybe your local Democratic party or some other organization has something brewing and you can get involved.
It’s not too hard to find out where your Congressman’s local district offices are. Here’s the nearest Republican offices for me, for example (not that close, but I’ll check out what’s going on and if I can get involved).
These tactics worked around here in 2006 and 2008. Anti-war protesters scared the hell out of Republican Randy Kuhl and he more or less went into political hiding, probably costing him the election. We can do it again on the shutdown.
Botsplainer
Also, put up links to the exchanges. Talk about the positives you see, as well as mentioning the tax credits. Stay neutral and non critical on those posts.
OzarkHillbilly
@Botsplainer:
Sorry can’t do it. I have a potted tea plant for a Rep (Jason Smith) and nothing I say, reasoned or vitriolic will make even the slightest difference. He is the most useless pos to come out of MO since Todd Akin.
Anya
On the same day the government shuts down, Health Insurance Marketplace opens!
How’s that for irony.
Go to HealthCare.gov
jibeaux
healthcare.gov is too busy to get on right now, doubtless from all the people who can’t wait to write in to say how pissed they are about Obamacare…
The Red Pen
One sign of utter desperation I see is that Frontpage Magazine has shifted from relentless racism against Muslims to relentless repetition of anti-ACA propaganda.
I don’t think this would be happening if they thought for a minute they were winning this.
Meanwhile, Freeper sentiment on the shutdown:
None of these people have any idea what the government does.
Hillary Rettig
I would love to stick a giant Thank You Obama sign in my window. What’s the best way to get something like that printed up?
And what’s the messaging for the non-TP Repubs? Now that I’m in MI (versus MA), in a district that’s been owned by a Republican miscreant for many years but could be up for grabs, I’ve got a chance to do some real politicking!
MikeJ
@jibeaux: If you build out server capability to handle spikes you’re probably paying too much for servers. A week from today the average load will be less than 1 1/0th what it is today.
Sadly, it’s a lot harder to offload the traffic to a scalable solution (Amazon, Google) when you’re dealing with health care stuff instead of game logins.
The Red Pen
@OzarkHillbilly:
You are unaware of Billy Long?
The Red Pen
@MikeJ:
Both of these providers have a government services division. The DOD just moved some somewhat sensitive stuff onto Amazon’s cloud. Various commands are mulling over the same switch.
Roger Moore
@The Red Pen:
They’re about to get an unpleasant reminder of all the ways they depend on their government.
Feudalism Now!
The Government shutdown is a big nothing burger to most people. My lovely local media has shown how they will spin this. “There have been almost 20 government shutdowns since 1976. The last one was 1996.” they also had a financial guy saying government shutdowns are a great time to buy stock as the market gets artificially depressed by 3-4% and rebounds nicely when a compromise is reached.
So, they make sure to include the last two democratic presidents to skew the number and the shutdown is a good thing for the portfolio. Terrorists and Vischy Americans all.
OzarkHillbilly
@The Red Pen:
Until now I was quite blissfully ignorant of Billy Long. Thanx. A lot.
grumble grumble
Roger Moore
@Feudalism Now!:
When it’s less than a day old, yes it is. But the longer it goes on, the more people will discover that there’s some government service they need but aren’t getting. Pretty soon, business owners will start bitching because they can’t break unions with H1B visa holders, and the government teat they’re used to sucking has dried up.
sparrow
Is there anyone old enough or government-history-nerdy enough to remember the shutdowns of the 80s? I found an article about the previous ones (lots of stuff about abortion), but they actually did *not* give a sense at all of the parties positions. I was particularly confused about the shutdowns under Carter, but I’m guessing that has to do with democrats in the South or some such. I have to admit I was ignorant of these shutdowns before the previous one in my lifetime in 1996.
MikeJ
@The Red Pen:
Very cool! Managing servers is a pain in the ass. Almost any time you can offload that onto somebody else it’s a win.
It’s a lot easier to keep a few thousand extra servers around for spikes when those spikes can happen for any of thousands of customers. Of course the US government is large enough (duh) that they could do it for themselves. Move extra servers to the IRS for tax season, push them somewhere else for insurance signup, etc. That would require one IT department for the whole gov, which would either bring incredible efficiency, be a nightmare of red tape, or both simultaneously.
VitaminC
The Rethugs already won. That “clean” CR we’re all on fire to pass? It’s basically the Ryan plan.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/news/2013/09/30/76026/the-senate-continuing-resolution-is-already-a-compromise/
Jerzy Russian
Perhaps the title should be “Get mad, you children of bitches”. That way, everyone can get involved.
Frivolous
It’s balls in a vise, not vice.
The Red Pen
@Frivolous:
Correct, although Republican balls end up in vice with alarming frequency.
celticdragonchick
@The Red Pen:
True, true…
MikeInSewickley
Thank the FSM that my whole family has insurance but my daughter only got it about 3 years ago.
Hates her job but stays for the insurance.
I’m now wondering if we may see a increase in jobs or at least contented workers.
I mean, I teach in a big college system and I can’t tell you the numbers of students who had to take near McJobs through this recession simply to get insurance. Now maybe they will be freer to look around and find jobs that match their talents.
So I’m calling my local (R) rep who was on KDKA yesterday ripping the shit out of the ACA and asking some questions.
And, yes, pull a “Casino” on these bastards and squeeze their heads in a vise until their eyes pop out.
Believe me, they would do the same to us.
Feudalism Now!
“The democratic controlled senate failed to pass two resolution provided by the House to prevent a shutdown”. Is how it is being framed in Syracuse. No wonder Maffei is such a cur.