When it comes to shutting down the government the Republican Party just can’t seem to get enough of it.  It is as if they somehow got caught up in the lyrics of that old song by the Staple Singers from back in the 1970s, ‘Let’s Do It Again’, and cannot break free.

“Sometimes the rain, groovin’ when I hear the sound; like you [government shutdown] and me, baby gettin’ down with the sounds around.  Oh, the smell of the mornin’ flower as we pass away the hour; I wanna do it again, do it again, do it, do it…” the lyrics say.

Obviously the Staple Singers were not referring to a government shutdown but to many of those who were young back in the 1970s, they could not help but to move  and swing and sway to the melodious sounds of this popular Motown song.  Too many Republicans seem to have this same problem when it comes to a government shutdown.  It matters not whether it is a partial or full shutdown; what matters is that it is a shutdown.  They can’t seem to help themselves.  And right now, it appears that once again they are saying, ‘let’s do it again!’

Operation Rubik’s Cube: watch the video then buy the book.

Here we are only a few days away from having funding for the Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.) lapse and Republicans are continuing full speed ahead in allowing it to happen.  Many of them believe that if this does happen, the blame will fall squarely on the shoulders of the Democrats.

It does not matter that Democrats have refused to support the bill that would provide funding to the D.H.S. because it contains language placed into it by Republicans that would, in effect, reverse President Obama’s Executive Order (EO) on immigration.  Although this EO would only allow immigrants who meet special criteria to remain in this country and expire as soon as congress passes a comprehensive immigration law, Republicans find it unacceptable.

What about all of those employees who will not be paid, some of whom by law will have to work without pay, when these funds run out?  Is congress concerned about them or whether they will be able to support themselves and their families until a new funding bill is passed?  Maybe they should pass a law that says that anytime there is a partial or full government shutdown congress members will not be paid until the shutdown is over.  I’d bet that there would be a lot fewer government shutdowns then.

Since President Obama was elected, it seems that many of our elected officials have lost all sense of direction.  It seems that they no longer have the ability to empathize with those who are without a voice and are struggling to survive.  They might not have had a lot of sympathy for those constituents before President Obama was elected and even when they did, it might not have been overt; but now they seem to be so focused on projecting an anti-Obama visual of themselves that they have completely forgotten about anyone who is not rich and powerful.

My message to these politicians now is that they should stop playing politics and pandering and do their job, which is governance.  Stop taking away money from hard-working Americans who are struggling to make an honest living and survive while they continue to pay themselves for doing virtually nothing (the last few congresses are likely among the least productive in American history) and govern!  It can’t be any harder for them to do that than it has been for the Average American to survive over the past six years while they conduct their partisan fights!

Come the next election, my message and yours should be that we are tired of their antics and will no longer tolerate their unreasonable behavior by reflecting those feelings in our vote.  Politicians will be politicians but we all know that they can do better and they too know that they can do better.  But because they are politicians, they will not do better unless America demands it of them.  We must do that!

Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent and no matter how many roadblocks may be placed in your path make sure that you surmount them, get registered and vote; and not just in presidential elections.  To vote is our responsibility as Americans and we should meet it.  And after that, “Let’s Do It Again.”

Eulus Dennis