The Government Shutdown: Another Election, another Distraction!

 By Cynthia Johnson

How many politicians does it take to screw in a light bulb? I’m sorry, I meant screw the citizens! Just a little levity to take the sting away from the pesky political bug bite.

We’re just a few weeks away from Election Day and the politicians are playing naughty again. The result, a government shutdown which is just their way of throwing a tantrum until things are done their way. They’ve been kicking and screaming for a few days now and apparently “Obamacare” is the target. But why would the plutarchy ever want to reject an idea which would bring some relief to the poor and poverty stricken? The Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act (or ACA for short) goal is simple: Give more Americans access to affordable, quality health insurance and to reduce the growth in health care spending in the U.S. Sounds fair enough so why the tantrums? I, personally believe that it mostly stems from the plutarchy thinking that they will have to pay for lazy people who don’t want to work. If we were to ask many of them their opinions about the welfare program, you would probably hear the same thing. Unfortunately, their statistics are a bit off as it has been known for quite a while that the majority that are receiving Medicaid and food stamps are in a southern state called Mississippi where the largest population gets some type of assistance.. I also believe that there is major profiting by investors via the pharmaceutical companies and medical supply companies and the new plan will cause the distinct possibility that someone making 500 million per year will now make 449 million instead. Yes, the numbers are extreme but so are the wealth averages in comparison to the poverty level average.

President Obama made the following statement: “One faction of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government shut down major parts of the government all because they didn’t like one law,” Mr. Obama said. “This Republican shut down did not have to happen, but I want every American to understand why it did happen. Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to fund the government unless we defunded or dismantled the Affordable Care Act. They’ve shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans. In other words, they demanded ransom just for doing their job.”

Yeah, Yeah, yada yada…they are holding their breath until the POTUS does what they want…who does this hurt? The citizens of the United States who are more than just poor, but more like destitute.

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Man plans commute to NYC — by riding a bike on the Hudson River

Man plans commute to NYC — by riding a bike on the Hudson River (via NJ.com)

Photo courtesy of Fanny Kim Judah Schiller doesn’t walk on water. He rides a bike on it, though. Fresh off last week’s traversing of the San Francisco Bay on his bicycle-powered pontoon, Schiller plans today to be the first person to bike across…

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, October 4-6, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, October 5

• Bradley Beach Tour-the-Town Garage Sale – MORE INFO

• Putting the Garden to Bed (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Latino Festival of Monmouth County (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Asbury Park Zombie Walk – MORE INFO

• Fall Flea Market at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• AUM Church Rummage Sale (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Sandy Hook Bird Walk – MORE INFO

• Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Oktoberfest in Highlands – MORE INFO

• Oktoberfest in Fair Haven – MORE INFO

• SPCA Dog Walk & Pet Fair (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Fall Craft & Vendor Show (Bradley Beach) – MORE INFO

• Broomstick at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• College Football: Monmouth U vs. Robert Morris (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Ocean Twp IAA Flea Market – MORE INFO

• Our Town by Stone Church Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO

• Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Day (Upper Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• AAUW Used Book Sale (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Tinton Falls Community Day – MORE INFO

• Open Hearth Cooking Demonstrations (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO

• Open Shoot Archery (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Yoga Class for Beginners (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Guitar Concert with Paul Pugliese (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Hazlet Day Festival – MORE INFO

• Homeowners: Short Sale vs. Foreclosure (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Camp Evans “Base of Terror” (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• First Saturday Asbury Park – MORE INFO

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Ride (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• SPUR Fine Wine & Craft Beer Tasting (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• St. John’s Fall Festival (Hazlet) – MORE INFO

• Saturday Morning Craft Time (Tinton Falls) – MORE INFO

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Christie says he inherited ‘the most business-unfriendly’ government in America

Christie says he inherited ‘the most business-unfriendly’ government in America (via NJ.com)

NEW BRUNSWICK — Gov. Chris Christie told business leaders this evening that he inherited a bloated state government that was “the most business-unfriendly in America,” but he said he’s made great progress in turning it around. “We should not…

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Maryland Ruling Could Save NJ Consumers Billions on Electric Bills

Maryland Ruling Could Save NJ Consumers Billions on Electric Bills (via NJSpotlight)

In a case with the potential to save New Jersey’s utility customers billions of dollars on their electric bills, a federal district court this week declared Maryland’s effort to spur building of new power plants unconstitutional. The ruling does…

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Homeowners Hit By Sandy Get More Time to Appeal Settlements

Homeowners Hit By Sandy Get More Time to Appeal Settlements (via NJSpotlight)

Sandy survivors still battling over their flood insurance claims will now have more time to appeal their settlements. In a bulletin issued yesterday FEMA announced it will extend for another six months the period for Sandy-impacted homeowners to file…

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Opinion: Same-Sex Marriage Poses No Political Threat to Gov. Christie

Opinion: Same-Sex Marriage Poses No Political Threat to Gov. Christie (via NJSpotlight)

While New Jersey’s gay community is understandably encouraged by the recent Superior Court decision declaring a prohibition on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, the cold reality is that the stronger hand is still held by its chief opponent, Gov.…

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For N.J., a federal shutdown would hit full force in two weeks

For N.J., a federal shutdown would hit full force in two weeks (via NJ.com)

Star-Ledger file photo By Salvador Rizzo and Susan K. Livio/The Star-Ledger TRENTON — State officials are bracing for a federal shutdown this week if a squabbling Congress can’t agree on a budget solution by Tuesday’s deadline, but it could take…

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Five debates in 11 days: Statewide races in N.J. are about to hit overdrive

Five debates in 11 days: Statewide races in N.J. are about to hit overdrive (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Harry Truman was in the White House, the United Nations General Assembly met for the first time, Joe DiMaggio patrolled center field for the Yankees and televised political debates were unheard of. The year was 1946, and New Jerseyans haven…

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Rising polls boost Lonegan campaign in Senate race against Booker

Rising polls boost Lonegan campaign in Senate race against Booker (via NJ.com)

BOGOTA — Steve Lonegan was 35 points down to Newark Mayor Cory Booker a few weeks ago, but having a good time. His campaign for the U.S. Senate seemed a desultory sort of affair, not far removed from the kind he ran when he would go house to house…

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