The Victims of GOP Obstructionism

The economy continues to struggle to recover even as the Congressional Republicans engage in non-stop obstructionism and gridlock legislation on everything from economic stimulus, infrastructure rebuilding and immigration reform.  While these GOP saboteurs win the praise of delusional Christofascists and their likewise bigotry filled Tea Part first cousins, the obstructionism has very real victims. Millions of Americans have suffered directly and many, many more have suffered indirectly.  It is an ugly legacy and it underscores the hypocrisy of the GOP's feigned reverence for Christian values.  A column in the New York Times looks at these victims.  Here are some column highlights:

In an election year, there are always winners and losers. Rarely, however, are there so many victims.

Legislative gridlock, which was already bad enough, has devolved into a cynical, poisoned status. 

With a few obvious votes, Congress could improve the lives of millions of people — the unemployed, the undocumented, the uninsured. But instead of being helped, those in need are punished for nakedly political reasons.

It says a lot about this shameful state of affairs that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), one of the most powerful and savvy officials in Washington, had to put his career on the line to win an increase in the federal debt ceiling. Failure to act would have caused a catastrophic default. No new government spending was involved; rather, the Treasury simply needed to pay for spending that Congress already had authorized. Raising the limit was a no-brainer.

Yet Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who continues to redefine the word “shameless,” almost led the nation into calamity by forcing Republican senators to go on record in favor of the increase. Since the GOP base has been told — wrongly — that refusing to hike the ceiling would somehow help get the debt under control, senators who voted to do the right thing risked a tea party challenge.

Congress managed to avoid inflicting grievous harm on the entire nation. A number of subgroups have not been so fortunate.

The Americans most obviously suffering because of Congress’s unwillingness to do the right thing are the 1.7 million jobless workers who have lost their long-term unemployment benefits.

Again, Republicans are wary of angering the party’s conservative base. It’s not so much a matter of increasing the deficit — a three-month extension would cost only $6 billion, and Democrats have proposed offsets — but that far-right dogma considers such payments a moral hazard that encourages idleness. Never mind that recipients of unemployment benefits, by definition, were employed until relatively recently and can demonstrate that they are actively looking for jobs.

The working poor are suffering unnecessarily as well. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is far too low. In the past, Republicans have joined Democrats in voting for needed increases. In an election year, however, struggling wage-earners are out of luck.

The 11 million men, women and children who are in this country without documents are also victims of the calendar. President Obama and the entire congressional leadership agree that there is an urgent need for immigration reform. 

Also unfairly punished are the millions of uninsured Americans seeking coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Despite the Republican Party’s best efforts, Obamacare is working. But it would work better if Congress would cooperate with Obama in making a host of technical adjustments to the program.

 It’s one thing to seek an advantage at the polls. It’s another thing to make innocent people suffer for your ambition. Guilty members of Congress — and I’m specifically including you, Sen. Cruz — should hang their heads in disgrace.