President Obama is getting together later day with Congressional leaders in a last ditch attempt to avoid a government shutdown. Meanwhile, the administration is preparing for a possible government shutdown, as was revealed through a memo that was leaked to the Washington Post. If an agreement can’t be reached on continuing funding government activities through the rest of the fiscal year 2011(ending on September 30th), many vital government activities will cease, except those that are vital to national security, etc. I have been following the ongoing drama, and if this can be averted, there are still vital battles ahead on government funding: first, is the debt limit on the amount of money the federal government can borrow, which will be reached at some point this spring and if not increased, will cause at least a partial shutdown of government services and FY 2012 budget, with a first proposal being released today by Rep. Paul Ryan that proposes to phase out and slash Medicare, with the ever-ready voucher system conservatives profess so much love for to take its place.

As a federal employee I am disturbed at the lack of seriousness and dimwitted ideology that the Republican Party has wrapped itself merrily in and I am grateful knowing that at least initially I wouldn’t be seriously affected by the shutdown (working in an agency with its own source of revenue and only a relatively small supplement from Congress makes it easier). Republicans on the national level are pretty happy with a scorched earth policy and to hell with whoever gets caught in the way, as we are all just collateral damage. So far I’ve heard no serious debate on them cutting their own pay and benefits during a shutdown, even as some Congressional Democrats have been pushing for it. They truly know no pain because they don’t even bother to empathize. That’s what willfull ignorance does to you. I’m not very hopeful that President Obama and Congressional Democrats will have the spine to stand up to such nonsense and dare to put the Republicans’ feet to the fire. There will be a price to pay. If Democrats blink, it will be them and there will be more misery in the coming years.

 Know hope!