Our government is shut down because Senate Democrats want a sweetheart deal on health care (“A case of delusion over events that shut government,” op-ed column, Oct. 2).
Is it surprising that those who wrote the Affordable Care Act (Democrats), those who voted for it (Democrats), the President who signed it, those who declared it constitutional (Supreme Court justices), and those who will enforce it (the Internal Revenue Service) want to be excluded from its provisions, along with all their employees and those of their friends?
“Do as I say, not as I do” seems to be this administration’s motto. Shame on President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for exercising favoritism.
It seems that segregation is alive: separating elitists in Washington from the rest of us.
WANDA FOSTER
Springfield Township
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Republicans need to negotiate
It’s incredible that anyone who has been paying attention to the events in Washington can blame President Obama for the government shutdown. Many who do so say that he should negotiate, but what is the other side offering?
Republicans basically say that if they can do away with a duly enacted law, they’ll let the government continue to operate for a while. That hardly sounds like an offer. And how long will it be before the GOP tries something like this again?
If a small group of Democrats held the country hostage until a Republican Senate and a Republican President agreed to ban all guns in the country, would there be negotiations?
JOHN CHADWICK
Penn Road
Health-care delay might be wise
Technology cannot handle the transition to Obamacare (“Glitches reported in health-care rollout; Insurance Web sites see heavy volume,” Oct. 2). The Affordable Care Act should be postponed for a year.
The GOP-led House is blamed for failing to negotiate. But aren’t President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Reid truly the obstructionists as they refuse to negotiate?
President Obama basically states that he will not work with Republicans. He refuses to negotiate with his own countrymen about the future of the people he claims to embrace.
This is all so sad.
BRETT MENTZER
Kimberly Drive
‘Green eggs’ has tolerance theme
The book that Sen. Ted Cruz took such delight in using to help bring the government to a halt has basic themes of tolerance and delayed judgment until you try something (“Cruz’s silly-buster,” editorial, Sept. 27).
He never got to the end of the book, where the exclamation is: “I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am.”
So maybe health-care reform could be a good thing?
MARY PILCHER
Prouty Avenue