In a seemingly endless series of incidents, Republicans spent the first week of he government shutdown repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot.
There was the hot mic moment between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul in which the two discussed the GOP's messaging strategy, even after McConnell told Paul he was "wired up."
We've seen Texas tea party congressman Randy Neugebauer give a tongue-lashing to a Park Service employee, blaming the service for denying veterans access to the WWII memorial in Washington.
"The Park Service should be ashamed of itself," he told the unidentified Ranger in an incredible exchange that was caught on camera by NBC Washington.
"I'm not ashamed," said the Ranger.
"You should be," said Neugebauer.
Surely everyone can agree this lone Park Ranger (or even the whole parks Department) isn't responsible for the decision to close the memorial. The Park Ranger is just doing her job. That's also probably why a bystander, a federal employee who no longer has a job, came to her defense and scolded Neugebauer for not doing his.
The day before, Neugebauer went on a talk radio program in Texas to state that he will keep the government shut down for "as long as it takes" to ensure that Obamacare isn't funded, claiming it was the will of the American people.
We had Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana who went on CNN to rail against Obamacare and defend his party's shutdown position. After repeating his previous claim that Obamacare is "one of the most insidious laws ever developed by men" (a statement already lampooned by Jon Stewart), he continued to argument vehemently with anchor Carol Costello until it finally devolved into him blaming the media. "You're part of the problem," he said, and then he finished with a patronizing, if not condescending, "Carol, you're beautiful but you need to be honest as well."
The latest foot-in-mouth moment came from GOP Rep Renee Ellmers of North Carolina.
Though dozens of her colleagues have decided to either forego receiving a paycheck or else donate their salary to charity while the government is shutdown and hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed, Congresswoman Ellmers is adamant about making sure her $174k/year plus benefits remain undisturbed.
Ellmers told local TV, "I understand that there may be some other members who are deferring their paychecks, and I think that's admirable. I'm not in that position. I need my paycheck. That's the bottom line."
Of course she needs her paycheck. How else is she going to underpay her domestic help? Especially the colored ones. (Which means you have to underpay them even more!)
But thank God none of those no good, deadbeat government employees need their paychecks. But who cares about them? They're just a bunch of takers anyway. (It's surprising the cross she wears around her neck didn't immediately burst into flames.)
Ellmers, a registered nurse by trade, took office in 2011 after defeating seven-term Democrat Bob Ethridge. Ellmers husband is a general surgeon who runs his own practice.
Wife of a surgeon needs her paycheck. How about you scale it down some, like the people who've been furloughed will have to do?
Remember the 2007 debate over funding for SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) when a boy named Graeme Frost gave the Democratic weekly rebuttal as a living example of someone helped by the program? Conservatives had a field day after finding out the family of six could afford granite countertops on an annual salary of $45,000. If they could afford that, private school and other "extras," why can't they pay for their own medical care?
Wonder if those same critics would be willing to say the same thing about someone like Congresswoman Ellmers. Should we point out every pricey thing they have? Do they have cable they can cut back on? Counter tops they can return to Home Depot? Two cars? Can't they find their bootstraps?
Speaking with CNN the day before the shutdown was to take effect, Ellmers was asked if it was right for Congress members to continue receiving a paycheck during the shutdown.
"The question I believe is moot," she responded, "because we are not going to shut down the government."
Even tea party darling Ted Cruz, the senator from Texas who now apparently opposes the shutdown originally campaigned for, is looking foolish. Insiders say that at one meeting this week, the Republican senator from Texas was blasted by party members who blame him for causing the shutdown by tying a spending bill to Obamacare. When Cruz was asked about a way out of the shutdown, sources say he came up empty. A senator who was at the meeting tells Politico, "It was very evident to everyone in the room that Cruz doesn't have a strategy, he never had a strategy, and could never answer a question about what the end-game was. I just wish the 35 House members that have bought the snake oil that was sold could witness what was witnessed today."
Adding to Cruz's apparent cluelessness was Indiana GOP Rep Marlin Stutzman, who summed up the GOP's entire stance to the Washington Examiner earlier this week: "We're not going to be disrespected. We have to get something out of this. And I don't know what that even is."
Is it any wonder that polls repeatedly blame the shutdown on the GOP --in overwhelming numbers?
Tea party Republicans: You are making this WAY too easy for Democrats and embarrassing your senior members.
