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A key fact about this shutdown is that a majority of the House would vote to end it if they were allowed to vote. There are enough Republicans that could combine with Democrats to get the government back up and running, but Republican leadership – backed by corporate/billionaire money – will not allow them to vote.

Repeat, this shutdown would be over immediately if the Republican leadership would allow the House to vote.

If you agree that the House Speaker John Boehner should allow a vote that would end the government shutdown, sign our petition to him.

Democracy Obstructed

This is one more time that democracy is being obstructed by a corporate/billionaire-funded minority. There are enough votes in the House of Representatives to end this shutdown but the Republican leadership will not allow such a vote to occur.

Just like the ongoing obstruction in the Senate, where a minority blocks the will of the majority, the House would vote in a minute to end the shutdown. But, just like with the Senate, democracy is being obstructed -- again by the corporate/billionaire-funded crowd. In the Senate it's the corporate/billionaire-funded Republican Party. This time it's the corporate/billionaire-funded Tea Party.

They hate democracy. They are able to manipulate the undemocratic rules of the House and the Senate to obstruct almost every bill and nominee. Now they are even obstructing governing itself.

They Hate Government

Republicans hate government, and we are finding out what happens when you elect people who hate government to run the government. In this MUST WATCH video Senator Elizabeth Warren explains why "the anarchy gang" is doing this:

[fve]http://youtu.be/JTxWMkW8s_c[/fve]

When was the last time the anarchy gang called for regulators to go easier on companies that put lead in children's toys? Or for inspectors to stop checking whether the meat in our grocery stores is crawling with deadly bacteria? Or for the FDA to ignore whether morning sickness drugs will cause horrible deformities in our babies?

When? Never. In fact, whenever the anarchists make any headway in their quest and cause damage to our government, the opposite happens.

Other Things They Hate

We got here by giving in. When they took unemployment benefits hostage they got an extension of the Bush tax cuts. When they took the debt ceiling hostage they got the economy-and-job-killing sequester. Encouraged, they have taken the government hostage in an attempt to get rid of the "Obamacare" health care  act.

If they can get away with winning concessions again what will they go after next?

They never liked Medicare -- will they take the government or debt ceiling hostage to get rid of Medicare next? What about Social Security? They HATE Social Security. Will they shut the government down and/or threaten to default on the debt to get rid of Social Security? The Bush administration was working on a plan to privatize / sell off the National Parks. Will they shut the government down and/or threaten to default on the debt to force privatization of the National Parks.

Discharge Petition

There is one mechanism that could end this. If a majority of members of the house sign a "discharge petition" this forces a vote. Democrats in the House are in the process of starting this effort right now.

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