Bitsy

Good explanation and post, Kimmy. Why the Port Authority reached the decision to close the lanes remains unanswered but it is obviously within their power to do so at will with no input from other agencies. It seems the rationale was presented as trying something new, and then morphed into a traffic study pattern that was never authorized. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324665604579081630876156774

It either reflects the culture of his administration or his poor judgment of character both are disqualification of any public office.

In writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper in the US, you must use your real name, address and phone number, only your name and city is published. Why should HuffPo be any different?

Your personal commentary does not fit any discussion that i witnessed. Wishful thinking, Maybe.

The author of the piece is a Canadian conservative blogger.

Are you saying that the rules are not enforced?

I thought ugly/trolling was not allowed on the forum.

I find it strange that some people lock their update.

A wise person changes their mind, a fool never does and I know that you aren't a fool, Kimmy.

Well, I admit to misunderstanding you. Call it whatever you choose but there is a great divide within the Republican Party, i.e. Ted Cruz from a John McCain or a Mike Lee from Lindsey Graham or a Rick Perry from a Chris Christie. . The Citizens United ruling gave this vocal minority a loud voice. Heritage Foundation, Freedom Works, Club for Growth, etc plan to primary all Republican s who voted to end the shutdown. I see their voice growing louder until they finally capture the presidential nomination, at which time, I do believe the majority will make their voices heard at the ballot box and only then will we see a silencing of their voices or at least a mellowing. The moderate conservative party. You are right. I realized that I did make myself clear and this why I clarified it so that we would be on the same page. Those votes were for ending the government shutdown and avoiding debt default and the only way that could be achieved was to cease their opposition to Obamacare and vote for its funding. It will be of interest to me to follow those who voted yes and are up for reelection in 2014. I have lost track of the number of times the House has spent their time on a fool’s mission in voting to repeal Obamacare. I hope this will now be the last of those votes.

We have a misunderstanding; you asked “So what makes them get to be representative of "real Republicans" and not John McCain or Chris Christie?” Kimmy did not used the word “representative” she said the ‘value voters’ think they are the “real conservatives”, and I agree with her observation. Sean Hannity seems to think that a third party is needed... a new conservative party. More people may be calling for a third party if the Ted Cruz faction loses this current battle. I was speaking of congressional Republicans in the congress. The ACA garnered not one single Republican vote. Many Republicans believe that Bush 41 lost his presidency because he could not fulfill his “no new tax” pledge. What exactly is your definition of “very conservative” as it applies to the US.

Where did Kimmy say the faction that attended the Value Voter’s Summit were representative of Republicans? She was spot on about that particular group, particularly about Jesus and decimation of social programs, but as I pointed out all the Republicans want to away with Obamacare and believe that cutting taxes increases revenue. She failed to mention though that this value voting faction are against immigration reform, same-sex marriage and legal abortion, policies which are supported by the more moderate Republicans.

Kimmy is pretty spot on in what she said about the US with the exception that all Republicans want the end of Obamacare and additional tax cuts. And they've banded together to declare that "real conservatives" want the end of Obamacare, More Jesus, tax cuts, and the decimation of social programs. And they say that Republicans who don't share those values, like John McCain or Chris Christie, aren't "real conservatives" and are RINOs, Republicans In Name Only.

And these are the speakers at the rally who support those leaders. http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/parker-gay-people-and-enemies-god-should-keep-it-private

Do you believe that the Republican Party today believes in big government, partial welfare state and mass immigration? They give lip service to a mixed economy.

I have never missed a federal or state vote, and few municipal votes in my 70 plus years. My votes rarely make a difference in my solidly red state but I place high value on a right that once was denied so many US citizens, I will never not exercise that right for which so many fought. I was a Republican for many years but found myself jilted by a party that I thought valued individual freedoms in all areas of life, whose social conscious was abandoned, whose vision of equality was replaced by corporate greed, whose denial of science and distrust of academia is dumbing down each new generation. These are but of a few reasons why I now vote almost a straight Democratic ticket; if I ever see a Republican who resembles the party, I left, I might give him a chance but it is doubtful what one man can change the course of today’s Republican Party who has many members who believe that President Obama is a Muslim

Thee and me.

Why would she give up her Young Adult Plan that was so affordable? There is nothing in Obamacare that says she has to change plans. She can stay on this plan until she reaches age 30 according to this website. http://www.bcbsm.com/index/2013-plans/michigan-health-insurance/affordable-health-insurance/young-adult-blue-max.html

You betcha

Ashley reminds me a bit of the splash that Joe The Plumber made in the conservative media

That is exactly what they should do if they were smart. If Obamacare fails, Republicans will control both houses of Congress possibly as early as 2014 but most certainly by 2016 along with the White House....a clean sweep. Obamacare maybe the program that will fulfill Karl Rove’s dream of establishing a permanent Republican majority.

I think some of you will enjoy this bit of satirical writing, others maybe not so much. http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/10/republicans-shut-down-prefrontal-cortex.html

It's not a problem for me, and I am an American. It is a beginning and that is more than any other president in a half of a century has been able to achieve. We can't allow perfect to be the enemy of good when we have so many Americans without access to proper healthcare.