Government Shutdown Presents an Opportunity

Open Email to Rep. Neugebauer and Senators Cornyn and Cruz:

Dear Rep. Neugebauer and Senators Cornyn and Cruz,
    The federal government shutdown is imminent. The Republicans appear to want continued operations in deference to an apparent will of the American people. The Democrats want to use a government shutdown as a lever to defeat increasing influence of conservative Tea Party members of Congress. It is thought that the only way to maintain government operations is to have a favorable vote on a Continuing Resolution.
    I believe we have been collectively looking at this in the wrong way. Much of the American public wants a smaller, less powerful federal government, but also wants a government that is stable, particularly from a financial viewpoint. The obvious question to you, as the people's representatives, do you want to maintain power in an overspending government that is doomed to collapse, or do you wish to follow the better judgment of the people's will and have a government which is smaller in numbers and spending, but is actually more powerful in continuity?    If the second option is your choice, I suggest the following strategy:    Agree with the Senate Democrats that you also want a government shutdown. Remember that while a government shutdown is extreme, is at least in the direction of the American public's will. In agreeing to the government shutdown, you have have in mind that you will NEVER agree to a Continuing Resolution.
    What you will agree to is a continuing operation to restart government piece by piece. The first proposal of the House to the Senate should be to fund the IRS, so that revenues can be collected. Let the Senate vote on that, and we will see whether it will be able to justify declining. If the Senate approves, the House next proposes that the Military, Medicare, and Social Security operations be funded. In that operation, there is an opportunity to start using percentages for operational funding compared to the previous year, but not a cut in benefits to recipients. It is likely that the Senate Democrats will be unable to convince themselves that an obsession to power is possible, if they vote to not fund those three operations.
    Recall that there is no way that a Continuing Resolution for total government funding should ever be proposed. Piece by piece, the government can be put back together at a lower employment and expenditure level that has previously existed. Some departments can be eliminated completely by never proposing their funding. My suggestion is to never fund the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. The Justice Department should be funded completely. The Environmental Protection Agency should be funded at half its previous budget.