Death Benefits and the Arrogance of Power
The relationship between the truth and politicians is a lot like two genitals bumping in the night. Despite the appearance there is nothing intimate about the relationship.
The latest example of this truism comes to us via the refusal of our government to pay death benefits to the families of fallen soldiers. A charity will do what our government won’t. This is a national disgrace, and our leaders should bow their heads in shame, as should we all for permitting them to do this. While the government shuts down, and politicians form endless lines outside cable news studios to blame everyone but themselves, soldiers are ordered to continue fighting. But if they die their families must rely on charity because the government that demands they fight will not pay.
I blame the republicans and the administration (and democrats by association) for this. I blame the republicans for shutting down the government, and I blame this administration for taking a self-serving and unnecessary hardline that injures our soldiers and their families.
I blame republicans for not caring enough about who their actions hurt. Like a petulant child who takes his bat and ball and leaves when he doesn’t get his away, republicans have shut down the government because they did not get theirs. Because of their actions, government employees will have difficulty paying bills, until this silliness ends, and contractors may lose their jobs entirely, because the money their employers have lost may never be recovered. And now the petulant child’s actions have caused death benefits to not be paid.
I blame the administration for refusing to pay those death benefits, even though, in my opinion, they can. In crises like these, administrations usually interpret laws and issue executive orders to protect innocents from the harsher effects of shutdowns. But this administration, in an effort to ratchet up pressure on republicans, interprets laws and issues executive orders to maximize the pain. The administration made a conscious decision to not pay death benefits; it was under no obligation to not do so.
If the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the work requirements of the welfare act; If the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the Patriot Act to authorize the NSA to do things not intended by the act; if the administration can unilaterally order the EPA to enact new enforcement policies that many believe exceed the agency’s authority; then the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the budget laws and issue executive orders to pay death benefits. That’s what administrations do. They interpret, act, and let the courts decide constitutionality. The only reason death benefits were not paid is because this administration chose not to pay them.
Now that the damage is done, each side offers flimsy excuses and accusations that any novice can see through. The fact is neither of them cared enough to make sure this didn’t happen. It does no good to blame one side more than the other for causing this disgrace. Finger pointing itself deflects responsibility. The focus must be on their collective failure. Only by blaming all equally will we shame them into changing their behavior.
The rest of the world must think we are slowly separating into two countries. I think this sometimes too.
The latest example of this truism comes to us via the refusal of our government to pay death benefits to the families of fallen soldiers. A charity will do what our government won’t. This is a national disgrace, and our leaders should bow their heads in shame, as should we all for permitting them to do this. While the government shuts down, and politicians form endless lines outside cable news studios to blame everyone but themselves, soldiers are ordered to continue fighting. But if they die their families must rely on charity because the government that demands they fight will not pay.
I blame the republicans and the administration (and democrats by association) for this. I blame the republicans for shutting down the government, and I blame this administration for taking a self-serving and unnecessary hardline that injures our soldiers and their families.
I blame republicans for not caring enough about who their actions hurt. Like a petulant child who takes his bat and ball and leaves when he doesn’t get his away, republicans have shut down the government because they did not get theirs. Because of their actions, government employees will have difficulty paying bills, until this silliness ends, and contractors may lose their jobs entirely, because the money their employers have lost may never be recovered. And now the petulant child’s actions have caused death benefits to not be paid.
I blame the administration for refusing to pay those death benefits, even though, in my opinion, they can. In crises like these, administrations usually interpret laws and issue executive orders to protect innocents from the harsher effects of shutdowns. But this administration, in an effort to ratchet up pressure on republicans, interprets laws and issues executive orders to maximize the pain. The administration made a conscious decision to not pay death benefits; it was under no obligation to not do so.
If the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the work requirements of the welfare act; If the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the Patriot Act to authorize the NSA to do things not intended by the act; if the administration can unilaterally order the EPA to enact new enforcement policies that many believe exceed the agency’s authority; then the administration can unilaterally reinterpret the budget laws and issue executive orders to pay death benefits. That’s what administrations do. They interpret, act, and let the courts decide constitutionality. The only reason death benefits were not paid is because this administration chose not to pay them.
Now that the damage is done, each side offers flimsy excuses and accusations that any novice can see through. The fact is neither of them cared enough to make sure this didn’t happen. It does no good to blame one side more than the other for causing this disgrace. Finger pointing itself deflects responsibility. The focus must be on their collective failure. Only by blaming all equally will we shame them into changing their behavior.
The rest of the world must think we are slowly separating into two countries. I think this sometimes too.
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