As we all know, the government has been shut down for several days now. This is deplorable for some, while others applaud the Republicans for standing their ground on Obamacare. Regardless of how one views this crisis, I think it is a travesty. Part of the purpose of the Constitution is to promote the general welfare of the people. It is beyond me how the welfare of the people is promoted by shutting down the government. It is ridiculous when our elected officials cannot come to an agreement on what is best for the people they were sent to Washington to represent. Evidently, some have forgotten that it was mainstream Americans who put them there in the first place. Some have become focused on only one thing; that is to repeal Obamacare at any cost.

Let us not forget that this health legislation was passed by Congress, signed into law and declared constitutionally valid by the Supreme Court. It is the law of the land. It is unreal that a small fraction of the House of Representatives, led by a transplanted Canadian (Ted Cruz), can cause such discomfort in the lives of so many working class Americans. It is sad when decisions are made without comprehending the full magnitude of the decision. After realizing the possible devastating impact of their actions, or inactions, the Republicans tried to make amends for their mistake by piece mealing the budget. Some of the more crucial piece mealed bills passed, while others did not. When our governing officials forget or ignore their responsibility, which is doing what is best for the people, and become centered around their own selfish agendas, they lose focus on what is right. This is what has happened to the Tea Party in Congress. As a result, speaker [John] Boehner is unable to consolidate the Republicans and has been forced into a very uncomfortable position.

He has a divided party and apparently he in not brave enough to do what has to be done to fix it. All he has to do is let the House vote on the budget as originally presented instead of assuming that the House does not have enough votes for it to pass. Why doesn’t he make this happen, and let the chips fall where they may? Could it be that he is afraid it will pass? I wonder what witchcraft the extreme right conservatives have over him.

I think that there are a number of things that have led us to the position we are in. They stem from prejudice, ignorance, bigotry, or what have you. I overheard a discussion among a small group of young white males during the last presidential campaign. The young men appeared to be of the poor or working class. Massachusetts Gov. [Mitt] Romney’s comments about the 47 percent of American voters that he viewed as noncontributing members of society looking for handouts had just surfaced.

As the discussion progressed, their mindset became more prevalent. They conceded that the president may have done some good things, but it doesn’t matter. They were determined to vote for Gov. Romney, regardless of his position on the poor and working class, because they were Republicans. Why is it that they were so determined to vote for a person whose actions and words reveal that their lively hood and progress were not a part of his agenda? The logic of this escapes me. I guess party loyalty to them, outweighs any effort to deprive them of good paying job which allows them to get ahead and to share in the American Dream.

A reporter for CNN did a field survey. He asked several people which health care program they preferred: “Obamacare or Affordable Health Care.” All of the people interviewed were white Americans, and they all chose “Affordable Health Care.” They did not know that the two were the same. The last person claimed that she did not know a lot about “Obamacare,” therefore she favored “Affordable Health Care.” The reporter pointed out some of the provisions in “Affordable Health Care,” all of which she excitedly approved. She acted surprise and claimed she had been tricked when she found out that they were the same Health Care Program.

I conclude that there is something about the word Obama that turns a lot of people off, or is it the color of the man behind the name? This article is not intended to carry a racial undercurrent. It is simply “The Plain Truth.”

CLYDE JOHNSON is a retired healthy physicist from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He can be contacted at 562-4402.