AND I'M NOT EVEN POLITICALLY INCLINED ...

I'm not particularly political, but as a middle aged, middle, class, white guy, I've always kind of leaned to the Republican side of the equation.  I'm conservative in terms of finances and I'm probably more conservative in terms of lifestyle choices than I'd like to think.  I'm also a government employee who likes his job.   Over the years the government has paid me well.  They've provided me with a benefits and retirement program that most people would kill for.   I've been given education opportunities.  They've allowed me to travel.  They've given my opportunities to make a difference.  They've allowed me to work with some amazingly capable and dedicated people.  So, yes I'm prime Republican recruitment territory.   And in the past I've frequently voted Republican.   The thing is, I can't do it anymore.   The Republicans have fallen victim to their own personal agendas. They've allowed a small group of fanatics to basically take over their agenda and in doing so they've lost the rank and file that followed the party line.   Like spoiled three year old kids, they've thrown out the concepts of collaboration and cooperation that made the country great in favor of my-way-of-no-way.   I see them willing to sacrifice the very people they are suppose to be helping in order to further their own personnel agendas.  Do they care about you and me?   Hell no.

There's certainly plenty of blame to go around.  Obamacare seems like a nightmare
waiting to happen.   It is complex and will take years to work out the kinks.  I understand the Republican dislike for the program.  That said, it is the law.   They are required to uphold the law.   If they want to gut the program, they'll get their turn when they win control of the government.   For the time being, their attempts to gut the law by taking down the entire government are simply reprehensible.   Furloughing millions of federal employees; many who live paycheck-to-paycheck, is not the way to do it.   As I said, the Republicans will
get their shot someday, but given their current behavior and unless they figure out how to return to a more moderate and mainstream approach, it won't be with my vote.