This is in response to Rich Lowry’s column (Oct. 7). There is more than enough blame to go around for Congress’ amazing ineptitude. However, Lowry missed the more important issue.

More important than shutdown is a default of national debt, which Republicans seem happy to cause unless Democrats succumb to Republicans’ demand to defund Obamacare.

As Lowry points out, this is not the first time Congress has tried to attach something to debt ceiling measures, but that was 40 years ago. I learned when I was four years old that the stove could be hot — don’t touch it. I haven’t burned myself since, because it didn’t work out well the first time.

Lowry cites Obama’s own brinkmanship during the fiscal cliff of 2012. He forgets to mention that the tax concessions made by Republicans came along with large cuts to government spending.

As for piecemeal funding for the more public of those currently furloughed. I liken it to saying “no” to a petulant child who is trying to find some shred of victory in the midst of a temper tantrum. When a child is being unreasonable, good parents don’t debate, they stick to their guns.

Think I am being absurd by comparing House Republicans to toddlers? House Republicans have voted 40 times to repeal Obamacare, knowing it has no chance of passage in the Senate. How much money and time have they wasted on that, and to what end?

That is an undeniable history of being unreasonable.

Mark Moize, Leeds

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