Because it would be ridiculous to expect a government employee to not get a paycheck!

For those who are not inclined to check out the link, her husband is a general surgeon. So, the congresswoman's family is clearly struggling ... Or something.

The many faces of...Renee Ellmers...

https://www.google.com/search?q=Renee+El…

Apparently she has a lot of debt, with a mortgage and home improvement loans or something. So she's a poor money manager, just the sort of person we want running the country.

Is she from one of those heavily gerrymandered districts?

If so, it really doesn't matter what she says, she'll never lose re-election.

Bottom line is, Renee Ellmers is an asshole.

@4,

That's the fault of libruls and their tax and spend policies!

But, seriously, are there any Republicans who aren't a bunch of debt-ridden moochers? Think of Joe Walsh and his refusal to pay child support. Or Allen West and his inability to fill the tank of his Hummer on $174,000/year.

Actually, Renee Ellmers isn't from one of the dead-end gerrymandered districts, but from a purple district of North Carolina. If she gets a halfway decent Democratic challenger, she's toast.

Apparently, she's been pursuaded:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/10/04/3…

9, translation: "What's the fuss? I must have money & who cares about anyone else?"
"Wait, I'm being paid to actually *care* about other people? Oh, alright, FINE. But don't expect this to be a habit. Acting only in your limited self-interest is what the GOP is all about!"

Hillbilly bad losers.

She posted a letter asking that her paycheck be withheld on her FB page about an hour ago.

https://www.facebook.com/reneeellmers

I wouldn't mind paying her if she was doing her job, but she isn't.

If the president would simply have the decent courtesy to delay the individual mandate for a year (but one could still sign up) and remove the medical device tax this could be cleared up by Monday. That's all Boehner is asking for.

The part that gets me is that her husband is a surgeon, and presumably doing OK for money. I'm not saying forgoing her pay for a week or two wouldn't disrupt her family's budget (and, mind you, she has some control over how long federal workers don't get paid, after all), but her family income has probably dropped from perhaps $9K per week to maybe $6K per week (assuming her husband makes the average salary for his profession), and she has savings; there are a lot of federal workers and private-sector workers dependent for customers on federal workers and users of federal facilities who've seen their weekly family incomes drop from $1K or far less, all the way to Zero - and they surely have less savings, to boot.

@15 Well, there you go again. Using math, and logic, and acting like people earning in the 98th percentile don't have it tougher than everybody else.

@14,
What does the ACA have to do with funding the government?

If congress would simply pass the bill to fund the government - period - this could be cleared up by Monday. That's all the citizens of the United States are asking for.

They can discuss the ACA later.

@14,

Boehner, T'Baggerz and Rethugs can kiss my Black ass! President Obama and the Democrats need to stand firm. No compromise on the ACA. It's been the law for the last 3 years and is now being implemented. Rethugs need to respect the fact that they've lost on this issue. Move the hell on to something else.

Rethugs are nothing but economic terrorists at this point.

@14: hahaha.

no.

Because, well fuck you I've got mine!

Well, obviously one end of Pennsylvania Ave will have to capitulate. The one that does it first will score some political points.

On the subject of gerrymandering..,

...Can we get a slog post on how it's accomplished and how it could be fought?

@22
As for how it can be fought:

Vote. Vote for progressives (or the closest thing you can find). Vote in every election. Especially in the state and local contests. We're mostly screwed until the next census, but we must build the foundation now.

Talk. Tell every like-minded (or other than close-minded, but you're welcome to take a swing at them too) person you know that they must vote. (For progressives in every election, blah blah.)

Persevere. The wingnuts worked for decades to get to where they are. It won't take us quite so long, but it won't be a cake walk either.

@14: "All the police have to do is have the courtesy to give the gunmen their $10,000 and a helicopter, and they'll release the hostages. It's as easy as that."

@24: Well, actually I can't disagree with your clever retort. It's that awful in Washington D.C. How about just the medical device tax then, they just get the helicopter and release the hostages.

@23 I was hoping there is some better alternative to determining congressional districts than allowing party leaders to draw them.

Maybe districts based on demographics more so, or instead of, geography.
Maybe a little randomizer thrown in to mix it up.

Get Nate Silver on this.

@25: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3047

@27 ok, it would be an improvement.