# A solution to the impasse in Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510 "2013-10-06T15:59:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/1 "2013-10-06T15:59:28Z")
The Republicans want to shut down the Affordable Care Act, and they’re willing to destroy the country to do it. I have a solution: Give in. Of course our system of government is (supposed to be) built on compromise. So in exchange for repealing the ACA, the Republicans must approve a Taiwan- or Canadian-style single-payer system. If they accept the compromise, We The People get an efficient, lower-cost health care system. (Not to mention more freedom and a more robust economy.) If they don’t, we’re still going to have the ACA – which is at least an improvement. Let’s get our Congressional representatives to at least make the offer! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/2 "2013-10-06T16:12:46Z")
I’d settle for a raw ‘expand medicare to all’ system as simplest to implement. And a pony. I want a pony. And a switch to the Westminsterian system. That, too. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/3 "2013-10-06T16:57:32Z")
And Fox commentators and similarly minded radio talk show hosts must wear clown suits when on the air and in public. Because each must look the part. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/4 "2013-10-06T19:10:59Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > And Fox commentators and similarly minded radio talk show hosts must wear clown suits when on the air and in public. Because each must look the part. How about a ban on Republicans or their sound bites on Fox instead. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/5 "2013-10-06T19:16:44Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > How about a ban on Republicans or their sound bites on Fox instead. Fortunately – and sadly – people have the right to say stupid things. And corporations like Fox are people under the law. Seriously, though; the ACA is a Republican plan. If they don’t want it, let’s offer them a Liberal plan. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/6 "2013-10-06T21:18:32Z")
I’d rather we went for the Icelandic solution: fire them all, write a new constitution, elect a new congress. Yeah, that’d work great. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/7 "2013-10-06T22:48:09Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Fortunately – and sadly – people have the right to say stupid things. And corporations like Fox are people under the law. Yeah, and a ban like that would be censorship anyway. Too bad stupid doesn’t hurt more or cost more. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/8 "2013-10-07T17:02:01Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I’d settle for a raw ‘expand medicare to all’ system as simplest to implement. > > And a pony. I want a pony. > > And a switch to the Westminsterian system. That, too. And free AR-15’s and ammo for any non-felon American citizen that wants them And a hard cap on gasoline prices, $1.75/gal, no gas taxes to “compensate” for the price reduction ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/9 "2013-10-08T08:52:44Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I’d rather we went for the Icelandic solution: fire them all, write a new constitution, elect a new congress. > > Yeah, that’d work great. Works for me. I swear, I should try to run for office, I couldn’t do any worse than these jackasses. I regret that this didn’t happen a few years before my Dad died, he was involved in back room politics and probably if we had moved back and lived near him I could have gotten a boost up the ladder of political position. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-the-impasse-in-congress/670510/10 "2013-10-08T09:00:27Z")
Some of the Board’s right-wingers – oh, excuse me, “libertarian-like intellectuals” – have stated they would prefer a single-payer system over Obamacare. I think your chances are nil of getting the Teabaggers to agree to anything that smells reasonable, but I would be curious to see whether the Board’s right-wing hypocrites would support your solution. (I think they’re just blowing smoke.)