# Banana Republic coming soon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 2, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160 "2013-10-02T03:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/1 "2013-10-02T03:13:09Z")
No, not a new store. I’m thinking of the US turning into one. The thought just occurred to me today after seeing this headline: > **[Obama to troops: You deserve better than dysfunctional Congress](https://news.yahoo.com/obama-to-troops--you-deserve-better-than-dysfunctional-congress-035651117.html)** > > I will fight to reopen government, roll back sequestration, he says. NOT that it’s all on Obama. The shutdown sort of reminds me of the general strikes that shook up Russia and Germany c. WWI, which exacerbated the troubles over there. So, we have a Congress which is shutting down the government, and a President who is stirring up the military against the Congress. Sounds like a few show-trials are coming up, or. maybe a few bodies will appear. Anyone else thinking similar thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/2 "2013-10-02T03:15:25Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/3 "2013-10-02T03:58:15Z")
I’m totally sure they are kidding about a President for Life Amendment. Pretty sure. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/4 "2013-10-02T04:24:54Z")
> [@](#): > > The shutdown sort of reminds me of the general strikes that shook up Russia and Germany c. WWI Not even superficially close. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/5 "2013-10-02T04:44:52Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > a President who is stirring up the military against the Congress. Holy crap! Do you really think that’s what he said? I can’t imagine a worse reading. > [@](#): > > Anyone else thinking similar thoughts? I’m sure someone is, but you’re all embarrassingly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/6 "2013-10-02T04:57:57Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Sounds like a few show-trials are coming up, or. maybe a few bodies will appear. > Anyone else thinking similar thoughts? Are you talking about zombies? Cuz if so, then we’re totally having similar thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/7 "2013-10-02T05:05:29Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Not even superficially close. Get thee hence. Of course, a shutdown is very similar to a general strike, in effect on the economy/workplace/etc, and you’re playing with words. You may not agree with the thesis, but, don’t be catty. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/8 "2013-10-02T05:07:11Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Of course, a shutdown is very similar to a general strike Similar in that they’re opposites, yes. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/9 "2013-10-02T05:07:59Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Holy crap! Do you really think that’s what he said? I can’t imagine a worse reading. > > I’m sure someone is, but you’re all embarrassingly wrong. What do you think that I said that the President said? I didn’t make any quotes, so, there’s nothing that he said, directly. I didn’t quote anything-I said he’s stirring up the military. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/10 "2013-10-02T05:09:20Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > What do you think that that’s what the President said? I didn’t say that…I said he’s stirring up the military. I know what you said. It was ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/11 "2013-10-02T05:10:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Similar in that they’re opposites, yes. Similar in that they’re opposite, yes-not! Are you going to be caviling all night on this? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/12 "2013-10-02T05:11:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I know what you said. It was ridiculous. Ah, I see. That was simple. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/13 "2013-10-02T05:13:49Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Similar in that they’re opposite-not! In a strike, workers protest by refusing to do their jobs. In the shutdown, people are being put out of work because Congress hasn’t funded their departments. It is the exact opposite of a general strike. That’s about as dissimilar as it gets. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/14 "2013-10-02T06:13:08Z")
For the sake of pedantic snobbery and a dash of solidarity, the opposite of a “strike” is a “lockout”, as applied by running dog jackals of the ruling class. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/15 "2013-10-02T07:11:28Z")
“…when the Obama Admin crushed all opposition with ruthless efficiency in what became known as “The Night of the Fondue Forks”…” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/16 "2013-10-02T08:07:55Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > NOT that it’s all on Obama. This is the only part of your OP that is somewhat close to being correct. It is not all on Obama, in the sense that none of this is on Obama, and none is technically less than all. The rest of your OP is serious tin-foil hat fodder. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/17 "2013-10-02T08:38:49Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > It is not all on Obama, in the sense that none of this is on Obama, and none is technically less than all. Well, of course, it’s none of his fault. He was busy healing the sick and raising the dead while the Republicans were subverting the republic, and stealing children’s milk money. I only meant, in the imaginary world, where a President wasn’t partisan and would compromise to keep a government running. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/18 "2013-10-02T09:10:42Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > The rest of your OP is serious tin-foil hat fodder. I’m sorry…I thought that the tin-foil hat clucking came \*after \*the Grassy Knoll ‘witticism’. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/19 "2013-10-02T09:24:08Z")
Now, at this point, I did NOT say that it was a strike-I said similar, meaning, not the same as, but, similar. Similarities: 1. Powers that be (strike coordinators/Congressmen)… 2. …Bring halt to work (strike/shutdown)… 3. …Not due to market influences… 4. …To compel action which conforms to accepted policy. And, a lockout is not “the opposite” of a strike. It is the same thing with different motivators: Nobody is working, and there is no production/earning taking place on a large scale. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160/20 "2013-10-02T10:02:07Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > So, we have a Congress which is shutting down the government, and a President who is stirring up the military against the Congress. Sounds like a few show-trials are coming up, or. maybe a few bodies will appear. > Anyone else thinking similar thoughts? I think you’d make a million dollars if you told Alex Jones about this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-republic-coming-soon/670160.md?page=2)