Ian Millhiser — Catholic Bishops To House: Shut Down The Government Unless We Get Our Way On Birth Control

One week before House Republicans shut down the government in an effort to force President Obama to enact many of their preferred policies, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote House members requesting that the government be shut down — and potentially that the nation be forced into default — unless religious employers were given a special right to deny birth control coverage to their employees.

This is a devastating criticism and echoes just what Pope Francis said he does not want, indicating a breakdown of papal authority. Of course, if the pope wish to exert authority is fully able to do so. We'll see his reaction to this snub, or better, poke in the eye.

Think Progress
Catholic Bishops To House: Shut Down The Government Unless We Get Our Way On Birth ControlIan Millhiser

When hostage taking works to exact ransom, then hostage taking becomes the norm.

This is much more the case in parliamentary government, which is likely why the Founding Fathers eschewed it in favor of a Roman style republic controlled by the power elite through the Senate and a strong chief executive rather than a prime minister.

In a two party, winner take all system, the calculation is based on opportunity cost between the two chief options, so the Founding Fathers structured the Constitution to allow for not only competition between the two chief power elites but also the necessity to compromise to prevent a zero-sum game unless one power elite could dominate all branches of government over a considerable period.

The good thing is that the Bush unitary executive doctrine seems to be discredited by his own party, although it will almost certainly be revived in a GOP administration unless Democrats are willing to similarly obstruct government. If the GOP sets a precedent in this regard, it is virtually certain that the next round of Democrats will be much more radical and adopt the same tactics, ensuring on-going political gridlock.