1) Yet another in a long line of weak attempts by right-wing hacks to blame President
Obama for something he had nothing to do with. Even worse, the Republicans in congress had planned the government shutdown all along. By holding funding for government services hostage, they hoped to derail the Affordable Care Act, and foolishly assumed
Obama would vote to defund his signature legislative accomplishment. But it backfired. Public opinion turned against the GOP just as it did during the 1996 shutdown, and they had no choice but to fold under the mounting pressure. So to save face, they decided to do what they do best, blame
Obama.
2) A term to describe the continual
Republican-led effort in congress to obstruct anything and everything proposed by President
Obama, even small stuff like the President's judicial nominees.
1)
Republicans: "Let's shut everything down and then call it a Barrycade so everyone thinks it's
Obama's fault!"
2) To date, the Barrycade in congress has blocked 82
Obama nominees, nearly as many as all other presidents combined.