Wednesday night, with the United States teetering on the edge of an unprecedented default, a last-minute deal was reached to reopen government. However, come February of 2014, it’s quite likely that déjà vu will be taking place all over again when they take the debt ceiling issue up again. If we have learned anything since President Obama has taken office, it is that the majority of Republicans refuse to compromise or provide solutions of their own and instead lay blame at his feet.

No other president has been obstructed and character assassinated the way our president has been. They have called him a Muslim, a Socialist, a Marxist, a Communist, Kenyan-born, and the Anti-Christ. It’s quite clear to any like minded individual that these nutcase theories hold no weight. Rather, this is all the result of the color of his skin. Why else would they question his birthplace or his Christian faith?

Also, on the first day President Obama was inaugurated, in 2009, Republicans met behind closed doors to plan how they would intentionally destroy him. They made their plan very clear: do not agree to any of his ideas or plans (even if Republicans supported them in the past or even if they were Republican ideas) and do not work across the aisle to compromise with the Democrats.

Congratulations, Republicans. Your political party has been very successful at this. Republicans have consistently character assassinated our president, they have said no to anything he wants to do, and they have made it their mission to do whatever it takes to sabotage his presidency. In addition, since the “Affordable Healthcare Act” has been signed into law, Republicans have been aching for its repeal.

Last year, when the United States Supreme Court upheld the law, they made it a point to run on its repeal ahead of the elections. Well, they lost. They couldn’t repeal the law through the United States Supreme Court or through the democratic process, so the Tea Party decided to take our country hostage, but they weren’t alone.

In a recent New York Times article, it was revealed that the Koch brothers (who wrote checks to Romney and Republicans to a tune of $400 million last year), conspired to plan the government shutdown months ago. Republicans knew that if they succeeded in repealing President Obama’s signature piece of legislation, it would deliver a serious blow to his legacy.

However, let’s be clear. All these political charades have had nothing to do with the actual healthcare law. Let’s call it what it is. What all this is about is systematic obstructionism and sabotage at the hands of the Tea Party and their big-money allies in order to ensure a Republican president is elected in 2016. The repeal of the healthcare law would merely give them bragging rights to win over voters.

Eugene Ramirez

B.A. in Communications