Let’s review some assertions from one of last week’s letters.

The recent government “shutdown” (affecting only 13 percent of government, which the Obama administration used for maximum political benefit by barricading the open-air WWII, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, and closing privately-funded businesses on leased federal land - costing more money) was blamed on Republicans trying to defund/delay the still unpopular Obamacare.

Claim: Republicans, especially those Tea Party types, are unwilling to compromise. Never mind that President Obama said he would “not negotiate,” and Majority Leader Harry Reid declared Republican-passed government funding bills “dead on arrival” in the Senate.

Congressional Republicans made no such uncompromising declarations. The defunding/delay efforts were unsuccessful, but wait, given Obamacare’s troubled debut, many Democrats now support a delay.

Let’s review. Republicans support delay- Bad. Democrats support delay – Good. Republicans try to block the disaster called Obamacare – Bad. President Obama fails to tell us that his repeated assurance, “If you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance. Period,” wasn’t true – Good (he was only “condensing” a complicated concept).

It’s asserted that the Tea Party has brought undeserved epithets upon itself. Tea Party principles are smaller government, lower taxes, free market economics, and support of the Constitution, like the 1st Amendment, freedom of speech, for everyone, and freedom of religious expression, for everyone. Yes, those “radical” principles which just invite scorn and insult.

One last review. You can follow others’ conclusions or you can think for yourself. Which will it be?

Fountain Hills AZ Tea Party meets on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., at FHUSD Learning Center for discussion of the 2nd Amendment. Special guests are Bob Corbin, former NRA president and AZ Attorney General, and Lori Klein, former AZ State Senator.

Admission is free. Donations to offset expenses are gratefully accepted. Interested parties are always welcome.