In my view, all parties to this debacle acted in their own self-interests: Republicans have invested massive capital resisting and then trying to repeal meaningful health-care reform; Democrats and President Barack Obama defended the ACA, which now provides health coverage to millions more Americans; the state of Colorado supplied stop-gap funding in an effort to limit the adverse economic impact of reduced government and visitor spending during the shutdown (payroll, hotels, restaurants, retail shops, gas stations, etc.); and many of the affected federal employees continued to report to work hoping that this chuckle-headed political theater would not last long.

Actions have consequences. As these gentlemen worked purposefully to cause the problem the state of Colorado had to solve, a more sincere gesture might have them offering to refund the state’s expenses out of their office accounts or personal funds.

Tim Miller

Durango