The Government Shutdown Countdown Lowdown MEGATHREAD

[OttoVonBismarck]

Senate is voting now, I guess this thing is finally at an end. 

[Sheilbh]

Less money for deadbeats, less money for pointy headed art, lower taxes, etc.

Shelf: I still don't get it.  Dumb it down a bit for me.

Right now the Tea Party figures in Congress are coming up with distinctive policies on tax, the financial sector, foreign policy, civil liberties, subsidies and criminal justice. Unfortunately there's also some mentalists in the group and they're not good at discipline. But generally they're a good thing.

The establishment Republican Party are pushing broadly the same message they did with Dole, with Romney, with Bush (2004). The same policies that have failed time and again to win a majority of votes. They look at 2012 and basically say 'once more, with feeling'.

[Admiral Yi]

I meant about the timing of the sequestration rounds. 

[Sheilbh]

I meant about the timing of the sequestration rounds. 

The cuts take place over 10 years, so each of those years there's a 'round' of cuts (actually I think 2 rounds). Cumulatively those cuts will be $1.2 trillion.

[Admiral Yi]

The cuts take place over 10 years, so each of those years there's a 'round' of cuts (actually I think 2 rounds). Cumulatively those cuts will be $1.2 trillion.

That part I got.  What is its relevance to the next budget/debt deadline?

[Sheilbh]

The next round takes place at the start of February.

The government's funded until mid-January. So there'll be a dispute over the starting point of negotiations (January levels, or with sequestration) - which the Democrats want.

For that reason sensible Republican proposals - like Collins's - funded the government until February/March so the February round would already have taken place. They wouldn't be negotiable by that point.

[Admiral Yi]

Are you suggesting the Democrats would have threatened shutdown/default over repealing the sequester cuts? 

[Sheilbh]

Are you suggesting the Democrats would have threatened shutdown/default over repealing the sequester cuts? 

No

[Admiral Yi]

No

Then what's the issue? 

[lustindarkness]

Senate passes bill.

[Sheilbh]

Then what's the issue? 

It's a better starting negotiation position for Democrats than Republicans. If not better then one Democrats are happier with.

[CountDeMoney]

I was wondering what would actually happen if we really did default, but we'll probably get to find out in a couple more months anyway.

I know it's a common practice in the workplace when you want to get rid of somebody and you cant fire them to make someone's life so miserable that they quit, but I dont think Obama's going to give the Teabaggers the pleasure, no matter how many more times they shut down the government between now and 2016.

[PDH]

Thankfully, our long national nightmare is just beginning.

[Razgovory]

What are the positive impulses of the Populist Right?

Less money for deadbeats, less money for pointy headed art, lower taxes, etc.

Shelf: I still don't get it.  Dumb it down a bit for me.

That's not really a positive impulse.

[sbr]

What are the positive impulses of the Populist Right?

Less money for deadbeats, less money for pointy headed art, lower taxes, etc.

Shelf: I still don't get it.  Dumb it down a bit for me.

That's not really a positive impulse.

I don't necessarily agree with all of them, but I could see how many people could without them being insane.

EDIT: No offense of course.