The Government Shutdown Countdown Lowdown MEGATHREAD

[grumbler]

Sounds like the organization I work for.  Actually, I wonder if it's possible the US govt is even more dysfunctional?   

On its best day the US government, like pretty much every national government, is hugely dysfunctional.  The simply goes with size and the kinds of people who seek government jobs.

What we are seeing here is a willful display of selfishness on the part of a minority of legislators and an abdication of leadership by their 'leaders," which merely looks like a dysfunctional organization.  The organization of the House is, however, performing exactly as its members and leaders desire:  ensuring their re-election, at the cost of some prosperity for the typical citizen.

I blame the educational system, myself. No one who was well-enough-educated to reject magical thinking would have voted for those minority clowns, and so they wouldn't be there to terrify the Cowardly Liar in the Speaker's seat if their constituents weren't so badly educated.  The jabs about "third-world country" aren't so far off in some respects.

[FunkMonk]

So hey... I know there's still a chance that Boehner will pass a clean CR before he adjourns the House (unless he just did that?), so a shutdown is not 100% quite yet.

... anyhow, in two weeks there's the debt ceiling and - as I understand it - it's the real deal this time. No winging it and limping along with accounting tricks or anything like that; the debt ceiling must be raised or social security cheques and/or treasure bonds will not get paid.

How do you all feel about that? How's that going to play out?

I hope it ends in a bloody civil war where my side wins.

This is pretty selfish IMO.

[Sheilbh]

Some things about America are just baffling. From a Westminster perspective the idea that you don't have to pass a budget is mind boggling

Also that Congress takes the time to pass laws approving spending and then has to pass other laws to pay for that spending.

[CountDeMoney]

Free refills come with their cost, pal.

[Syt]

In Germany, parliament votes on the federal budget. However, as the government who prepare the budget will normally have the majority, it's not much of an issue, but a popular time to have broad debates about general policy in the parliament.

[Sheilbh]

In Germany, parliament votes on the federal budget. However, as the government who prepare the budget will normally have the majority, it's not much of an issue, but a popular time to have broad debates about general policy in the parliament.

Same here. The budget itself is presented and that normally takes an hour or two - in the 19th century Gladstone used to go on for 4-5 hours. Then it's debated for a few days and it tends to be quite wide-ranging, covering all economic and financial events of the last year; current spending and future spending and so on. But if a government can't pass a budget it falls and we have elections because it's a vote of no confidence.

[Tamas]

I would like to congratulate the United States of America on looking like complete and utter idiots.

[CountDeMoney]

If it weren't for all those stupid people and their need for healthcare who won't just die already, we wouldn't be in this mess for at least another 2 weeks. 

[Ideologue]

So hey... I know there's still a chance that Boehner will pass a clean CR before he adjourns the House (unless he just did that?), so a shutdown is not 100% quite yet.

... anyhow, in two weeks there's the debt ceiling and - as I understand it - it's the real deal this time. No winging it and limping along with accounting tricks or anything like that; the debt ceiling must be raised or social security cheques and/or treasure bonds will not get paid.

How do you all feel about that? How's that going to play out?

I hope it ends in a bloody civil war where my side wins.

This is pretty selfish IMO.

I'm tired of the only country on Earth that is both powerful and good being ruined by traitors.

[garbon]

Shortly after midnight, President Barack Obama tweeted: "The Affordable Care Act is moving forward. You can't shut it down."

[Tamas]

I am all for laisez faire, but it IS fucked up to start your fight for smaller government by fighting against a half-assed emergency health care measure.

[garbon]

Bureacrageddon has come to pass

[Ideologue]

Who the fuck coined that gem?

[FunkMonk]

If it weren't for all those stupid people and their need for healthcare who won't just die already, we wouldn't be in this mess for at least another 2 weeks. 

At least C-SPAN was immensely entertaining last night.

[garbon]

Who the fuck coined that gem?

Only see it from Christian Science Monitor.