The Government Shutdown Countdown Lowdown MEGATHREAD

[Sheilbh]

I must admit, the battle over the medical devices tax rather baffles me.  It's a bad tax, given that it's on sales and not profits, it provides a tiny amount of income in the big picture, and it hits manufacturing (because they can't pass it on), which means it hits jobs.

The only argument I can see against repealing it seems to be CdM's, which is that it is just the camel's nose.  Frankly, that's not a very convincing argument. 

If giving up that tax is what it takes to get things moving, then that's a win-win.

It's weird. Both Democrats and Republicans were broadly happy with the idea of repealing it. It would've been repealed. So it seemed like a perfect fig-leaf for the GOP climbdown.

But apparently the House Republicans want to pass a bill so they can give it to Reid to deal with. The conservative Republicans opposed the medical device tax repeal because it's 'crony capitalism' and they couldn't sell it to their constituencies. The leadership and Senate Republicans want it, but it's apparently now out the bill.

Instead the current House deal (which still doesn't have enough votes, though Boehner is trying and it's been changing all day to reach 218) would lift the debt ceiling until February and have a CR until mid-December () and the Vitter amendment (dealt with here: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/359742/obamacare-non-exemption-patrick-brennan ). Again I think the GOP gets too caught up in meaningless symbolism rather than actually trying to advance their agenda a little bit.

Apparently a senior whip said if they can't pass this in the House their message is 'we say to our guys, that's it, we failed to unite and have to deal with consequences'. From what I've read there's a sense that if this fails tonight then the House GOP will fall apart into big public rows very quickly.

[derspiess]

This whole fucking thing is comical. That screechy cunt Palin at the WW2 memorial yesterday. Like you have cause to be there you tea party twat. The Dem sea hag, Pelosi.....

I still cruise with Cruz and all, but I did get a kick out of him being there with Palin, criticizing Obama for politicizing national monuments. 

[mongers]

This whole fucking thing is comical. That screechy cunt Palin at the WW2 memorial yesterday. Like you have cause to be there you tea party twat. The Dem sea hag, Pelosi.....

America should decommission it's stadiums and grandstands, it clearly has a talented generation of politicians who have no need of them.

[Sheilbh]

I still cruise with Cruz and all, but I did get a kick out of him being there with Palin, criticizing Obama for politicizing national monuments.

Apparently the biggest applause lines at Palin's rally for Lonegan were when she had a go at Karl Rove and other establishment Republicans.

[Ideologue]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

[11B4V]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

I have plenty of ammo. Do you?

[Ideologue]

I'm holding out for my Obamaguns.

[Neil]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

I have plenty of ammo. Do you?

I doubt that will help much when a modern, organized military drops a laser-guided bomb on your house, Johnny Reb.

[Sheilbh]

Apparently no vote tonight in the House:

House GOP May Cancel Vote
By Robert Costa
October 15, 2013 6:06 PM
My sources tell me House Republicans will likely postpone tonight's vote on their plan to end the fiscal impasse. "The votes aren't there," says a leadership aide. "We've been amending the bill all day, but we've been unable to get people around this strategy."

This development leaves Speaker John Boehner with few options as Thursday's debt-ceiling deadline nears, and it throws the action back toward the Senate, which has been working on a bipartisan package.

There were late afternoon meetings between the leadership and the conservatives which apparently ended that. Probably they were hurt by Heritage's public calls against the leadership's plan. It was never formally whipped but there just wasn't enough support

[mongers]

I think Preppers are probably heading for onanistic oblivion.

[11B4V]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

I have plenty of ammo. Do you?

I doubt that will help much when a modern, organized military drops a laser-guided bomb on your house, Johnny Reb.

American Spring

[crazy canuck]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

I have plenty of ammo. Do you?

You remember all those times I made fun of you.  Well.  I apologize.

[Sheilbh]

So it's back in the Senate. They'd paused negotiations but say they're now 'progressing well' - which is good.

[Neil]

This is so awesome.  We're gonna go over the cliff, and take the stock markets and global economies with us.

I do need your civil war!  Yeah!

I have plenty of ammo. Do you?

I doubt that will help much when a modern, organized military drops a laser-guided bomb on your house, Johnny Reb.

American Spring

Sarin will clear that right up.

[Ed Anger]

Cal had a supply of Ammo but he left his in a bucket of water.

MAH SHOOTY THINGYS