US government shutdown hilarity

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What I'm thinking is that this is just a practice run. No-ones got the crazy or the balls to burn it all down now.

It's probably too late for them to swerve, at this point.

I'll take that bet. Last minute swerves are part of chicken. Steering wheels still seem to be in the cars, there's just no incentive to use them for either side. Yet. When the polls are horrific enough, someone will cave.

Right, then...Agreement by midnight tomorrow night at midnight, passed and signed.

Loser has to write a 2 page indictment of the winner.

I can't take a bet that I know I'm going to lose. Give me Midnight Friday at least.

There's some deadline tomorrow at midnight that I'm not aware of isn't there?

Yes.  We go into outright default on the 17th.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

http://www.today.com/news/outcry-over-students-punishment-helping-drunk-friend-8C11403079#women-gop-senators-debt-deal-lets-get-it-8C11400901

Three women senators who helped craft a deal being pushed by Senate leaders to resolve the nation's debt crisis said House lawmakers need to rise above politics to quickly pass a deal that will allow the federal government to open its doors and pay its bills.

"This should not be about someone's speakership. This should not be about the next election. This should be about the future of our country, where we are right now. We are shutdown as a government. We are facing a debt crisis," Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie.

Murkowski, along with fellow Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, crafted the compromise plan with the help of a bipartisan group of other women lawmakers.

The deal, however, was rejected by the House and Speaker John Boehner is being criticized for his struggle to keep his members, particularly a small group of the Tea Party conservatives, in line.

Murkowski said the deal at issue is about more than Boehner's political future.

"We need to keep in mind what the real goal here is, which is getting this country back on track. Difficult decisions for all but it ought not to be about the politics of the game or whether or not someone keeps their leadership," she said. "I want to support John Boehner in any way that I can but we need to be pragmatic. This is not going to be a Republican solution or a Democratic solution. This is going to be a solution that is good for the country."

Faced against a deadline just a day away, House leaders are scrambling to craft competing legislation, one that would help dismantle elements of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans refer to as "Obamacare."

Ayotte said it's time to move past that issue because battle over the health care law already took place, with its detractors losing the fight.

"Let's face it, the government is shutdown, the Obama care exchange is open," she told Guthrie. Using health care as a hurdle to resolving the nation's budget and debt crisis is part of a "zero-sum policy."

So, what we have is Boehner and a few teabaggers shitting all over the country to keep Rush Limbaugh's fans happy.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Of course there will be a last-minute deal to "avoid catastrophe." And by "avoid," they mean "postpone until Christmas." Because constant bickering and eternal crisis is the only way we know how to live in this country.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Of course there will be a last-minute deal to "avoid catastrophe." Of course, by "avoid," they mean "postpone until Christmas." Because constant bickering and eternal crisis is the only way we know how to live in this country.

Even if one side or the other caved this minute, there isn't time to do anything about it.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Of course there will be a last-minute deal to "avoid catastrophe." Of course, by "avoid," they mean "postpone until Christmas." Because constant bickering and eternal crisis is the only way we know how to live in this country.

Even if one side or the other caved this minute, there isn't time to do anything about it.

All it takes is for Ted Cruz to do another one of his technically-not-a-filibuster stunts to push any deal past the deadline. On the other hand, I understand that a failure to extend the debt ceiling does not necessarily mean a technical default right away. The next big scheduled debt payment isn't for another two weeks. And these are politicians we're talking about. They're not going to let the USA become a deadbeat in the eyes of other countries or the international financial system. They'd much prefer that the USA is a deadbeat when it comes to "moochers" like retired people, disabled people, and the poor. Because fuck those people anyway, as far as Washington is concerned.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Of course there will be a last-minute deal to "avoid catastrophe." Of course, by "avoid," they mean "postpone until Christmas." Because constant bickering and eternal crisis is the only way we know how to live in this country.

Even if one side or the other caved this minute, there isn't time to do anything about it.

All it takes is for Ted Cruz to do another one of his technically-not-a-filibuster stunts to push any deal past the deadline. On the other hand, I understand that a failure to extend the debt ceiling does not necessarily mean a technical default right away. The next big scheduled debt payment isn't for another two weeks. And these are politicians we're talking about. They're not going to let the USA become a deadbeat in the eyes of other countries or the international financial system. They'd much prefer that the USA is a deadbeat when it comes to "moochers" like retired people, disabled people, and the poor. Because fuck those people anyway, as far as Washington is concerned.

Technical default is tomorrow.  Disastrous non-payment is on the 1st.  However, technical default means we get downgraded, and that will throw a giant monkeywrench in all foriegn trade.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

All I want to know is whether I should have used the $4600 mortgage payment I just made to stock up on booze, sugar, and bullets instead.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

All I want to know is whether I should have used the $4600 mortgage payment I just made to stock up on booze, sugar, and bullets instead.

No, because the disaster won't be America today, Road Warrior tomorrow.  It will be a long slow slide for a while.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

All I want to know is whether I should have used the $4600 mortgage payment I just made to stock up on booze, sugar, and bullets instead.

No, because the disaster won't be America today, Road Warrior tomorrow.  It will be a long slow slide for a while.

Hopefully I'll have time to finish my PhD so that when I need to flee the country, I'll be able to move somewhere that still gives a shit about science.

[LMNO]

http://www.today.com/news/outcry-over-students-punishment-helping-drunk-friend-8C11403079#women-gop-senators-debt-deal-lets-get-it-8C11400901

Three women senators who helped craft a deal being pushed by Senate leaders to resolve the nation's debt crisis said House lawmakers need to rise above politics to quickly pass a deal that will allow the federal government to open its doors and pay its bills.

"This should not be about someone's speakership. This should not be about the next election. This should be about the future of our country, where we are right now. We are shutdown as a government. We are facing a debt crisis," Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie.

Murkowski, along with fellow Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, crafted the compromise plan with the help of a bipartisan group of other women lawmakers.

The deal, however, was rejected by the House and Speaker John Boehner is being criticized for his struggle to keep his members, particularly a small group of the Tea Party conservatives, in line.

Murkowski said the deal at issue is about more than Boehner's political future.

"We need to keep in mind what the real goal here is, which is getting this country back on track. Difficult decisions for all but it ought not to be about the politics of the game or whether or not someone keeps their leadership," she said. "I want to support John Boehner in any way that I can but we need to be pragmatic. This is not going to be a Republican solution or a Democratic solution. This is going to be a solution that is good for the country."

Faced against a deadline just a day away, House leaders are scrambling to craft competing legislation, one that would help dismantle elements of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans refer to as "Obamacare."

Ayotte said it's time to move past that issue because battle over the health care law already took place, with its detractors losing the fight.

"Let's face it, the government is shutdown, the Obama care exchange is open," she told Guthrie. Using health care as a hurdle to resolving the nation's budget and debt crisis is part of a "zero-sum policy."

So, what we have is Boehner and a few teabaggers shitting all over the country to keep Rush Limbaugh's fans happy.

Did anyone else notice the article made it extremely clear that these senators were women?  Am I missing something, or does the gender of the person coming up with ways to prevent government default and shutdown not precisely relevant?

[tyrannosaurus vex]

To be perfectly honest, I am a little conflicted in this whole budget debate. On one hand, it is ridiculous to see a bunch of know-nothings from bumfuck, TX take over half the House of Representatives and try to shove their ignorant, misguided ideology through the system until it jams up the whole government.

On the other hand, the ease with which America is able to borrow billions and billions of dollars on a regular basis contributes to the obscene budgets we have for the military and our international empire, which I believe should be completely dissolved.

So I'm left wishing we could force Washington to live within its means (whether or not that is technically necessary for a healthy economy), but knowing that with the general worldview of Americans, that would certainly mean we continue spending trillions on the military while allowing citizens to starve and freeze to death.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

All I want to know is whether I should have used the $4600 mortgage payment I just made to stock up on booze, sugar, and bullets instead.

No, because the disaster won't be America today, Road Warrior tomorrow.  It will be a long slow slide for a while.

Hopefully I'll have time to finish my PhD so that when I need to flee the country, I'll be able to move somewhere that still gives a shit about science.

Canada, Denmark, Germany, and (for the moment) Australia.

[Pere Ubu]

Hrm, I can't decide whether this is whistling past the graveyard or not:

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/19899-breaking-stop-fretting-the-debt-ceiling-crisis-is-over

The Senate bill is a deal to lift the debt ceiling and reopen the government, without a ransom payment. That agreement is set to be announced, but the contours, which were described to me by an aide, will satisfy the Democratic demand not to make concessions for raising the debt ceiling or reopening the government. The House leadership, as everybody on Capitol Hill now expects, will quickly take up the Senate bill and put this debacle behind them. Rounding up the votes should not be a problem. The entire Democratic caucus will support it if needed, leaving Republicans to find just a handful of votes, well within the number that never wanted to shut down the government to begin with.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

http://www.today.com/news/outcry-over-students-punishment-helping-drunk-friend-8C11403079#women-gop-senators-debt-deal-lets-get-it-8C11400901

Three women senators who helped craft a deal being pushed by Senate leaders to resolve the nation's debt crisis said House lawmakers need to rise above politics to quickly pass a deal that will allow the federal government to open its doors and pay its bills.

"This should not be about someone's speakership. This should not be about the next election. This should be about the future of our country, where we are right now. We are shutdown as a government. We are facing a debt crisis," Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie.

Murkowski, along with fellow Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, crafted the compromise plan with the help of a bipartisan group of other women lawmakers.

The deal, however, was rejected by the House and Speaker John Boehner is being criticized for his struggle to keep his members, particularly a small group of the Tea Party conservatives, in line.

Murkowski said the deal at issue is about more than Boehner's political future.

"We need to keep in mind what the real goal here is, which is getting this country back on track. Difficult decisions for all but it ought not to be about the politics of the game or whether or not someone keeps their leadership," she said. "I want to support John Boehner in any way that I can but we need to be pragmatic. This is not going to be a Republican solution or a Democratic solution. This is going to be a solution that is good for the country."

Faced against a deadline just a day away, House leaders are scrambling to craft competing legislation, one that would help dismantle elements of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans refer to as "Obamacare."

Ayotte said it's time to move past that issue because battle over the health care law already took place, with its detractors losing the fight.

"Let's face it, the government is shutdown, the Obama care exchange is open," she told Guthrie. Using health care as a hurdle to resolving the nation's budget and debt crisis is part of a "zero-sum policy."

So, what we have is Boehner and a few teabaggers shitting all over the country to keep Rush Limbaugh's fans happy.

Did anyone else notice the article made it extremely clear that these senators were women?  Am I missing something, or does the gender of the person coming up with ways to prevent government default and shutdown not precisely relevant?

Yeah, that was weird.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

I've been talking with some friends about the possibility of setting up some RECALL FUCKING EVERYONE protests. The process for recalling a representative is pretty standard, it could probably be done.