Anyone see the latest segment on Rachel Maddow? Scary.

[Cali_Democrat]

And I'm not one to get scared very easily.

Essentially the House Republicans have no incentive to compromise because so many of them reside in gerrymandered districts created after the 2010 census. Their seats are safe for the foreseeable future.

Dems did a poor job of getting to the polls in the 2010 midterms and the republican contolled legislatures were able to draw districts ridiculously favorable to the GOP.

Anyone who thinks this shutdown will only last a few days is kidding themselves. The banana Republicans have no incentive to compromise and moderate their extremist positions.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

1. Right. Many of us have been making this point.

[LaydeeBug]

2. 14th Amendment. I hope he goes there, because the gerrymandering can't be stopped or reversed

in any way until the next census

[underthematrix]

4. I believe he's going there on October 17th

[LaydeeBug]

8. why that date? nt

[underthematrix]

18. that is the date on which the debt ceiling must be raised.

[NV Whino]

12. Unless it's Texas

[hootinholler]

13. You are confusing the debt ceiling with the budget

This fight is over a continuing resolution because the house refused to form a committee with the Senate to reconcile the FY 14 budget back in March.

[LaydeeBug]

16. Oh damn! I stand corrected. I guess we'll hunker down then. nt

[MiniMe]

22. McConnell is blocking a Senate committee to reconcile the budget

[hootinholler]

23. I thought it was the House doing it

I must have heard Republican and translated that to House.

Thanks!

That tidbit needs a wider audience.

[MiniMe]

24. The House is probably doing it too

Nothing would surprise me with this bunch of idiots

[DURHAM D]

3. Yep - they can keep doing this until 2020 at the earliest.

[yuiyoshida]

5. Extreme Republicans were Giddy over this...

If they are giddy, than they will be doing a happy dance once the government shuts down, and probably want to have it continue until they get their way.

[dkf]

11. Both sides think the other will be hurt more.

I have no idea how this ends.

[yuiyoshida]

14. In the end, Its the American People who get hurt...

Its horrible feeling helpless that we are in the hands of these people, and we can do nothing.

[dkf]

15. The side that wins will be the side that cares less.

That's how the game of chicken works.

[yuiyoshida]

17. Republicans know they have nothing to lose and everything to win...

bastards.

[dkf]

20. Democrats only have a panicked stock market to rely on.

But that didn't materialize for the sequester. The bigger danger for R's is actually the debt limit.

[yuiyoshida]

26. They said on MSNBC that Ted Cruise is going to use this

To run for President in 2016, as a legitimate ultra right wing candidate. Could you imagine if he won? Omg, it would be worse than Bush.

[CoffeeCat]

19. The republicans are f'n delusional...

...if they believe this hurts Dems. The Republicans are the ones forcing a government shutdown. PERIOD.

This is their idea, crafted by Republicans and carried out by Republicans. They own this bullshit.

[dkf]

21. It's like Superman...the D's "weakness" is caring about the people.

How much will they let the truly poor suffer.

The R's are going to protect military pay so they have covered their bases.

[TDale313]

6. This is a huge problem.

The gerrymandering that's been taking place is seriously undermining any concept of democracy. It basically does at state levels what the electoral college does for presidential elections. Totally waters down the Urban, more liberal vote and inflates the Rural, more conservative vote.

[dkf]

7. Exactly the point Larry Sabato made earlier.

[hootinholler]

9. I think the low Democratic turnout is a RW talking point.

I've seen that challenged well here a number of times.

[grantcart]

10. Boehner is waiting for Wall Street to sell off about 1000 points

and when Wall Street gets sufficiently angry to whip the far right into shape.

However Wall Street knows that they are going to fold and expect them to fold, so ironically it may actually take longer until Wall Street gets really scared and starts selling.

Be patient, we are looking at a bunch of Chicken Littles.

[wilsonbooks]

25. The republicans have already lost and all but the craziest of them know that they

have lost. It won't be ling till they throw in the towel.

[elleng]

27. Yes, and repugs been working on capturing the states for many years,

very successfully.