But a government shutdown would be just a zero: nobody wins, and everybody loses.
With time running out before Washington may go dark, they're doing what they do best there- playing the blame game: "How can we be blamed," said Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, "when we have given them everything they want and they won't take yes for an answer?"
The Democrats want to portray themselves as helpless victims of extreme Republicans. But the Democrats could have passed any budget they wanted last year, when they controlled the House and the Senate.
But Democrats delayed and delayed, and didn't pass anything, and their irresponsibility helped put us where we are now.
Speaker of the House, Republican John Boehner said, "We're working not just for the most spending cuts possible–but also common sense policy restrictions on how taxpayers dollars are spent."
VIEWER VOICES: Who's to blame for the possible government shutdown?
Still, it seems to me the Republicans would be most responsible for a shutdown. Now is the time to be arguing about dollars and cents, not about abortions.
The GOP should agree on a budget, and fight about policy changes later.
"A government shutdown has real consequences for real people," said President Obama.
Yes it does. And it has real consequences for the president, too. What kind of leader lets the government beneath him close? A weak leader…the last thing the president wants to appear to be.
There's still some time, but I'm happy to say–in this case–time has already told us all we need to know.
Our government is broken.
And finding a way before midnight to keep it open won't be enough to fix it.
I'm Andy Hiller, and that's my instinct.
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