The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    Michael Maiello's picture

    Will A Shutdown Happen Or Not?

    By Michael Maiello on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 12:18pm |
    Yes, Because Democrats Stand Firm On Friday Morning's "Final Offer"
    43% (9 votes)
    Yes, Because Republicans Move Goalposts Again
    14% (3 votes)
    No, Because Democrats Cave On Planned Parenthood Issue
    14% (3 votes)
    No, Because Republicans Cave On Planned Parenthood Issue
    29% (6 votes)
    Total votes: 21

    Comments

    Boy, that's a tough one.  I didn't vote because I honestly have NO IDEA!  I HATE that!


    by Ramona on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 12:41pm

    I voted that the Dems stand firm on Planned Parenthood and it causes a shutdown.  I kind of think that some Republicans think they'd be able to play that scenario to their advantage: "Look!  The Democrats shut down the government cuz they want abortions!"

    But I know I'm taking a chance betting on the Democrats to stand firm on anything.


    by Michael Maiello on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 1:02pm

    I think we will see the shutdown and I think, from what I read, the President finally drew a line in the sand with Reid at his side.

    In two or three weeks the government will end up and running again only to go through this again next year.

    This freshman teabagger ranted and raved about the repub bill  that included a provision that would throw our soldiers under the bus--but he voted for the bill anyway. The hypocritical bastard.

    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/gop-freshman-allen-west-slams-republicans-for-exploiting-troops-in-shutdown-fight.php

    There may be some breaking in the ranks at the repub House but they wont be slinging real shite at each other until a week a or two after the fact.


    by Richard Day on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 2:57pm

    Boehner & GOP Inc. remind me of the part Peter Sellers played in an early movie of his, as a British union boss in Alright, Jack, where he is constantly shutting down the factory, and walking out with his boys, for inane reasons, "Alright Cantor, take 'em out!".


    by NCD on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 4:04pm

    Interesting that the prez wants to appear as if he is abstaining:

    On Budget Dispute, Obama Casts Himself as Mediator in Chief
    By MICHAEL D. SHEAR, April 8, 2011, 7:47 am

    President Obama has now assumed the role of mediator in chief in the efforts to avoid a government shutdown.

    Over the course of 24 hours and three separate meetings, Mr. Obama has cast himself as the sober one in the room, prodding the two sides to get past their dispute — even though he is a key player on one of them.

    “What I’ve said to the speaker and what I’ve said to Harry Reid is, because the machinery of the shutdown is necessarily starting to move, I expect an answer in the morning,” Mr. Obama told reporters moments after the third negotiation session broke up Thursday night.
    Negotiators offered few details of the back-and-forth behind the closed doors inside the West Wing. But afterward, Mr. Obama used language that suggests that he sees himself more as a bridge between the warring political parties than an active participant in the high-stakes discussions....

    I just hope this time the prez abstains from being tempted by White House interns allowed to deliver pizza to the oval office.

    A reminder that Clinton/'s shutdowns were the oppposite of abstention on his part; rather, he was was a knock down, drag out fighter on this front.


    by artappraiser on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 4:32pm

    "Hey," said Obama.  "I didn't turn it off."


    by Michael Maiello on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 4:33pm

    With memo CC: all registered IndependentsWink

    Report: Obama Tests Well at Start of Reelection Run


    by artappraiser on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 4:41pm

    A reminder that Clinton/'s shutdowns were the oppposite of abstention on his part; rather, he was was a knock down, drag out fighter on this front.

    Yes.  He was effective in enlisting the public on his side in the dispute at that time, the side he defined relentlessly as "balancing the budget while preserving our values," defining those as education, the environment, Medicare and Medicaid, E2M2 for short.

    I observe none of this public advocacy and framing so far from the current occupant.  Perhaps he is refraining from doing that publicly until there is a shutdown   Those who feared and predicted that once the Bush taxcuts for the wealthy were extended and taken off the table for the time being, an austerity agenda hitting the middle class and the poor were next up have been just right so far. 


    by AmericanDreamer on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 4:44pm

    "Perhaps he is refraining from doing that publicly until there is a shutdown."

    Which would be kinda like waiting till the hurricane makes landfall before making preparations, or even more like waiting till you're convicted of a felony offence before presenting a defense.


    by miguelitoh2o on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:19pm

    I always wondered why Obama doesn't use a version of the Clintonian "those who work hard and play by the rules" thingie, especially as it was so relevant vis-a-vis the mortgage crisis, Wall Street, banks, etc. I think that played well with people because It's sort of populist but without class warfare, i.e., people who work hard but have bad breaks deserve some assist from society, but you don't resent the rich or successful if they worked hard, played fair, and got lucky, only those rich that got that way by breaking "the rules."


    by artappraiser on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:29pm

    I've also wondered why that theme was never reprised.  I don't think it's because Obama and Clinton have major differences on the issue, either.  I wonder if it's not a racially demographic issue -- the white, "independent," Appalachian, working class voters identified with Clinton in a way they refuse to identify with Obama (even though both men came from comparably humble origins).


    by Michael Maiello on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:40pm

    Spidey senses are telling me the Republicans will cave on PP.  They've already got a good chunk of what they asked for.  That "mandate from the people" the TPer's blather on about is due to be put in its' place. Just my opinion.


    by wabby on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:03pm

    the Republicans will cave on PP.

    I'ts not like they'd be without some conservative support if they did.


    by artappraiser on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:15pm

    democrats think the only way to get elected is to cave immediately.  They are like the old dog that lies down and wets itself when anyone approaches. We can change the goalposts all we want and Obama just wants to "mediate" the difference between the level the democrats recently caved to and our new demands.


    by The Decider on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:17pm

    I agree with this wholeheartedly. You're a genius.


    by quinn esq on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:44pm

    democrats think the only way to get elected is to cave immediately.  They are like the old dog that lies down and wets itself when anyone approaches. We can change the goalposts all we want and Obama just wants to "mediate" the difference between the level the democrats recently caved to and our new demands.


    by The Decider on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:17pm

    What a load of crap. You're a moron.


    by quinn esq on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:44pm

    As I was saying above, decisiveness is the key. 

    Matched only by the ability to compromise.


    by quinn esq on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 8:45pm

    Like 3-dimensional chess, right?  Feinting with your queen before surrendering your king.  Or did I get it backwards?  ;)


    by miguelitoh2o on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:23pm


    by we are stardust on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:51pm

    Well MSNBC SAYS AT 8:34 cdt ITS OVER!

    An agreement is reported.

    Damn.

    I would rather have:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5ziIcON2LY

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5ziIcON2LY


    by Richard Day on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 9:37pm

    I'm still rooting for the tea-baggers to pull one out of their asses and shutdown the government and in a few moth refuse to increase the debt ceiling. It's the only way to completely discredit both them and the GOPers...something Obama has refused to do in the name of bipartisanship. Too bad he doesn't realize bipartisanship was officially declared DOA after Gore v. Bu$h. Seems the only way to prove to the American public GOPers don't deserve a seat in government is to let them run it into the ground every 80 to 100 years. It's hard price to pay, but sooner or later we might get lucky and find some out of the way place where we can sent them all to (like the Moon or Mars) and never see them again.


    by Beetlejuice on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 10:26pm

    Hey, I got it right. Always best to hold off predictions until all the votes are in.


    by Michael Wolraich on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 1:10am

    24% got it right!  I got it wrong.  But happy to be wrong this time.


    by Michael Maiello on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 1:21pm

    No, if there had a shutdown, America might have registered a problem.

    In this case it's a big ho-hum, with liberal causes thrown under the bus.

    Social cuts paid for tax-cuts for the rich, but the coin hasn't dropped for the rank-and-file.


    by Desider on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 2:14pm