Keep it Klassy, Camden.

1:00 PM UPDATE: Camden replied to us a little earlier. Here's what they tweeted:

@atdleft We apologize for the inappropriate emails & be assured that we're taking corrective actions to prevent this from happening again.

In addition, we've heard from our source that a Summerlin area Camden property is claiming it had nothing to do with the email. So far, they're claiming the national corporate office in Texas ordered this. We'll have to wait and see who's telling the truth on this.

But hey, at least they're now apologizing.


What else can we say about this? Keep it klassy, Camden.

(A great friend of Nevada Progressive tipped us off to this Thursday night. The next morning, someone else tipped off Ralston. Apparently, Camden is sending these letters all over Southern Nevada.)

October 23, 2014 5:03 PM
Subject: Vote NO on Question 3

To Our Valued Residents:

As you are probably aware, the November 4, 2014 ballot contains a question asking Nevada voters to approve a 2% margin tax on the gross revenues of businesses. This is not a proposed tax on profits; it is a tax on the total amount of revenue a business receives before paying all of its expenses – and businesses would be required to pay this tax even if they are not profitable or are struggling to keep the business running.

While this apartment community is home to you and your family, please remember that it is also a business. If the 2% margin tax passes on November 4, 2014, the owners of this apartment community will be significantly affected by this tax. If the 2% margin tax passes on November 4, 2014, the owners of this apartment community will be forced to find ways to pay this tax -- which may potentially result in the eventual raising of your rent. Please remember that the impact of this 2% margin tax will not be felt by Nevada businesses alone, it will ultimately be passed onto you as the consumer for a lot more than just rent. Accordingly, this proposed tax will affect you.

While we all care about education (and want the best for our children) this Margin Tax Initiative DOES NOT give education the true shot in the arm it needs, as only a small portion of the tax would actually benefit education. However, imposing this tax on Nevada businesses -- those that are employing our families and driving our economy – is not the answer. We strongly urge you to support this apartment community you call home and to vote NO on Question 3 when you go to the polls on November 4, 2014.

To reply to this message follow this link

Is this even legal? It certainly doesn't sound like something the Better Business Bureau recommends.

We know the No on 3 campaign has a penchant for the melodramatic. But really, this is a new low. These renters have a business agreement with Camden. They didn't sign up for Camden emails so campaign flyers can drop in their inboxes.

So is this the new LVGEA "Get Out the Vote" plan to kill The Education Initiative (TEI)? We know they can't compete on policy. So now they're having their friends at Camden send intimidating emails to renters at Camden apartment complexes?

Is this even legal? It's amazing to think this is actually for real.

Bye, Felicia.

It doesn't get any better than this. When a few vocal curmudgeons howled in protest over this Reno Gazette Journal cover, RGJ editor Brian Duggan responded with this:

Dear people complaining about today's front page: I chose that photo to run on the cover and I'd do it again. Kthxbye pic.twitter.com/dWGttCFNoO

Overall, that was quite the good read. But because we're awfully shady b-tchez, we thought of the perfect response.



Look, hunties. We get it. Not everyone is happy about marriage equality coming to Nevada. But come on, grrl. Just because they want a temper tantrum doesn't mean they have the right to spoil the party for all the rest of us.

News flash: They're not the only people in the world. Hell, they're not even the majority any more. Who do they think they are? Beyonce? Oh, hellz to the no!



Now that the usual H8 filled suspects no longer have a law suit to fight, they have to find something else to fill their time with. So now, they're trolling.

This isn't the first time they trolled. They've just become far more pathetic in doing so over the past five years.

And all we have to say about it is...



#ByeFelicia

Scandalmania Redux

(We've been hearing a whole lot lately about all sorts of scandals: some somewhat legitimate, some totally not. So while we're enduring yet another round of "Scandalmania", we might as well jump into the Nevada Progressive archives and revisit this piece from May 2013 on the most dangerous scandal of our time. Why aren't we having any grueling House hearings on this?)

This should really be obvious. Yet because too many in the Republican Party are taking their queues from the 21st Century Know Nothings instead of reality, we'll have to explain this yet again. No, wait, I'll let Jamelle Bouie explain this.

As time progresses and these scandals begin to die down, the odds that Republicans will capture some advantage diminish. Moreover, there’s a chance this scandal fever will backfire and harm the GOP’s standing. Already, Republican officials are warning against scandal overreach, and conservative elites are warning that these controversies — even if they’re substantive — aren’t a substitute for an actual plan to govern. “Democratic scandal does not take the place of a Republican agenda,” writes the National Review, “a purely negative message, however justified, will not produce the governing majority Republicans should be aiming for in the next two elections.”

Republicans should heed this message, because it’s exactly correct. Odds are good Americans won’t remember this eighteen months from now, and so — instead of trying to keep it floating as long as possible — Republicans should work to offer a real, workable policy agenda alternative to the public. As evidenced by the current impasse over immigration and the budget, it’s clear that the GOP still has a lot of work to do on that front.

As we discussed yesterday and again this morning, far too many Republicans in Congress seem quite comfortable with the idea of using the latest haute faux scandals as (even more) excuses to kill comprehensive immigration reform this year and destroy whatever possibility is left of them actually trying to govern at all. It's still too early to determine whether this actually happens on Capitol Hill. But now, it's definitely entering the realm of possibility as the G-O-TEA base seems hellbent on repeating the follies of 1998.

Yet while Scandal-mania continues to approach a fever pitch on Capitol Hill, the real scandal continues to torment our planet and our people. Earlier today, the world's top climate scientist spoke to BBC Radio 4 on the greatest global security threat of our time. And yes, it's not going away any time soon.

Suggestions that global warming has stalled are a "diversionary tactic" from "deniers" who want the public to be confused over climate change, according to the world's best-known climate scientist. Professor James Hansen, who first alerted the world to climate change in 1988, said on Friday: "It is not true that the temperature has not changed in the two decades." [...]

Prof. Hansen said the focus by some on "details" was a smokescreen. "This is a diversionary tactic. Our understanding of global warming and human-made climate change has not been affected at all," he said. "It's because the deniers [of the science] want the public to be confused. They raise these minor issues and then we forget about what the main story is. The main story is carbon dioxide is going up and it is going to produce a climate which is going to have dramatic changes if we don't begin to reduce our emissions." In 2008, scientists anticipated an upcoming slowing in temperature rises.

Prof. Hansen, who recently stepped down from his NASA post after almost 50 years to focus on communication, said the forecast impact of climate change was little affected by the recent slowdown in the rate of rising temperatures.

"Climate is a complicated system but there is no change at all in our understanding of climate sensitivity [to carbon dioxide] and where the climate is headed," he said. "Our understanding of sensitivity is based on the Earth's history, not on climate models, and we have good data on how the Earth responded in the past when carbon dioxide changed. So there is no reason to change the forecast for the long term." On 9 May, a new study of lake sediments from a remote meteorite crater in Siberia showed temperatures in the region were 8C higher the last time CO2 levels were as high as they are today. Last week, atmospheric CO2 concentrations reached the milestone 400 parts per million [ppm], for the first time in millions of years.

If anything, recent developments in the Arctic region and the horrifying broken 400 ppm milestone point to accelerating climate change. And that should frighten all of us. This is the real scandal that threatens humanity, not the petty bullshit dominating Congressional hearings and Beltway punditry circle jerks right now.

This week, we've also been reminded that 97% of scientists agree that climate change is human induced. It's not that often when 97% of scientists agree on anything. So yes, this is a huge deal.

And that's today's reminder of reality brought to you by the Department of the Completely Fucking Obvious. Oh, and in case any one is still wondering why this matters, here's another reminder from Mother Nature (& the USGS).

A new U.S. Geological Survey study finds, “Warmer spring temperatures since 1980 are causing an estimated 20 percent loss of snow cover across the Rocky Mountains of western North America.” The USGS explains, “The new study builds upon a previous USGS snowpack investigation which showed that, until the 1980s, the northern Rocky Mountains experienced large snowpacks when the central and southern Rockies experienced meager ones, and vice versa. Yet, since the 1980s, there have been simultaneous snowpack declines along the entire length of the Rocky Mountains, and unusually severe declines in the north.” [...] What’s most worrisome is that we now have three major trends driven by human emissions of greenhouse gases that threaten to significantly worsen drought and water problems in the West and Southwest: Less precipitation in many areas Less snowpack, as the USGS studies have found Hotter temperatures

Last November, we observed the havoc climate change is already causing Rural Northern Nevada as farms & ranches are forced to confront continued drought. Expect even more of this as the climate crisis worsens. And expect even more of the state to be affected as we witness even more drought and extreme weather. This should really be a "no-brainer". We must act for our own survival. And we must act to strengthen our economy! We win if we finally act on replacing our fossil fuel addiction with a green, renewable future. We lose if we continue to let our fossil fuel addiction cloud our better judgment.


So what will it be? Will we let the latest bout of Scandal-mania cloud our better judgment? Or will we finally act on solving the real scandal facing us?

Missed Opportunity

It's now official. They're wetting their pants. They may even be sh**ting their pants as well.

And why's that? For one, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Bad@$$) just called House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Cointreau) border games bluff. He thought he could just pander some more to his "TEA" powered base, but he forgot about that little thing called the US Senate (and its Majority Leader, Harry Reid).



Over a year ago, the US Senate passed S 744. Senator Dean Heller (R) and 13 other Senate Republicans voted for this bill. And it's been stuck in the House ever since.

Why? House Republican "leaders" always talk #4jobs, but they never come up with any real legislation. This and HR 15 (the House companion bill) gave them the opportunity to match their words with real action. Yet when presented with this opportunity to solve priblems and boost economic growth, they instead reached for more excuses for inaction.

Why? We keep wondering. And so does Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California).



The House had the opportunity to follow in the Senate's footsteps. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and the other lead Democrats behind HR 15 even reached out to a number of Republicans for support. Yet still, there was no floor vote. Still, there was no action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

Then, the national media began to pick up the #BorderChildren story, Congressional Republican "leaders" merely saw this as an opportunity... To pander to the 21st Century Know Nothings in the worst possible way. They decided to forego any real solutions to the #BorderChildren problem and instead scream about "rape paths" and birth control.



Yep, "King of Crazy" Steve King (R-Iowa?) is still calling the shots in the lower House of Congress. And not only is he blocking any kind of CIR, and not only does he want to deport both refugee children and American DREAMers, but he also wants that little thing caled impeachment.



Instead of fostering the best that America has to offer and putting our best foot forward, we're missing opportunities. Instead of ensuring humane treatment of refugee children and pursuing new economic opportunities, we're wasting time debating nonsense. Yet instead of acknowledging the missed opportunities and recommitting to pursuing them, House Republican leaders and their loyal lackies (cough- Joe Heck -cough) on the back bench are chasing after dreams of impeachment while denying their very actions to the media. They missed the opportunity to be productive, so now they must face the consequences of their duplicitous sloth.

Sashay Away

For some, too much is never enough. This definitely applies to Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys". For them, too much attention is never enough.

They loved it when national G-O-TEA politicians & pundits rushed to their aid. But when the Republican Party started "rebranding" its #BundyRanch involvement and the Kochs started to deny the existence of #BundyRanch, they had to rethink their media strategy.

So they started unleashing armed madness upon the Virgin Valley (and each other). They then proceeded to drive business away from the Mesquite area. And because it wasn't enough for them to damage Nevada's reputation, they then began making field trips to Utah to terrorize that state with their signature brand of lunacy.

Of course, "Free-dumb isn't free". That's why some Bundy Gang members have taken to GoFundMe to demand welfare checks donations for continued wannabe insurrection shit whatever. Apparently, they're most in need of life advice from the very wise philosopher, Lohanthony.



Needless to say, "outlaw militia" crew at #BundyRanch are now running into some money trouble. Below is some exclusive footage of the Bundy Gang soliciting at GoFundMe.



(Obviously, not really. The Bundy crew wish they could be this sickening!)

But wait, there's more. The Bundy Gang may be busy soliciting funds, but they're never too busy to throw shade at elected officials. And this week, they're actually reading Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie to filth for not supporting their law breaking ways. Apparently, they forgot when Brian Sandoval cheered them on... Or they remember that, and they're just wondering why he doesn't want to be caught anywhere near them any more.

Here's some helpful advice for the Bundy Crew. Remember the 5 G's: Good god, get a grip, girl!

Here's some more helpful advice for the Bundy Gang: Call it quits already. We know you feel very attacked, but that's no reason to take up arms against our elected government that's set up by the very Constitution you claim to know & love. It's just too much. And the last thing we need is a man-made disaster on your hands.



We can only hope Cliven Bundy and his outlaw gang can take this helpful advice from us, and from Mama Ru of course, before their delusions of grandeur land them into any more trouble. It's now time for them... To sashay away.

Busted CPAC

Brace yourselves, kittens. And definitely hide the children. It's looking mighty scary over there.

Over where, you ask? CPAC. Oh, yes. That's right. It's back, and it's already giving us nightmares. (Not really. It's just giving us a strong case of sh*ts & giggles. #AllTAllShade)

Why? Let's start with New Jersey Traffic-jammer-in-chief Governor Chris Christie (R-Sleaze). During his big CPAC moment in the slime, he threw a temper tantrum. But why? Oh, because that "Big Bad Harry Reid!!!" (D-Fierce) is fierce enough to read to filth the dirty shade the Koch-topus keeps throwing at America. We figure since Chris Christie can't keep his own damned house in order, he's trying to change the subject by throwing red meat at the base he so desperately wants (since he's still entertaining delusions of 2016 grandeur).



And speaking of desperation, how 'bout that Mitch McConnell (R-Desperado)? He wanted to look macho at CPAC today (while pandering to the NRA), so he mishandled a gun on stage. Apparently, he's still upset over Harry Reid out-foxing him at every turn. #Pobrecito



Unfortunately for Mitchums, his gun stunt was no match for the pearls of wisdom that Paul Ryan (R-P90X) unleashed during his CPAC moment. Oh no, he brought the house down with his paean to "The Hunger Games". No really, he sang the praises of letting poor kids starve. And that explains his rather lurid austerity fetish. #Kinky #Freaky

But of course, none of them could match the unique sophistry of this year's CPAC Award Winner. And really, how could they? Mark Levin is another one of their true leaders.



What he says goes in today's G-O-TEA (along with the guidance of Levin's H8 radio colleague, Rush Limbaugh). And his award at this year's CPAC proves that the Nevada Republican Party is anything but an isolated incident. Rather, batsh*t crazy has spread throughout the G-O-TEA nationwide.

And that's why CPAC has become quite the crazy spectacle. Yet even as it's become such a spectacle, its stars have yet to reveal any wigs under their wigs. And until that happens, color us unimpressed. And definitely keep hiding the children from those gawd-awful mugs. #Busted

Surrender

Last week, he expressed optimism. He was refusing to give up. And really, it's hard for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) to surrender a fight he's sure he can win.



But late last week, he came up one vote short. Even though Senator Dean Heller (R) and a few other Senate Republicans have called on their colleagues to renew the federal extension of unemployment insurance (UI), just enough Senate Republicans stood in line to block UI extension. Why? Apparently, they believe it's
"immoral" to help the 1.6 million Americans who desperately need this lifeline and undo the $1.76 billion worth of economic activity states have lost since the UI extension lapsed.

Instead, G-O-TEA disciples on Capitol Hill have been yearning for yet another manufactured crisis. This time, they wanted to try to skip the bill that they themselves agreed to late last year & again early this year. And since they either didn't remember or weren't bothered by the final result of their last manufactured crisis, they started hunting for the "sweet spot" of painful & unnecessary drama.

But now, that's all changed. Why? Someone must have encountered that pesky thing otherwise known as reality. And all of a sudden, House Republican "leaders" will allow a clean debt ceiling floor vote.

This week, the G-O-TEA has to surrender to reality. Republicans simply didn't have the votes for any ransom demand, and they didn't want to face another Shutdown Sh**fest like backlash. So now, the debt ceiling will be taken care of and the government will remain open. But then what?

That's a good question, yet we probably already know the answer. Since Republican "leaders" will likely face a "TEA" fueled rebellion over this debt ceiling surrender, they will then try to win the 'baggers back by vowing to block any & all other attempts at sane & rational governance. And that may very well mean they'll aim to kill the federal UI extension for good.

Here's why that would be an epic mistake. They already proved that the 'baggers aren't needed to pass legislation. So why not just pass the UI extension already and give our economy the boost it needs?

The federal budget deficit continues to fall, but economic inequality has yet to. And the few Members of Congress who have investigated for themselves know that poverty is still a serious problem in this nation.

So why hold up such a modest effort to curb extreme poverty? What's there to gain from letting millions of Americans needlessly suffer? We now know Congressional Republicans will surrender when they know they're guaranteed to lose another fight over unnecessary & ridiculous drama. So why not surrender this so that these Americans will no longer have to suffer?

Drop the Kool-Aid

They can't say we didn't warn them. We did. In fact, we did multiple times. We distinctly remember this somber warning from May 2012.

[... W]inning elections doesn't happen by just demanding "purity" and throwing a temper tantrum when that doesn't happen. Believe it or not, temper tantrums don't win elections. This is something we often have to grapple with on the left, but now we're seeing this unfold on the right at a level that I've never seen before. [...]

Ron Paul's supporters care deeply for their libertarian beliefs, and they're set to accept nothing less than full fealty to those beliefs. But in pursuing complete ideological purity, they're also set to lose a whole lot of elections because they simply don't care about that stuff. This is why Nevada Republicans are in such dire straits. And it should serve as an important lesson to all the rest of us trying to balance ideological wishes with political reality.

Hey, we tried. It just sucks for them that they refused to listen to us. Instead, the Nevada Republican Party keeps doubling down on crazy.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year. 

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions.

This is why we weren't surprised by the debut of the new Nevada Republican Party pre-primary endorsement questionnaire. This is also why we weren't surprised by the decision of Neena Laxalt and Sue Wagner to leave the Nevada Republican Party. And this is why we're not surprised by the newest episode of "Republicans Eating Their Own".

As the state and national Republican Party continue to fracture into "a million little pieces", Republican "leaders" keep trying to find hot new ways to put all those pieces back together. They've tried new technology. They've tried new "principles". They've tried "rebranding". They've tried "reinvention". And it probably won't be long before they try an "intervention from Jesus".

Have they ever thought about trying to quit their addiction to Sharron Angle's Kool-Aid? No matter how hard they try, no amount of meaningless cosmetic changes can cure the illness that's been caused by the poison they've been drinking for far too long. If they want to survive, let alone heal, they need to drop the Kool-Aid.

The Year of Manufactured Crises

After all the huffing and puffing and strutting and screaming, it happened. A deal was struck. The votes were rounded up. And after weeks of mindless speculation, Congress' latest and greatest manufactured crisis finally came to an end.

How many times have we had to talk about it here? Frankly, I lost count some time in March. However, I remember that our very first conversation of 2013 was about "The Fiscal Cliff"... And what the end of that manufactured crisis revealed to us about how Congress would (not) work in 2013.

Even while "The Fiscal Cliff" has been averted, this is still just a temporary solution. G-O-TEA extremists will be demanding whole pounds of "fiscal flesh" when the debt ceiling is taken hostage yet again again up for debate. So there will be another round of insanity to witness in the new Congress this spring.

Yet even with that being said, it may just end up being a bunch of meaningless Sturm und Drang. Why, you ask? Remember that for most of the past decade-plus in Congress (that is, when Republicans have controlled the House), Republicans have operated under the "Hastert Rule" of only bringing legislation to the House floor if it has the support of most of the Republican caucus. However, that did not happen last night. Instead, this bill passed despite most House Republicans opposing it. And in letting this happen, Boehner implicitly admitted that budget solutions can now be reached by actually reaching across the aisle for a change and bringing in Democratic votes (as opposed to simply grinding Congress to a halt just so he can engage in "tea party circle jerks").

This may be the key to unlocking the potential for better productivity in the new Congress. Both President Obama and Harry Reid see it. We'll just have to see how long House Republicans try denying this "new rule"... And how long we will have to endure the next round of meaningless "tea party circle jerks" before something (else) is actually accomplished.

Actually, it is the key... But it's yet to be used to solve anything other than manufactured crises. Instead, we've seen Congress stuck in epic gridlock thanks to endless G-O-TEA intransigence.

Comprehensive immigration reform (CIR)? Oh, no. They can't do that. It's too "big and complicated" for one bill (despite the fact that the Senate passed one in June).

Farm bill? Oh, no. They can't do that. They'd rather let American consumers suffer unnecessary higher food prices than let the working poor eat.

ENDA? Oh, no. They can't do that. They still refuse to accept that LGBTQ Americans exist, let alone contribute to the American Economy. [...]

Time and time again, Republican "leaders" have chosen cheap and crass political games over real governance. It's why major policy goals, such as CIR & ENDA, are about to be left unmet. And it's why we doubt this Congress can even "succeed" at such basic tasks as passing longer term budgets.

After all, some Republican politicians are now bragging about their vision of "government that does less". Why would they want to abandon that vision to allow for a government that actually functions properly?

Never mind that we actually have real crises to solve. Because Congressional Republican "leaders" long ago lost control of their Crazy Caucus, they've manufactured crises, such as "The Fiscal Cliff", the Shutdown Shitfest, and a slew of near default debacles, in a desperate attempt to mollify them. It hasn't worked. Instead, it's revealed just how reckless and feckless the G-O-TEA has become.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year. 

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions. [...]

It doesn't matter that this whole Shutdown Shitfest made for absolutely awful economics. And it doesn't matter that it ultimately made for crappy politics. For today's G-O-TEA, all that matters is that crazy is in charge. And that's what caused this whole crazy fiasco in the first place.

Ultimately, this and the other manufactured crises came to an end. Senator Harry Reid (D-The Boss) was able to find just enough not-so-crazy Republicans to force "leadership" to stand down at the 11th hour of each and every manufactured crisis of 2013. Yet with that being said, this string of crises has taken its toll on the nation. America has been forced into an era of austerity, and people are suffering as a result of this series of budget cuts. Even now, even more American families are about to become victims of the next round of austerity madness.

And speaking of austerity madness, the big 2014-15 Ryan-Murray Budget Deal is on track to pass the Senate today. It easily overcame a G-O-TEA led filibuster on a 67-33 vote. For the record, Senator Reid voted for cloture while Senator Dean Heller (R) voted to sustain the filibuster.

Even though this budget deal offers plenty of austerity, a number of Republicans (including Heller & Rep. Joe Heck) still oppose it. Why? It doesn't have enough austerity to please the Crazy Caucus, so expect another round of battles in the ongoing G-O-TEA Civil War as 2013 comes to a close.

And what about the new year? Believe it or not, 2014 may begin with (drumroll, please) yet another manufactured crisis over the debt ceiling thanks to continuing teabagger angst over the Ryan-Murray Sequester Remix. So this shitfest over manufactured crises built upon voodoo economics and political hogwash may not actually be completely over just yet. Happy Holidays!

Risky (Unfinished) Business

Ah, so he's at it again. Over the weekend, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) offered more helpful advice for Republicans. And he didn't stop there. He also had a warning for them.

“I don’t blame the American people for being upset. What we have here in America today is a crisis created for no reason, other than to satisfy the shrill right-wing Tea Party. … And I would hope that this crisis as some Republican members of Congress have said, you can look at Roy Blunt, a Republican of Missouri, Lindsey Graham from South Carolina. I’m paraphrasing, but they said this was a terrible waste of resources,” Reid said of the shutdown that could cost the economy $24 billion.  ”All it did is hurt Republicans. … I hope they’ve learned a lesson. The American people will not put up with that. And if this happens again, I don’t think it will, but if it does, I think the House of Representatives will go Democratic.”

“There was so much pushback against this silly, stupid thing they were trying to do,” Reid said, of the House GOP’s repeated attempts to repeal Obamacare even before the shutdown. [...]

“I believe the polls that show 18 [House] Republicans … if the vote were today they would lose. So they, I hope they’ve learned their lesson. If they haven’t, they really aren’t thinking too well,” the majority leader said. Democrats currently hold 200 seats in the House, and 218 is needed to assume the majority.

So what's Senator Reid talking about. Just look at the polls. Republicans' poll numbers have fallen fast as a result of their latest and greatest manufactured crisis. Who could have guessed this would end so badly for Republicans? (/snark)

But wait, there's more. CNN just released a new poll showing how far Republicans have fallen just this month.

The latest CNN/ORC International poll found that 54 percent of Americans think it's a bad thing that the GOP is the majority party in the House, while only 38 percent think it's a good thing. In December of last year, a CNN/ORC showed that 43 percent thought it was a bad thing that Republicans controlled the lower chamber.

[House Speaker John] Boehner fares even worse in Monday's survey. Sixty-three percent want the Ohio Republican replaced as speaker, compared with 30 percent who would like him to continue holding the post.

It's the latest in a recent run of bleak polls for Republicans, who appear to have been damaged deeply by the recent budget and debt fights. Polls across the board showed that Americans largely blamed the GOP for the government shutdown, giving Democrats newfound hope of taking back the House in next year's midterms.

Americans want to see a government that works. They want a government that's actually open. And they want a government that can actually fix problems and accomplish things.

But now, Congressional Republicans are renewing their threat to block the rest of President Obama's agenda. And here, we're talking about a longer term budget agreement, a farm bill, and comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). These were all supposed to be areas of broad, bipartisan consensus. So what happened?

Their TEA-fueled opposition to both President Obama and sensible tax reform has caused immense gridlock in Congress. Never mind that both CIR and progressive tax reform have broad public support. Because they're so dead-set against one, they plan to torpedo the other... Along with a longer term budget agreement and a farm bill!

And Republicans wonder why they've become so unpopular? They're now saying they don't want to do anything else if President Obama won't just give them Social Security cuts along with extra austerity on top of that. In addition, even the Republicans who were originally pushing for immigration reform are now claiming CIR is "dead on arrival" because President Obama hurt their feelings when he pushed then to do their job and reopen the federal government.

Again, how can any Republicans still be wondering why their party is polling so badly? This is why. If their party continues to guzzle down so much "TEA" and shut down the government over political temper tantrums, more Americans may just conclude that it's just too risky to let the G-O-TEA keep this ability to grind the nation's business to a halt.

Crazy

She's back! What, you really thought she could stay away for long? Oh, no. Sharron Angle just couldn't help herself.



She's actually been praising the insani-TEA that nearly forced America into Armageddon. Never mind that Nevada's Republican Governor, Brian Sandoval, begged Congress to stop the insani-TEA. And never mind that their financial sugar daddies on Wall Street begged them to stop as well. The G-O-TEA took it all the way to the brink... Until Senator Harry Reid (D) finally saved the day and prevented Armageddon.

This unnecessary drama cost Nevada and the nation dearly. Yet when they were provided the opportunity to end the unnecessary drama and reopen government, both Dean Heller and Mark Amodei voted against reopening the government and paying the nation's bills. Why?

Sure, they tried to sound reasonable to the media. However, no amount of media spin can actually spin away the reality of their crazy gambit. Might this be why Joe Heck suddenly flip-flopped changed his position at the last minute?

Yet until last night, none of the real world consequences of their insani-TEA mattered to any of Nevada's Republicans in DC. Why? They were only following Sharron Angle's lead.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year.

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions.



Typically, we want logical, rational explanations for what happened. But today, we simply can't provide one. Rather, we can only point at the crazy of it all.

It doesn't matter that this whole Shutdown Shitfest made for absolutely awful economics. And it doesn't matter that it ultimately made for crappy politics. For today's G-O-TEA, all that matters is that crazy is in charge. And that's what caused this whole crazy fiasco in the first place.

So what will it take for (more of) us to realize just how crazy it is to allow so much crazy to amass so much power in our government? Who's crazy enough to want even more?

It's Finally Over.

Now, it's final. After all the weeks of worrying, it finally happened.

So why aren't Nevada Republicans happy? After all, they got their austerity. What happened to their "fiscal conservatism"?

Earlier tonight, Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) voted against the bipartisan budget deal brokered by Senators Harry Reid (D) and Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to pay the nation's bills and reopen the federal government. Why? He said he "wanted to support a deal". So why couldn't he? Why couldn't he do what even Republican Governor Brian Sandoval and other prominent Republicans have begged him to do?

Simple: He fears the wrath of the teabaggers. Apparently, Senator Heller cares more about pleasing the 21st Century Know Nothings than doing what's needed for the nation and state. And apparently, Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Why?) feel the same way. They all dragged this pointless fight over nothing far longer than needed and only succeeded in causing economic harm.

But now, it doesn't matter. The House finally passed this budget deal with a margin of 285 to 144. Rep. Amodei voted against reopening the government, while Rep. Joe Heck (R-Huh?) finally voted to reopen the government.

So in the end, Rep. Heck realized he had to stop punishing his own constituents for reelecting Senator Reid and President Obama. We'll give him credit for that. We'll also give him credit for noticing the recent poll numbers showing him vulnerable in the wake of all this unnecessary economic pain.

But again, why did Heller, Heck, and Amodei string this out for this long? Did they really fight this long for extended austerity and something that's already in Obamacare? What was the point of this?

And in the end, they all held out for nothing. They got none of what they claimed they wanted. And except for the final vote from Rep. Heck tonight, they failed to deliver what even Nevada's Republican Governor admitted we needed.

So what was this about again? Oh, what the hell. It's finally over.

Countdown to Armageddon?

While a deal may be near, anxiety is still widespread across the nation. One can especially find the anxiety here in Nevada. Last weekend, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) returned to the district he represents to listen to his constituents about their concerns.



As we've explained all this month, Nevada has had to endure a heavy load of pain as the Shutdown Sh*tfest has been racing toward Armageddon. Real people have suffered. Real jobs have been lost. And real economic output has fallen.

Even Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has begged his fellow Republicans in Washington to stop the insani-TEA. Yet despite his plea, Reps. Joe Heck (R-What?) and Mark Amodei (R-Why?) have refused to stand down and let the government reopen. And of course, Senator Dean Heller (R-Really?) Has just used this manufactured crisis to remind everyone that he's still a US Senator (elected with 46% of the vote last year).

Can that all change today? After all, a Senate deal is now on the table. And at one point or another, they've all agreed to these types of big, bipartisan, last-minute budget deals.



So can they all finally come together and reopen the people's government? Not so fast. Even as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) have agreed on a deal, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Tang) has already been threatening to blow it up. Even as equity markets are nervously awaiting some sort of final solution to this insane manufactured crisis, House Republican "leaders" are still pandering to the very 21st Century Know Nothings who manufactured this crisis in the first place.

So as we count down to Armageddon, we simultaneously seem to be so close to economic catastrophe and so close to a last-minute reprieve from ruin. And now, we can only hope enough House and Senate Republicans can come to their senses before the deadline hits.

Long Past Time

It may not be over yet. But with America only a week away until the Armageddon Deadline, the end of the G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest may finally be near.

Sure, House Republican "leaders" are pushing their farcical "split the baby" strategy now. But behind the scenes, these latest attempts at political maneuvering are really just tearing apart the Republican Party. And the longer Republicans continue their manufactured crisis, the steeper the political price Republicans will pay in upcoming elections.

According to the brand new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, the Republican Party's favorable rating among Americans has dropped to a record low 24%. And to make matters even worse for them, only 39% support a Republican controlled Congress while 47% want a Democratic controlled Congress. Add this to the other recent polls, and Republicans now have plenty of reasons to worry about 2014 (and 2016).



So long story short, Republicans are choking on their own bile. Yet while Republicans are suffering politically, millions of Americans are suffering for real. And keep in mind that this suffering is on top of the pain the nation was already feeling due to austerity.

Fortunately, Salon's Joan Walsh did her part to make sure we don't forget the real human casualties of these G-O-TEA manufactured crises.

Remember that the shutdown comes on top of the ugly sequester cuts imposed earlier this year, and mostly to the exact same discretionary domestic spending programs. To the cold hearts and closed minds on the right, neither matters. In fact, Sen. Ron Johnson, a member of the growing Default Denier Caucus within his own party (it overlaps quite a lot with the Stupid Caucus), told MSNBC Thursday that just as President Obama is fear-mongering on the danger of a debt default – he called it a “cash management” problem), he had also exaggerated the impact of sequester cuts.

Also keep in mind that the sequester cuts are currently baked into the “clean” continuing resolution that the Senate has passed repeatedly. That’s a compromise on the Democrats’ part that is mostly ignored by the media. [...]

On top of the 800,000 federal workers furloughed, who will miss three paychecks if the House GOP deal is accepted, food banks are now reporting shortages, since the Emergency Food Assistance program is closed. North Carolina has entirely suspended its Women, Infants and Children nutrition program because it relied so heavily on federal funding, and other states are likely to follow. Ironically red states are feeling the shutdown most because they get so much federal funding, but since the impact is mainly on poor people, they don’t care.

The G-O-TEA Shutdown Sh*tfest has already cost America $2 billion in economic output. And with each additional day of this unnecessary drama, we lose another $160 million in economic output. If this extreme austerity experiment continues, what's already an economic gut punch will soon become economic strangulation.

Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Searchlight Strong) and other Senate Democrats reminded Republicans of the simple task they need to complete to let the people's government reopen for business. So did President Obama. And now, a critical mass of Americans are crying for them to do the right thing. It's long past time for Republicans to free this nation from the manufactured crisis they forced us into.

If they don't end this Shutdown Sh*tfest soon, they'll lose more than just this political fight.

What's Behind the Chaos

Earlier this morning, we caught some actual glimmers of hope and wondered if perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a fast approaching train. The G-O-TEA gang behind the latest and greatest manufactured crisis finally began to crack under pressure. Multiple media reports suggest House Republican "leaders" are preparing at least some sort of short term resolution.

However, these Republican "leaders" are still trying to please the 21st Century Know Nothings with some sort of "split the baby solution" where the government shutdown continues while the debt ceiling is lifted. So even now, the stupidi-TEA continues.

However, it can't continue indefinitely. Our economy just can't take any more. Oh, and neither can the Republicans' own financial backers. This morning, The New York Times published an eye-popping article full of Wall Street insiders going on record to criticize the Republican Party they used to know... But don't any more.

Joe Echevarria, the chief executive of Deloitte, the accounting and consulting firm, said, “I’m a Republican by definition and by registration, but the party seems to have split into two factions.”

While both parties have extreme elements, he suggested, only in the G.O.P. did the extreme element exercise real power. “The extreme right has 90 seats in the House,” Mr. Echevarria said. “Occupy Wall Street has no seats.” [...]

Michael J. Driscoll, a former managing director of Bear, Stearns & Co. and lifelong Republican from New York, said he would not be surprised if Wall Street executives began to shift some of the giving away from House lawmakers.

“One thing about Wall Street, it is very aware of who is working in their best interest,” he said.

Even the once traditional GOP base is feeling threatened by Republican "leaders" flailing around in desperate attempts to placate their new 21st Century Know Nothing G-O-TEA base. But if Republicans try to redefine their Shutdown Sh*tfest in a way that better pleases their traditional Wall Street allies, their 21st Century Know Nothing base will then revolt.

In their latest desperate attempt to destroy President Obama and his legacy, Republicans may be succeeding... In splintering their own party. While the likes of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) are begging House Republicans to stop the insani-TEA, some new 21st Century Know Nothing outfit is advocating armed rebellion. And guess who House Republican "leaders" are paying more attention to?

The time for the insani-TEA to end was last week. But even now, Republican "leaders" are threatening to impose even more chaos on this nation until the bitter end. And it's all because they fear their own base(s).

Wall Street won't mind some austerity shifting as long as the manufactured crisis ends ASAP. The 21st Century Know Nothings won't mind the manufactured crisis culminating in a worldwide economic collapse so long as they can claim victory in their Culture War. Republicans can't do both, so they're caught in a dilemma... And they're holding us all hostage until they find a way to save face.

The Bitter End?

Whoops. Someone's in the hot seat... For speaking a little too much truth.

Shortly after Governor Brian Sandoval (R) sounded the alarms on the trouble that lies ahead if the G-O-TEA Shutdown continues, other Republicans sounded the alarms on Sandoval deserting their sinking ship. So of course, Sandoval's political team tried to spin it away. Yet even then, the Governor begged all of Nevada's Members of Congress to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest ASAP.

At least Governor Sandoval doesn't have to feel alone in begging his own party to stop the insani-TEA without looking too rational "liberal". Late yesterday, 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee and current US Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) begged House Republican "leaders" to allow a floor vote on the very budget agreement that Republicans themselves considered a "victory" just a month ago. And even the Koch Brothers are publicly backing away from the monster they created.



This week, the once great Republican Party descended into pure chaos. The House G-O-TEA Caucus finally fell into diaspora yesterday after some realized their previous ransom demands gained their party nothing but disdain and ridicule. This likely led to House Republican "leaders" (not so) privately admitting defeat and begging Democrats for some sort of mercy.

The irony of this whole debacle is that the supposed "party of personal responsibility" refused to take any. Some of them truly believed they could get away with destroying the global economy. And others have denied the severe consequences of their crazed actions.



The insani-TEA can't last forever. We just can't afford it. What we've already endured has caused enough harm. How much more must we suffer?

In addition to the economic harm Congressional Republicans have caused the nation, they've also harmed themselves politically. Thanks to their insani-TEA, Democrats now have a chance of winning the House next year. Republicans' poll numbers have fallen into the toilet as they've become the obvious villains in this lurid American horror story. How much more of this do they really want to endure?

This is why the end game may finally be in sight. Even though the G-O-TEA faithful demand an epic fight to the bitter end, Republican "leaders" may finally be recognizing that the bitter end is simply too close for comfort. With only a week left until the Armageddon deadline, they don't have much time left to waste. And as they go to meet President Obama this afternoon, Americans are demanding that they finally call it quits.

Cutting to the Truth

This was likely bound to happen. As the G-O-TEA Shutdown has been dragging on, a certain "Sunny" politician up for reelection next year was bound to start fretting over the looming storm clouds. And now, that's exactly what's happening.

To be fair, it's not just about politics. It's also about the failure to achieve the most basic policy goal in Washington: Keep the government open and pay the nation's bills. And as long as this failure to perform the most basic function of government continues, the entire nation suffers... Including (amd especially) Nevada. And that's the other reason why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) is worried.

“Particularly at the end of the month, I think that’s really when we are going to start to see … some catastrophic issues going on for the state,” Sandoval said.

“Time is short. We have hundreds of thousands of Nevadans facing real consequences. The first of the month is right around the corner.”

Most immediately, 362,000 food stamp [or SNAP] recipients will see their benefits halt on Nov. 1 and the 500 state employees who administer that program will face potential furloughs if the shutdown is not resolved. About 425,000 women, infants and children [WIC] would also stop seeing food benefits.

To continue both programs without federal money would cost the state $50 million a month.

“We don’t have it,” Sandoval said, of the state’s $6.1 billion biennial budget. “We can’t afford it.”

And to make matters even worse, unemployment benefits, rape crisis centers, energy assistance programs, and Medicaid will also have to shut down soon if the federal government doesn't reopen. Even the Nevada National Guard is running dangerously low on the most basic supplies. This is no hyperbole, just fast approaching catastrophe.

So why hasn't Congress fixed this already? Why is the federal government still shut down? Perhaps subconsciously, Rep. Joe Heck (R-What?) provided the answer.

"In a way, when you know that no matter what you do, 50 percent of the district is not going to be happy, does it matter?” Heck said of his constituents. “Really, it frees me to concentrate on doing what I think is best.”

What is best, in Heck’s opinion, is withholding support for a clean budget resolution until Democrats make some concessions on deficit reduction. He is sticking to his guns on that, even if other House Republicans think it’s about time to give in to Democrats’ demands.

Nearly two dozen Republicans, many of whom have more partisan voting records than either Nevada GOP congressman — recently signed a pledge to vote for a clean budget resolution if it comes up.

“It would have to be a bill, and I don’t comment on hypothetical bills,” Heck said when the Sun asked if he might consider signing on.

But in theory, Heck is not on board.

“What is there associated with the clean (budget resolution)?” he asked. “How are we going to address our debt and our deficit?”

Actually, that's already been happening. The federal budget deficit has fallen fast and is now the smallest it's been in over four years. And on top of this, Senator Harry Reid (D) and his fellow Senate Democrats offered a budget with even more deficit reduction.

This year, we've been enduring a whole lot of austerity. In fact, many prominent economists have been warning that America has been enduring too much austerity. With America's economic recovery already fragile before the Shutdown Sh*tfest commenced, the last thing our economy needs is even more austerity throwing people out of work and reducing economic output.

Let's get real. This isn't really about deficit reduction. If it was, they wouldn't be demanding tax cuts that would add to the deficit.

So why are Joe Heck and so many of his G-O-TEA colleagues suddenly feigning concern for the budget deficit? Simple answer: Their obsession with destroying Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) has led to dropping poll numbers and new worries about
Republican losses in next year's midterm election. So now, they're desperately grasping onto anything that can be construed as a "winning message".

After all, Republican infighting doesn't make a "winning message". And they don't want to admit that this Shutdown Sh*tfest was actually caused by their internal chaos. So instead, they continue playing this ridiculous game of "Pin the Blame on Someone Else". And today, they're pointing fingers at Democrats for "not wanting to cut the deficit" despite the fact that President Obama and Congressional Democratic leaders have agreed to drastic deficit reduction.

And that leads us back to Republicans' political woes. Rep. Heck tacitly admitted he's in political danger. And Governor Sandoval is going to greater lengths to distance himself from Heck, Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?), and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Really?). Deep down, they and all their advisers know what Kevin Drum says is true.

It's crazy. How do you get across how insurrectionary this is? Raising the debt ceiling isn't a concession from Republicans that deserves a corresponding concession from Democrats. It's the financial equivalent of a nuclear bomb: both sides will go up in smoke if it's triggered. Ditto for the government shutdown. And ditto again for the piecemeal spending bills, which are basically a way for Republicans to fund only the parts of government they like but not anything else.

You can't govern a country this way. You can't allow a minority party to make relentless demands not through the political system, but by threatening Armageddon if they don't get what they want. It's not what the Constitution intended; it's not something any president could countenance; and it's reckless almost beyond imagining.

And most important of all, it's not something that should get written about as if it's just a modest escalation of normal political disagreements. It's not normal. At all. But how do you get this across? How do you get across just how non-normal it is that we're even talking about it?

This is why Governor Sandoval is now panicking. This is why Rep. Heck must grasp at straws to spin away his party’s reckless behavior. And this is why so many Americans can't wrap their heads around the unbridled insani-TEA on Capitol Hill. That's the dangerous truth behind the crazy spin.

What's Wrong

As Day 8 of the manufactured crisis full of unnecessary drama rolls on, we're starting to see interesting statements from Nevada's Republicans in Congress. When asked whether he could finally accept the compromise that Republican "leaders" seemed ready to accept just a month ago, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Huh?) spokesman said his boss typically "never commits on bills before [they reach the] floor, but adds Heck 'has voted for every CR" that has been put on the House floor'.” OK. So what's that supposed to mean?

But wait, there's more. Senator Dean Heller (R-What?) also chimed in today, stating that "it's time to bring Joe Biden back". For what, exactly? Does Senator Heller need the Vice President to personally explain to him the consequences of becoming a "deadbeat nation".

And of course, there's "(Never) Tired of the Drama" Mark Amodei (R-Really?). When KRNV/News 4 Reno viewers asked Rep. Amodei what he was doing to end the Shutdown Sh*tfest, he just lied about the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). Keep it klassy, Nevada G-O-TEA!

If it seems like Nevada Republicans in DC are looking awfully adrift lately, it's likely because their national party is careening all over the place. They're taking queues from failed comedians and clinging to discredited conspiracy theories. Even some Republicans are now making their private grievances with their party public.

So why is the federal government still shut down? And why are we so perilously close to credit default? Something is wrong with this picture.

There are likely enough votes in the House to stop the insani-TEA and reopen government. So why can't it happen yet? Why are some Republicans talking out of both sides of their mouths while others are simply talking nonsense? And why can't Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and Mark Amodei step forward to put an end to the drama they're supposedly "tired of"?

We can't afford to wait much longer.

Waiting for the End

It's been over a week now. And despite the occasional glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel, it appears that the light is just coming from the speeding train approaching us. The G-O-TEA manufactured crisis rages on, and we're all suffering as a result.

Yesterday, we debunked G-O-TEA memes on "compromise". Over the course of the past six months, Republicans blocked nineteen attempts to start bipartisan, bicameral budget negotiations. Republican "leaders" only changed their tune last week, just minutes before their Shutdown began.

Throughout the spring and summer, Congressional Republicans turned down multiple Democratic offers for budget negotiations. But now, we're supposed to believe the G-O-TEA Shutdown is all Senator Harry Reid's fault because he's "not playing nice"? If this situation wasn't so dangerous, we'd be laughing.

Yet now, Senator Reid is offering Republicans a way oit of their own manufactured crisis. Last week, they privately admitted they must end it before we reach credit default next week. And even a few Republicans have publicly admitted they're fighting a losing war. So why won't they stop the insani-TEA already?

All this time, Republicans have had the opportunity to end this unnecessary drama. But so far, they haven't done so. That's why Senator Reid is now offering them a way out. If they truly want to prevent the initiation of an economic collapse we haven't seen in eighty years, they can start by passing the very clean debt ceiling legislation they privately admitted they had to pass last week.

So why wait any longer? And why deny reality any longer? With each passing day of this manufactured crisis, the nation inches closer to complete disaster... And Congress wastes time on this crap that could be used to solve real problems.

So why are we still waiting for the end?

How Not to Do Business

Today is supposed to be a critical day in determining America's economic future. The APEC Summit is now underway in Bali, Indonesia, and leaders from all the major Pacific nations are there to discuss trade and commerce...

But wait, there's someone missing in Bali. Oh, yes. That's right. President Obama had to cancel his trip to APEC because he had to deal with the G-O-TEA temper tantrum that's hurting the American people and threatening the world economy. Because some G-O-TEA politicians still refuse to accept reality, President Obama could not make the case for America in front of Asia's political leaders and the world's business leaders.

If Congressional Republican "leaders" allow their "TEA" tinged troops to force America into default, Goldman Sachs estimates a 4.2% drop in the nation's GDP for the year. US and global business leaders are stressing that they're already beginning to feel the pain of the shutdown and fearing what lies ahead if default occurs. People around the world are asking why what's supposed to be the world's #1 superpower can't even open its government and pay its bills...

Yet House Republican "leaders" continue to threaten default and further shutdown. No one really knows how to interpret their mixed messages any more. And no one even knows what their strategy is any more (if they even have one).

Now, even Members of Congress are worried about what may happen in the next ten days. And even a few Republicans are admitting their party screwed up in shutting down the government and threatening default. We're in an awfully ugly situation now, yet it didn't have to be this way.

And not only is Capitol Hill looking ugly here in The States, but the rest of the world is trembling in fear and disgust over our broken Congress as well. The President couldn't even make a major global trade summit because of G-O-TEA intransigence. And if we go down in default, we risk taking the world down with us.

It really shouldn't be hard to understand: This is not how to do business.