Rooting for a Shutdown

Joshua Green: “If Congress could maintain even a semblance of functionality, then no one should want the government to shut down. According to the Congressional Research Service, the back-to-back shutdowns brought on by Newt Gingrich in 1995 and 1996 cost the country $1.4 billion. But it’s now clear that Congress can’t operate smoothly, and even a conclusive national election won’t break the cycle of dysfunction.”

“That’s why I’m rooting for a shutdown and you should be too — at this point, it’s the safest way to jolt Washington back to its senses.”

Ezra Klein: “It looks like we may have a shutdown after all. And that may be a good thing.”