Overview for shutdown

In the Next Budget Fight: Hope for a Tie

D.C.’s been obsessed with weighing the winners and losers from Friday’s budget deal. But in the larger spending fight to come there’s more at stake than political points. Washington’s been obsessed with weighing the winners and losers from last Friday’s budget deal. But in the larger spending …

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Written by Les Francis on Tuesday April 12, 2011

The Budget Deal's Biggest Winner

In Friday’s budget deal, Boehner amassed enough credibility with his own caucus that he can now confront the larger fiscal challenges ahead. Conventional wisdom saw House Speaker John Boehner as all tan and no substance.  As usual, conventional wisdom got it wrong.  In Friday’s budget deal, …

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Written by Steve Bell on Monday April 11, 2011

A GOP Game Plan for the Next Budget Fight

Republicans were wise to secure a deal and avert a shutdown. But will they remember what they learned in the coming budget battle? Friday night, the GOP reached a budget deal with Senate Majority Leader Reid and the White House.  I’m pleasantly surprised Republicans actually took my advice “to …

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Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Monday April 11, 2011

Congress Gets Ready for the Next Budget Battle

Congress may have averted a shutdown, but their handling of budget negotiations left bond markets with more questions than answers. The 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week coverage of the fiscally trivial work of the past 3 months is over.  The Continuing Resolution for Appropriations for FY11, …

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Written by Steve Bell on Sunday April 10, 2011

A Great Week for the GOP

Is conservatism recovering its balance? Here are three positive signs from this past week. Is conservatism recovering its balance? Three positive signs in this past week. 1) The Republican caucus accepted a deal to avert a government shutdown. The deal is a huge victory for governance Republica…

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Written by David Frum on Saturday April 9, 2011

The Big Budget Cut the GOP Forgot

Republicans deserve a pat on the back for tackling the easiest-to-cut part of the federal budget. But one area where they could make serious cuts was overlooked. When it comes to the first and easiest-to-cut part of the federal budget, Republicans deserve at least a small pat on the back. They …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Saturday April 9, 2011

The Good and Bad News in the Budget Deal

Dealmakers in both parties may have prevailed over the confrontationalists in this budget battle, but the most important and difficult decisions still await. Obviously this is no way to run a railroad. Still - the train did not crash. The deal to avert a government shutdown is a story of good …

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Written by David Frum on Saturday April 9, 2011

The Prowl: Shutdown? Why Not Have Sex?

Here are my suggestions for what non-essential federal employees should have done with their spare time had the government shut down. Are you one of the 800,000 federal employees deemed non-essential and furloughed?  What will you do with your unpaid extended leave?  You can't go to any of the …

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Written by Vivian Darkbloom on Friday April 8, 2011

Budget Fight May Freak Out Markets

Global financial institutions are keeping a close eye on Washington. And even if there is a budget deal, the damage may already be done. Whether the federal government “closes down” for this weekend remains unknown at this time. But for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that Congress …

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Written by Steve Bell on Friday April 8, 2011

Bachmann Throws in the Towel

Did Bachmann just tweet the Tea Party's white flag? I think this Bachmann tweet is the Tea Party's white flag. I am ready for a big fight that will change the arc of history. The current fight in Washington is not that fight Looks like: no shutdown. Tweet

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Written by David Frum on Friday April 8, 2011

Can the GOP Avoid the Shutdown "Trap"?

Here's a question every Republican should ask: If the shutdown is an Obama trap, why not ... refrain from stepping into it? Question every Republican should ask: If the shutdown is an Obama trap, why not ... refrain from stepping into it? Tweet

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Written by David Frum on Friday April 8, 2011

Budget Battle: Boehner Keeps Freshmen in Line

Freshmen Republicans are resisting pressure from their base, and for the most part appear to be siding with party leadership in the budget negotiations. Freshmen Republicans are resisting pressure from their base, and for the most part appear to have been siding with party leadership over the …

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Written by Tim Mak on Friday April 8, 2011

Reading Romney’s Mind

As Republicans edge closer to a shutdown and Democrats get ready to run against the Ryan budget, what's going through Romney's head? This has been my best week in politics since John McCain lost to Barack Obama. I face two huge problems: getting nominated and getting elected. To get …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday April 7, 2011

How the Dems Will Spin a Shutdown

My father, a dyed-in-wool leftist who is visiting Washington this weekend, has a pretty good take on what the Left will say if a shutdown takes place. My father, a dyed-in-wool leftist who, is coming to visit my wife, my son Andrew, and me this weekend included a PS on the email he just sent to me …

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Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday April 7, 2011

Didn't the GOP Learn from the Last Shutdown?

From the experience of 1995-1996, you'd think there was one thing Republicans would know: don't shut down the government. As the GOP and President Obama go eyeball to eyeball over a government shutdown, I keep thinking of a story from one of Louisa May Alcott's novels, the story of the children …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday April 7, 2011

GOP Wants Deal, Tea Party Wants Shutdown

At a Capitol Hill rally, Republicans urged Sen. Reid to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government. But at another rally, conservatives cheered for a shutdown. Freshman Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) at the press conference. House Republicans held the latest in a series of …

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Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday April 6, 2011

Why Obama Will Win the Shutdown

Is there's another government shutdown, there's one thing you can count on: the White House will win the public relations battle. Howard Dean is liberal, and perhaps even a tad crazy.  Stupid, though, he is not.  Former Gov. Dean joined several other prominent Democrats Tuesday at the “National …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Wednesday March 30, 2011

Is the GOP Backbench Rebelling?

Fifty-four Republicans defected on the latest continuing resolution. Fifty-four Republican defections on the latest Continuing Resolution.

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday March 15, 2011

Newt's Old Allies Warn Against Shutdown

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich continues to defend the 1995 government shutdown. But many of his closest allies from that era see the episode as a mistake. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich is expected to announce a run for president soon, but if he is to continue to defend the government shutdown that …

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Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday March 2, 2011

Biden to Lead Budget Talks

Biden to Head Budget Talks Politico reports: With a stopgap measure in place, Senate Democrats said Wednesday that they will forestall any spending debate on the floor in favor of what they hope will be immediate budget negotiations between themselves, Republicans and a …

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Written by FrumForum News on Wednesday March 2, 2011