The truth is that there were 17 government shutdowns from the initiation of the modern Congressional budget process in 1976 until 1996. Even after 1980, when rulings by Carter's Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti mandated that government agencies receiving appropriations close down if funding ran out, government shutdowns occurred with disturbing regularity, with nine throughout the Reagan-Bush years, and two under Clinton. In fact, every time there has been divided government since the Ford Administration, the government has shut down at some point, with only one exception: the tenure of George W. Bush in 2007-2008.

[snip]

But before you, like many Democratic partisans, say "but everything's changed, Democrats would never hold the government hostage over gun control," consider the various policy reasons for government shutdowns over the past 37 years. There were four shutdowns over abortion funding in the 1970s, a Democratic-led shutdown over funding for the notorious MX missile in 1982, a Democratic-led shutdown over a Supreme Court civil rights ruling in 1984, a Democratic-led shutdown over expanding Aid to Families with Dependent Children (that's welfare) in 1986, and a Democratic-led shutdown over aid to the Contras and the Fairness Doctrine(!) in 1987. So shutdowns were for quite a while part of the normal business of government. And as I said, there's a cruel logic to them. When Congress and the White House are held by different parties, Congress has no bigger chip at their disposal than the power of the purse. So they use that, over and over again, to extract often unrelated policy concessions from the executive branch. It may have stopped for a while for various reasons, but it's back because it's a very inviting way for a Congressional majority to assert their will.

Nothing.

Two: Rock paper scissors.

   Thousands of workers filled the sidewalks from 11am onwards, after they had been instructed to go home.

    Inside, two Labor department chiefs - David Michaels, an assistant secretary, and his deputy, Jordan Barab - had just finished visiting every single office to speak personally with staff. Barab did so despite being on crutches.

    The two men assured staff that they were important and apologized for the situation, according to several employees who came out immediately afterwards.

    Like other government employees, Labor Department workers had been instructed to return to work on Tuesday, to learn their fate. Upon arrival, they were given meetings by department supervisors, and told whether or not they were needed for work.

    Then all that was left was for employees to turn on out-of-office alerts on their emails, voicemail messages on their desk phones, turn off their computers at the socket and complete their time-sheets.

    Department employees were told to state that they had worked just 4 hours on Tuesday, and then add 'UF' - code for furloughed - on the timesheets.

    "There was no sense when we might come back," said Lisa Long, 45, a safety engineer. "People were demoralised and maybe even a little shocked that it was actually happening."

    The impact of the shutdown is not only being felt by the hundreds of thousands of employees who suddenly find themselves out of work; the consequences ripple out further.

    On Tuesday, the hot-dog trucks that usually stationed outside the rear entrance of the Francis Perkins Building building were gone. Nearly all of the restaurants that cater for office-workers were closed.

    Employees in the Labor building include some well-paid senior officials, but others on annual salaries as low as $25,000. "These people need paychecks, they gotta eat," said Monique Tribbett, a 45-year-old IT contractor.

    "I'm trying to get people to protest. Not just people in the department but, you know all these other people who are affected. If we all went, right now, to the steps of the Capitol Building and protested then they might start listening to us, but people don't wanna stand together. I feel like I'm on my own."

Also, today's PPP poll for Florida Governor shows former moderate republican turned moderate Dem Charlie Crist with a big 12 point lead over Tea Party favorite incumbent Rick Scott 50-38.

Bridgespan/Regence, Premera Blue Cross, Lifewise.  These are the major providers (other than Kaiser and Group Health which wouldn't have my doctors anyway).

My "girl doctor" does not accept any of the Exchange plans with these providers.  I searched far and wide for this woman, was very happy with her.  Now if I want to see her, insurance or not, I'll have to pay out of pocket.  Out of pocket maximums do NOT apply to doctors who are out of network.  Thus if I were to use her, need surgery, my costs are unlimited.

This is the new face of health care.  Obamacare ballooned premium prices, making insurance less affordable, thus really making a lot of people need subsidies.  The only way you can get subsidies if if you buy plans on the Exchanges.  The Exchange plans have very limited provider networks (to keep prices down). People who need to use the Exchanges will have to see less popular (i.e. less competent) doctors, get lesser care.

Just a warning, even if you love Obamacare, don't fall for the premium pricing WITHOUT first making sure that your most important medical providers are in your plan network.  If they are not, and if you think you won't be eligible for subsidies (or don't need them), then don't buy your insurance on the Exchange.  Plans outside of the Exchange have much more robust provider networks but are not subsidy eligible.

If the Internet had been shut down there would be rioting in the streets.

And THIS may be the thing that gets people up in arms.

The Department of Defense on Tuesday suspended all intercollegiate athletics at the service academies because of the government shutdown, jeopardizing Navy's football game against Air Force in Annapolis on Saturday.