Ah, thanks. This is why I hate when people talk about midnight.

House Speaker John Boehner, speaking with reporters later, said no agreement had been reached. He denied that the so-called "riders" were driving the stalemate — saying he was committed to fighting for the most spending cuts possible.

How was he able to speak at all, with all the photo op crying he's been doing lately? (As always I apologize for my state; the fucker is not in my district so I could not vote against him.)

This is why I hate when people talk about midnight.

I am the same way!

do we know for sure that the Feds are shutting down?

Technically, we won't know for sure until tomorrow night. As a practical matter, I wish I could be more optimistic than I feel.

For whatever it is or isn't worth, there was a pro-Planned Parenthood rally on the DC Mall today. (May still be going on, for all I know.)

If the government shuts down (which is more than probable at this point since there's no way the budget could get through the House, the Senate, and then be signed by the President in enough time) then the effects would start on Saturday with the closures of the Smithsonian museums, national parks, and monuments. The Cherry Blossom parade would be cancelled because permits for NPS events can't be honored.

M-F employees wouldn't find out their status until the next regularly scheduled work day. Some agencies are proactively telling their employees tomorrow if they are essential or furloughed, but most are waiting until Monday in case a miracle happens over the weekend.

(As always I apologize for my state; the fucker is not in my district so I could not vote against him.)

Eric Cantor's district is in the state in which I live. Paul Ryan's district is not only the district I grew up in, but we went to high school in the same city (a few years apart, and different high schools).

So I'm probably the last person on this board who can hold that against you.

(which is more than probable at this point since there's no way the budget could get through the House, the Senate, and then be signed by the President in enough time)

The President has said (yesterday or the day before? -- I'm not quite sure) that he'd be willing to sign a very short-term continuing resolution to keep the government open for a few days while an agreement was going through Congress. Of course, a continuing resolution would also have to go through Congress....

(ETA: Bah! I keep double-posting because I keep cross-posting!)

the closures of the Smithsonian museums, national parks, and monuments. The Cherry Blossom parade would be cancelled because permits for NPS events can't be honored.

This would be a big hit against the downtown economy.

The good news is, I made it onto a jury, so I still have to do my unpaid civic duty, instead of doing my unpaid lying around eating candy all day duty.

It sounds like the shutdown is coming down to banning federal funds to planned parenthood and preventing EPA regulation of greenhouse gases.

Really? REALLY?!? That fills me with rage. I am so damn sick of the hateful attitude of elected Repubs. I mean really? Is it so damn awful if some woman gets a partially government-funded pap smear? So bad that it's better to just shut down the government?

Oh, I'm right there with you. I'm so inarticulate with rage that all I can do is insult Boehner.

Planned Parenthod, thanks to the Hyde Amendment, already cannot use federal funds for abortions. So abortions aren't even the issue here. What the pigfucking GOP is saying is that if women can't afford health care, then they don't deserve health care. Birth control, family planning, cancer screenings. They're not even trying to hide how much they hate women anymore.

I would say it's unbelievable, but sadly, it's totally believable.

Totally fucking believable.

Awesome, bon.