Now that Syria is off the radar screen - for now - attention is turning to a more predictable crisis: the looming government shut down.
This comes at a convenient time because we will be discussing the budgeting process very soon.
You may need a primer on this, so here's the obligatory Wikipedia entry on government shutdown, CNN has a guide to it, and the Washington Post lists 5 reasons why its likely to happen.
Simply put its a negotiating tactic that can be used by one side that wants to force concessions from another by refusing to allow for any spending at all if the concession is not met. It can be effectively the end of the budgetary cycle - when a new budget has to passed and money appropriated to fund governmental projects - or when the budget ceiling is about to be hit.
Both of those are looming right now. Tea Party Republicans are using this scenario to try to force Democrats to defund ObamaCare. If not - no spending so the government shuts down.
We will go over the budget process and the political issues associated with the shutdown in the coming weeks. in the meantime here are freaky slides showing the process.
