Tekel, Dann, et al -

You would do well to spend some time reading the "Let's Bore Each Other to Death" thread if you really want to expand your understanding and sleep better at night. I'm happy to continue a serious discussion there.

Let's keep this thread on the level and include more pictures.

 

I'm not going to type it all out, as there is a long list. But S&P broke down the more tangible cost of the shutdown in terms of money. But this doesn't really take into account all of the people that are working on scientific projects that were funded by the government, the data gaps in projects because scientists were not allowed to continue work on projects that have taken years to set up. Ph.D. students wasting lots of money and time on now abandoned projects, having to start over now. Plus now we look like (even more than before) idiots to the rest of the world. The continued shenanigans by the US gov, whether justified or not, continues to push the world more towards a US independent world. To some people this is a good thing, but it's very much not. Being the leading world power has perks that most of the US has gotten very dependent on.

 

Damage assesment: the republicans are fukt in 2014. None of the Tea Partiers that caused all this mess will lose their seats of course, they are too gerrymandered in. But some moderate republicans will lose out, and the dems will probably regain control of the house.