Who do you blame more for the shutdown?

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

I think it's pretty obvious, but I'm curious to see how AF members (specifically our blue avatars) vote.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Truly a highlight in AF history.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

"Ted Cruz" ought to be a separate option in this poll.

Meh.  Ted Cruz only has the influence he does because the Republicans let him have it.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

"Ted Cruz" ought to be a separate option in this poll.

Meh.  Ted Cruz only has the influence he does because the Republicans let him have it.

The Republicans let him have it because the Republican primary voters will tear them to pieces otherwise. How would you like to have to answer to those asylum inmates?

Well, I could go into a long speech about the importance of courage and integrity in politics, but I doubt it will make much of a difference.   The bottom line is that Republicans have only themselves to blame for this, and the kooks who got them in power should be kicking themselves right now... but they won't.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Both parties. Both parties could have stopped the shutdown by acquiescing to the demands of the other, and both refused. The only way to say the GOP solely is to say that it's patently unreasonable to want to repeal Obamacare.

Exactly what did Democrats demand other than that the government stay open?

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

None of the above. The drafters of the Constitution are the ones at fault. There is no individual responsibility for Members of Congress, especially in instances where the Executive and Legislature are controlled by different parties.

The framers failed to anticipate parties, or rather to the extent they did, they considered them evil.  The situation we're facing with a government shutdown and the looming debt ceiling battle would essentially be impossible if we had 535 Independent Congressmen

I don't think that would make much of a difference.  Surely 535 non-partisan members of Congress would divide and organize themselves ideologically, no?