[OWaz]

What I get confused about and fail to understand, is why people get excited about hearing that others are being furloughed. What's so good about people not being able to support their family, or possibly default on debt and even worse allow city and state budgets to shrink? We all lose together.

[gaius]

Because Jo(e) Average Worker gets squeezed by these guys more every year to pay their generous salaries and retirement packages. Well turnabout is fair play.

[camus]

Isnt that whole shutdown about spending ? well this is where money could be saved, by aborting all these expensive and useless weapon deals, instead of cutting food stamps for the poor. US society dont need new tanks, drones or missiles. Let's cut defense spending.

[adestefan]

No. The shutdown is about a minority faction of the GOP trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act which is already funded. It has nothing to do with spending.

[betterunix]

The shutdown is a political maneuver by a small faction that would otherwise lack power.