Monday, September 30, 2013   Published Weekday Mornings   To see the full version of today's cartoon, click on the preview graphic of the cartoon (below the Commentary) to be taken to the full version in your favorite web browser. Shutdown Showdown Washington braces for the first shutdown of the national government in 17 years Danger to economy worries experts weighing potential government shutdown, default Washington, DC area could lose $200 million a day if shutdown occurs, economist says Government shutdown will cost taxpayers nationwide billions Patricia Murphy: How Congress Will Still Get Paid in a Government Shutdown James Fallows: Your False-Equivalence Guide to the Days Ahead David Frum: Here Comes the Shutdown - Three Reasons It Will Backfire On the GOP Poll: Congressional GOP Will Receive More Blame For Govt Shutdown Than Obama Byron York: From Michele Bachmann, a case for why some Republicans don't fear a shutdown Jon Favreau: House Republican Hostage-Takers Are Unfit to Govern Jason Sattler: Boehner Can't Stop Obamacare, But He Can Stop The Tea Party Ezra Klein: The House GOP's shutdown plan is great news, for the debt limit fight ahead The Mechanics of Shutdown A list of every previous government shutdown, why they happened and how they ended Everything you need to know about how a government shutdown works Impact of a government shutdown on federal agencies Andrew Cohen: The Odd Story of the Law That Dictates How Government Shutdowns Work The Next Battle? Debt Ceiling Paul Krugman: The GOP, Rebels Without a Clue, Are Endangering The Whole World. O'Brien: Not Raising the Debt Ceiling - A Crisis, If We're Lucky, a Historical Calamity If We're Not Derek Thompson: Here Are the GOP's Debt-Ceiling Demands, and They Are Insane Former President Bill Clinton defends President Obama on debt ceiling Ruth Marcus: Speaker Boehner is leading from behind Greg Sargent: Republicans have `a bomb strapped to their chest' Steve Benen: Of Republicans and "terrorists" 'Shame on us': How greedy corporations brought the debt limit mess onto themselves The Fight To Vote Justice Department to sue North Carolina over voting law Fight is on over efforts to tighten voting rules; critics see it as a violation of Voting Rights Act Energy, Climate & Environment BP Trial in 2nd Phase, to Agreed On Amount of Oil Spilled, Which Will Determine Final Penalties White House: America Is Within Reach Of Fulfilling Its Climate Pledge To The World Nations In Turmoil Syrian airstrike reportedly hits high school, killing students Death toll from Pakistan market attack rises to 42 Dozens killed in latest wave of Baghdad bombings The War Over There Al Qaeda Plot Leak In August Has Undermined U.S. Intelligence Nigerian attack: Suspected Islamic terrorists kill at least 50 students, shot dead as they slept Jamie Dettmer: Meet Ahmed Abdi Godane, Al-Shabab's Osama bin Laden International News Iran's President Hassan Rouhani suggests resuming direct flights between Iran and U.S. Date Set For Popes John Paul II, John XXIII To Be Declared Saints Turkey announces liberal reforms to increase Kurdish rights Midwest Roundup Shutdown at Offutt? Military to report; most civilians won't Neb. GOP Congressional delegation offers "alternatives" to Obamacare (that really aren't alternatives) Even with floodwaters rolling through Nebraska, drought persists in some parts of the state Iowa Farm Bureau president reminds farmers that Farm Bill extension also expires at midnight Iowa Poll: Iowans skeptical of a sixth term for Branstad Simply Ridiculous As our staff gathered up research and discussed today's commentary idea, the fact that the U.S. federal government is less than twenty-four hours from a completely unnecessary shutdown was on everyone's mind. As much as the right-wing media has spent the weekend trying to complicate the reasons for this fight, writer Kevin Drum on Friday nailed - in one sentence - the simple reason why Congressional Republicans are about to shut down the government: "The Republican Party is bending its entire will, staking its very soul, fighting to its last breath, in service of a crusade to make sure that the working poor don't have access to affordable health care." Drum was right, of course, as was The Washington Post's Greg Sargent when he said something similar on Friday. Sargent in fact, recently proved there is no real Republican alternative to Obamacare, even more than three years after the law's passage. That fact, however, hasn't kept Republican clowns - like Nebraska's entire congressional delegation - from trying to convince the gullible rubes who elected them that Republicans have any alternatives, or that a government shutdown could, in any way, stop Obamacare. For the record, Obamacare has already been rolling for three years now, and a shutdown of the federal government isn't going to stop the health insurance exchange markets from opening on Tuesday around most of the country. Further, a delay in the rollout of the individual mandate like Republicans in Congress are demanding would actually cost Americans billions. As Tara Culp-Ressler points out... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for September 30, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Obamacare Is Here Kevin Drum: A Quick One-Sentence Reminder of What This Is All About Tara Culp-Ressler: What The GOP 'Compromise' Of Delaying Obamacare For A Year Would Do To The Economy Greg Sargent: The conservative alternative to Obamacare isn't an alternative to Obamacare Health Insurance Exchanges Scramble to Be Ready as Opening Day Nears Obamacare Programming Hits Late Snags as Rollout Approaches, But Fixes Are Coming Fast | Jordan Rau: No, we won't be able to deem Obamacare a success or failure on the first day Report: For 95% Of Americans, Obamacare Will Cost Much Less Than Expected Poll: Most Uninsured Americans Will Choose To Get Health Insurance Under Obamacare 20 Questions You Likely Have About Obamacare But Are Too Afraid To Ask Jamelle Bouie: Obamacare Fear-Mongering Hall of Shame - Death Panels & More Jobs & The Economy A Factory Jobs Comeback - In The U.S.? The U.S. Textile Industry Appears To Be Making A Comeback. Wall Street Watch Wall Street Uneasy in Face of Government Shutdown Income Inequality Poll: More Americans express uncertainty in chance to achieve the American Dream | While the homes of the poor burn, insurance crews help protect well-heeled from wildfires Communications Breakdown Reuters cuts raise questions about company's consumer strategy | Wolff: The real weakness in media's lifeline? Worthless salespeople. Did You Miss It On Friday? Here It Is Again! Your HuskerNutz Preview for September 30, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update President Obama Scorns G.O.P. 'Blackmail' Attempt On Obamacare | Obama Admin. Plans to Unveil Even More New Insurance Options Today The GOP Civil War Republicans' Shutdown Fight Exposes Simmering Civil War Everything You Need To Know About How The Tea Party Could Depose John Boehner (And Why They Won't) | Ezra Klein: The Tea Party doesn't listen. It talks. Greg Sargent: For GOP, a refresher on the meaning of the word `compromise' On The Left Jonathan Martin: The Populist Left Is Now Making Warren Its Dream Ticket E.J. Dionne: Germany's elections reveal who is more American - and right now, it's them On The Right Republican Sen. Susan Collins rebukes House Republicans for shutdown GOP Rep. Bachus Will Not Seek Another Term States Of Confusion CA enters Industrial Hemp business with Gov.Brown's signature of SB 566 | Texas' First Lady Calls Abortion 'A Woman's Right' We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! Paul Fell Shawn "Smith" Peirce Paul Fell Cartoons, Inc.