Tuesday, October 15, 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. Debt Ceiling Deadline Senate leaders close in on a budget deal that would end shutdown, raise debt limit Potential Senate Deal Would Fund U.S. to Jan. 15, Raise Ceiling Through Feb. 15 What Barack Obama, Republicans each get with a deal Ezra Klein: The Senate's deal to end the shutdown is a deal to fight over sequestration House Outlines Last Minute Alternative to Senate Leaders' Fiscal Deal Jonathan Bernstein: Will House Republicans allow a retreat? Robert Costa: House Extremist Conservatives Respond - With Another Revolt Sargent: In latest deal, Democrats are daring GOP to provoke another hostage crisis during 2014 elections Filibuster Could Push Senate Debt Limit Votes to After Thursday Deadline Extremist Sen. Cruz Won't Comment On Whether He'll Hold Up Senate Deal Cruz, House Republicans Meet in Secret at Capitol Hill Restaurant David Frum: Debt Ceiling Deal May Be Struck, but the Crisis Is Not Over Yet Felix Salmon: Technically, the default has already begun Ezra Klein: The rest of the world can't understand why we're doing this to ourselves The Party's Over Ryan Cooper: Why last weekend's crazy tea party rally matters. A lot. Million Vet March Organizers: We Were 'Hijacked for Political Gain' By Ted Cruz & The Tea Party Poll: Disapproval of GOP Peaks in Blame for the Budget Crisis Timothy Lee: How the Tea Party broke the Constitution Ruy Teixeira: What Republican Suicide Would Look Like Lydia DePillis: Here's the history of how big business lost control of the GOP  Shutdown Effects What will happen if the shutdown lasts until Nov. 1 Aliyah Frumin: The five craziest GOP shutdown claims Health Care Checkup State-Run Health Exchanges Continue To Gain Traction Federal Obamacare website shows improvement, even as new problems emerge Phillip Swagel: The Hurdles to Success for the Affordable Care Act Ezra Klein: Five thoughts on the disastrous rollout of Obamacare Obamacare's Reviled Medicare Cuts Have Turned Out Better Than Expected What The Emerging Senate Deal Might Change About Obamacare  The Spying Game NSA admits its collected millions of e-mail address books globally Effort underway to declassify document that is legal foundation for NSA phone program Nations In Turmoil Syrian Fighting Rages on Despite Muslim Holiday Three Red Cross workers still being held in Syria Deadly bombing hits mosque in northern Iraq The War Over There Al Qaeda Suspect Brought To New York City for a Hearing International News Upbeat mood as Iran nuclear talks start in Geneva Iran makes proposal aimed at breakthrough in nuclear standoff U.S. Hints at Quick Easing of Sanctions if Iran Yields in Nuclear Talks Russia detains scores of migrants after riot Asian Muslims mark beginning of Eid holiday Deadly earthquake, aftershocks hit central Philippines Midwest Roundup NPPD wind energy decision draws widespread criticism across Nebraska Cattle killed in blizzard in NW Nebraska may reach 3,000 Rainy autumn helps region recover, fight off drought Iowa pumpkin grower calls it best season in a decade Do It Your Selfishness While almost everyone complains about their jobs, from time to time, there are also days like today when the work almost does itself. On the debt ceiling and government shutdown front, the entire world is waiting for more details. From the information we have at our initial publishing time, it appears the potential Senate deal would re-open the government at current funding levels until January 15th, while extending the debt ceiling through February 15. The deal would also require Congress to have a Conference Committee meeting on the budget in December - the same kind of committee meeting House Republicans have avoided having with Senate Democrats over twenty times this year. Sadly, it doesn't appear that the option for removing the debt ceiling as a weapon will happen this round, though as Greg Sargent suggested, it may get some discussion in the next round of talks. Effectively, the deal is now in the hands of Senators Reid and McConnell, who will likely pass the bill on Wednesday, forcing Speaker Boehner to pass the Senate bill in the House late Wednesday or Thursday. That will force Boehner to make the decision we noted on Monday: Choose to side with the world and be a hero? Or choose to side with the Tea Party and destroy most of the economies on Earth. Only an idiot would make the wrong choice in a situation like that. That said, House Republicans and indeed the entire GOP have seemingly been on a suicide mission this past year. Case in point, Representative Lee Terry of Omaha, a Republican who - when the shutdown began - effectively painted a target on his own back when he... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for October 15, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Textbook Tea Party Failure Flashback: Neb. Rep. Lee Terry Says He "Needs" His Salary During Government Shutdown Terry Apologizes For Refusing To Give Up His Salary During Shutdown To Pay For His 'Nice House' Terry Picks Up Democratic Challenger After Shutdown Paycheck Remarks | Democrat Pete Festersen to vie for Lee Terry's congressional seat in 2014 David Firestone: Republicans - The Party of Gimme Steve Benen: The coming electoral consequences of the Republican shutdown Jobs & The Economy Two Weeks Of Govt Shutdown Have Erased Two Years Of Consumer Confidence Gains Economist Says U.S. Shutdown Could Cut Economic Growth By .5% of GDP Wall Street Watch Uneasy Investors Continue Selling Billions in Treasurys J.P. Morgan Offers to Float Cost Of Billions in Federal Benefits if Government Can't Pay Economic Inequality Charts: U.S. Responsible for Most Recent Gains in Global Wealth, Despite Record Poverty Levels | Reversing The Trend: SeaTac, Washington votes to raise minimum wage to $15/hr Communications Breakdown So-called 'balanced' media coverage ignores nine reasons why the shutdown is a GOP idea The New York Times rights a wrong - 136 years later Media Matters 'International New York Times' kicks off with events in Paris, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Singapore and more Yahoo to make SSL encryption the default for Webmail users. Finally. Energy, Climate & Environment Moose Die-Off Alarms Scientists; Thought To Be Related To Climate Change | U.S. ethanol credits slump after leaked EPA proposal shows big cut to biofuels mandate And now, for your Weekly OK Gazette Toon preview for October 15, 2013  (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) On The Left Democrats begin hitting vulnerable Repubs over their role in shutdown Leslie Savan: The Cold War and the NYC Mayor's Race National Politics The New American Center: Why our nation isn't as divided as we think Esquire: The new American "center" is more progressive than we thought. States Of Confusion Florida counts on experimental trees to fight orange plague Colorado governor suggests gun-control groups stay away from recall battle Activists and Hactivists Take Action to Re-Open Teen Sex Assault Case in Missouri LAX dry ice bombs: 4 devices left in restricted areas, police say On The Right Josh Barro: Republicans were once the daddy party. Now they're the abusive ex-husband with a substance abuse problem party. Joan Walsh: The GOP's deadly fever - Has their fantasy bubble finally popped? David Frum: A tea party exit would be a blessing for GOP Bruce Bartlett: For Many Hard-Line Right-Wingers, Debt Default Is Still the Goal 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.