Figured this would be a difficult blogging day, given the lack of actual news. But at this point there’s enough confusion over the fiscal positioning of, well, everybody, that it turned out to be productive.
Here are some final items of the day:
* Senate moves towards “clean debt limit increase” vote, testing Senate GOP willingness to filibuster and House ability to block vote.
* Ezra Klein lays out “13 reasons Washington is failing.” At least 10 are all about the GOP.
* At The Monkey Cage, Henry Farrell reports finding that “inflammatory liberal blog comments do more to enrage and polarize conservatives than inflammatory conservative comments do to enrage and polarize liberals.”
* At The Atlantic, Molly Ball reports that gap between Rs and Ds on value placed on “standing on principles” and “getting things done” is widening. Ds hugely more open to compromise.
* Obama’s climate change advisor from the beginning, Heather Zichal, steps down after five tough years. I’m prejudiced because she’s a friend, but I think she’s earned a rest.
* At Ten Miles Square, Rob Atkinson notes government shutdown, sequestration, and budget “crises” generally are hamstringing innovation-related public investments in a big, big way.
And in non-political news:
* Markets continue to slide as debt limit jitters grow.
Have to close with the ultimate Fairport Convention autumn song and Sandy Denny’s masterpiece: “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” Makes me tear up every single time, particularly if I think of Denny’s death at the age of 31.
Selah.
