You know, this fiscal crisis is among the most boring high-stakes roller coaster rides I can remember. I’m getting really tired of wondering about John Boehner’s feelings.
In any event, here are some midday news/views snacks of varying nutritional value:
* Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL), who is taking up some of the slack left when Allen West was defeated for re-election last year, suggests furloughed workers should be denied back pay after the House voted unanimously to give it to them. Go figure.
* House Republican Policy Committee chairman James Lankford confirms “defunding Obamacare” off the table in fiscal talks, in case you or Ted Cruz has been wondering.
* Greg Sargent reports that momentum is beginning to shift from the House GOP’s “offer” of short-term debt limit and CR measures to bipartisan Senate negotiations over a longer-term deal.
* At TAP, Gershom Gorenberg meditates on the persistence of nationalist sentiment in Catalonia–and in Israel and Palestine.
* The Atlantic‘s Jordan Weissmann reports that both of Seattle’s mayoral candidates favor a $15 minimum wage.
And in non-political news:
* Tesla topped Norway’s vehicle sales last month. Quirk or trend?
As we take a brief lunch break, here’s Cream performing its cover of “Crossroad Blues” in 1968.
