Good news -- there apparently won't be a government shutdown tonight at midnight.
Having finally decided to remove a provision for increasing the national debt ceiling, Republicans have agreed to stop shooting hostages or filibustering legislation to avert a shutdown.
Under the deal, announced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, senators are expected to dispense with a handful of Republican amendments and then approve a temporary funding bill that not only averts a shutdown until Dec. 3, but also disaster aid for states ravaged by extreme weather and money to further assist Afghan refugees. [...]
Schumer said Republicans realized a shutdown would be "catastrophic" and "they should realize that a default on the national debt would be even worse."
He said the GOP have spent the week "solidifying themselves as the party of default."
Because the government funding portion of the package expires on December 3rd, we get to do this song and dance all over again in November.
It's difficult to remember at this point, but there was a time when the threat of a government shutdown was not something we had to consider every six months.
Republicans forced a government shutdown for partisan reasons during the Clinton administration, but we did not see another until Republicans took partial control of the government during the Obama administration. Shutdowns have been a regular threat ever since.