Reply #16: That sums it up pretty well.

[Ragnarok]

Practical matters aside... I'd almost respect them (even the Republicans) if they in fact actually followed through with their trash-talking and didn't vote. At least it would signify that perhaps they actually believed in their convictions enough to stand by them. Not many captains willing go down with their ship these days. Honestly... raising the ceiling, cutting this program, taxing that guy, moving numbers from this column into that column, etc... I'm not convinced that even doing ALL of it will get us out of our current hole. Fundamentally, that hole is that the country is at war with itself. Right now it seems like the "two sides" hate each other more than I can ever recall. That doesn't make for a strong and healthy nation, regardless of how much money you have in the bank or how big of a credit line you secure. Until we fix that, it's all Band-Aids on bullet holes.