As long as Republicans control state legislatures and can gerrymander 90% Republican districts, we are going to be dealing with this kind of craziness. The only way I see it changing is for the crazy conservatives in these places to somehow see the error in their ways and to stop buying into the horrible, destructive snake oil the Republicans are selling. It's not the "average American". It's the hardcore conservatives in these districts. I just don't see what's going make that happen. The horrible George Bush administration couldn't do it. Economic collapse couldn't do it. Will a government shutdown do it? I just don't know.

By Michael O'Brien and Kasie Hunt, NBC News
A deal appears near to avert the "nuclear option" in the U.S. Senate and preserve the use of the filibuster in that chamber, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., suggested Tuesday morning.
Reid appeared on the Senate floor to announce that tensions had eased in the standoff between Democrats and Republicans over a series of President Barack Obama's nominees whose confirmation had been stalled for weeks in the Senate.
"We may have a way forward on this," Reid said in brief remarks. "I feel fairly confident, but as you know, that's why we need the time."
He added, without describing the nature of the agreement: "It is a compromise, and I think we get what we want, and they get what they want."

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/16/19502641-senate-deal-appears-near-to-avoid-nuclear-showdown


Wow. Didn't see that coming.

Private equity buys the "bankrupt" company for millions, restarts the brand after destroying the good paying union jobs of its employees and leaving the taxpayers holding the bag on their pensions. Get ready for lots of feel good stories after the "comeback" of the Twinkie with its part-time, minimum wage, no-benefits workforce! Eat up, America.