BUDGET STALEMATE threatens bona fide shutdown for District of Columbia. Just put a fence around the Beltway so they can't get out....

Local (D.C. metro) talk radio asked callers to call in to tell how the government 'shutdown' affected them. During the time I was listening, not one caller had a negative comment to make. A common theme from the non-furloughed, non- government employees: "we're sympathetic to your plight, but now you know what it's been like for us these last 5 years."

NEWT GINGRICH: Obama is making lemons out of lemonade. Non-productive is one way to describe it; stupid is a better way; asinine is better yet.

DR. BEN CARSON: Outgrowing Alinsky-style name-calling. For Democrats, that's much easier said than done. It requires maturity, something in short supply on the Left.

THE OBAMACARE EXCHANGES ARE OPEN:

Originally seen in the Washington Times, the cartoon is online here.

MARK LEVIN TO OBAMA: You lay one hand on WW2 vets and I’ll bring half a million people to that memorial! Half a million is an underestimate.

AN EXAMPLE of the 'never let a crisis go to waste' mentality: Grayson jeered for fundraising as government shut down.

In Grayson's case, the rule is 'never miss an opportunity for personal gain'.

INSTAPUNDIT: Global warming predictions are hard. Hype is easy.