Everyone knows it is infeasible for the government to actually shutdown due to lack of compromise on the budget. The last-minute spectacle played by both parties in approving a temporary budgetillustrates how unwilling each side is to compromise until there are literally no other options.

A government shutdown is nearly upon us. Two key questions still remain: What will this mean for us, the citizens, and whom should we blame?

Over at The Atlantic, Daniel Indiviglio has a post on why so many people who work in finance end up in Washington, working—directly or indirectly—on economic policy.  He thinks there are basically two main principles at work: that “many people on Wall Street are actually very smart, talented individuals” and that these people have the [...]

Editor’s note: Julia Rusina is manager of the Michigan Ethics Bowl and a senior majoring in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Science. AskMen.com recently published their Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2010 list. The highest ranking man may surprise you. Maybe it is my liberal college town upbringing, maybe it’s because he was the first [...]