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Democrats reject Susan Collins proposal — Democratic leaders in the Senate are rejecting an offer by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to end the budget impasse, arguing it asks for too much in return for too little, senators and aides tell POLITICO. — The development comes on the same …
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Reuters, Washington Monthly, Michelle Malkin, NBCNews, Daily Kos, The PJ Tatler, Hot Air, National Review, Weasel Zippers, msnbc.com and Business Insider
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House takes back seat after W.H. rejects budget plan — Speaker John Boehner told House Republicans Saturday morning that his efforts to strike a deal with President Barack Obama are at a standstill. — There is no agreement, Boehner said in a room in the Capitol Saturday …
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neo-neocon, PoliticusUSA, protein wisdom, Outside the Beltway, Weasel Zippers and Taegan Goddard's …

Paul Ryan Flashes Anger at Senate Republicans — House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan lashed out at Senate Republicans for interfering with the House GOP's talks with the White House to reopen the government and lift the debt ceiling, suggesting his colleagues on the other side of the Capitol were betraying Speaker John Boehner.
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Talking Points Memo, Weasel Zippers and Taegan Goddard's …

House GOP Talks With Obama Break Down as Both Look to Senate — Updated 11:09 a.m. | House Republican talks with President Barack Obama have broken down, with GOP leaders telling their conference Saturday that the White House rejected their offer for a short-term debt limit increase tied to negotiations over reopening the government.
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Washington Monthly, The World's Greatest …, PoliticusUSA and Booman Tribune

New Senate GOP plan would raise debt-limit until January 2014 — A trio of centrist Senate Republicans is pushing a plan to reopen the government for six months, extend the debt ceiling until Jan. 31, 2014 and make reforms to ObamaCare. — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) …

Boehner reports no progress as focus shifts to Senate plan (Video) — Hopes for a deal to end the government shutdown and avert a U.S. default turned to the Senate on Saturday as House Republicans said their talks with the White House were effectively over.
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The Huffington Post, Liberaland and Daily Kos

Ted Cruz confronts President Obama at White House
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CNN, Washington Monthly, Gawker, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, Connecting.the.Dots, Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit and PoliticusUSA


Cruzification of the GOP — When a poll came out this week showing that the government shutdown was putting Republican Mike Coffman in danger of losing his Colorado congressional seat, the lawmaker responded with the serenity of martyrs through the ages. — “Whatever the consequences …
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No More Mister Nice Blog and Salon
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Ted Cruz Is Living On Another Planet — This morning, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) spoke to the Values Voters Summit, and his speech was really weird. It's like he's living on another planet. — On Planet Cruz, there is a massive outpouring of public support for a government shutdown …
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DownWithTyranny!, National Review and A plain blog about politics


Rep. Pete King: Obama Should Donate To Ted Cruz
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Pirate's Cove

ESTABLISHMENT GOPERS ASSAIL TEA PARTY ON SHUTDOWN
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The Lonely Conservative, Hot Air, ThinkProgress and The Gateway Pundit

Obama rules out short-term debt hike — President Obama signaled Saturday that he wouldn't accept the Republicans' offer for a short-term increase in the nation's debt limit. — “It wouldn't be wise, as some suggest, to just kick the debt ceiling can down the road for a couple months …
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The PJ Tatler, The Impolitic and Jammie Wearing Fools


MSNBC President Wants ‘Investigation’ Into Fox News' ‘Impossible’ Ratings Gain — Megyn Kelly blew out Rachel Maddow in the key demo on Tuesday after losing to her the night before. “I have never seen it in all my years of cable,” says Phil Griffin. — Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC …


Amid shutdown thaw, McConnell says it's time for ‘come together’ moment — WASHINGTON — As the stand-off over the federal government shutdown appears to be thawing, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that it is time for a “come together” moment.
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The Moderate Voice, The World's Greatest …, Taegan Goddard's …, Talking Points Memo and The Agonist
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Breaking: Judge Posner Admits He Was Wrong in Crawford Voter ID Case — Wow. — My transcription from HuffPostLive: — In response to Mike Sacks's questions about whether Judge Posner and the 7th circuit got it wrong in Crawford case, the one upholding Indiana's tough voter id law against constitutional challenge:
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Politico, Balkinization and The BRAD BLOG

2 States Plan 2-Tier System for Balloting — PHOENIX — Barred by the Supreme Court from requiring proof of citizenship for federal elections, Arizona is complying — but setting up a separate registration system for local and state elections that will demand such proof.
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Balloon Juice

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Approves Government's Application to Renew Telephony Metadata Program — As indicated by a declassified court order and amended memorandum opinion published by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Sept. 17, 2013, the court authorization requiring …
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The Daily Caller and Prairie Weather
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Court: NSA can continue sweeping phone data collection (Video)
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Politico


Bullock: Montana won't pay to open national parks — Gov. Steve Bullock on Thursday said he has no interest in allowing national parks in Montana to be reopened if the state has to pick up the costs until the federal shutdown ends. — “Of course not,” said Bullock, a Democrat.
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