We recently averted a federal government shutdown 'at the last minute'

A week ago, many Americans watched the cable news networks and other mass media the last-minute federal budget negotiations-- a "government shutdown" was increasingly at risk as the president and congress members deliberated over it.  In the final hours, the shutdown crisis was averted.

Do you think our elected officials handled the shutdown risk appropriately?  Why did we get to the point of an eminent government shutdown?  Today, party politics inside and outside government is often a point of contention among the deliberating public-- was this a factor in how the negotiations were conducted?  Were federal laws and/or house rules breached as our representatives worked on the crisis?  If anything, what different should have been done?

Your thoughtful comments are very welcome; at this blog's early stage, we moderate all comments before they may be posted.  Thanks for your understanding.

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• **** http://www.taxpayer.net/resources.php?category=&type=Project&proj_id=4449
• http://newamerica.net/publications/articles/2011/debt_reduction_the_voters_are_ready_is_washington_48335
• http://www.ombwatch.org/node/11610
• **** http://www.publicagenda.org/citizen/issueguides/federal-budget
• http://www.newsweek.com/2011/02/27/showdown.html
• http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/mar/06/washington-budget-battle-where-is-obama/
• **** http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/22/our-burgeoning-budget-and-the-politics-of-avoidance.html
• **** http://www.wilsonquarterly.com/article.cfm?AID=1709
• **** http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/02/gop-budget-battle-strategy/
• http://www.ombwatch.org/node/11577
• http://www.ombwatch.org/node/11574