The repeated spectacles of impending government shutdowns are symbolic reenactments of the death of the nation-state. The issues over which the shutdowns almost happen are indicators of what we collectively think will destroy the nation-state.
Shutdowns
Clarissa's Blog 
I was pleasantly surprised that Schumer was willing to include funding for the wall in the spending bill. That deal didn’t work out, but it’s good to see Democrats are willing to cede that.
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Me too. It’s so time to get over that.
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Off-topic, but are you planning on taking Klara to see the big Women’s March in Chicago?
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I didn’t know about it but the likelihood of me showing up at one of those pink hat gatherings is slimmer than zero. Especially with a small child.
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I can’t stop my eyes from rolling. How does a party have control of all three branches of government and still ends up with a shutdown with a furlough? Come on.
Here: List of United States federal funding gaps
Expect massive edits to this page.
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Impotent, useless, ineffective fools, that’s how. Although I know your question was rhetorical because we all realize how useless these clowns are.
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As the link shows, funding gaps didn’t result in actual partial shutdowns with furloughs until the Carter administration in 1981.
The furloughs are a stupid, unnecessary gesture: Furloughed full-time federal employees ALWAYS end up getting full pay for the time off, although sometimes the payments have been delayed — so basically they’re getting a paid vacation while the government just looks ridiculous.
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It all looks completely ridiculous. Newschannels feature huge red countdown clocks as if this weren’t a story that repeats every year leaving everybody utterly indifferent.
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From outside the US they almost seem like dress rehearsals. Everybody’s excited and then not much happens which gives people confidence in junking the whole enterprise of the nation state.
The post nation-state is a little like early stage capitalism in eastern europe (at least Poland), everybody knew that 90% of new businesses would fail but everyone was convinced that they would be in that magic 10%….
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