What A Week . . .

A catastrophe almost happened, but the federal government was able to avoid default and reopen the government in one fell swoop when it became apparent that President Obama would not be swayed in weakening the Affordable Care Act (ACA) . . . or agreeing to backup demands the Republicans had in case he wouldn't agree to weaken the ACA . . . or agreeing to any of the second round of backup demands the Republicans had in case he wouldn't agree to the first round . . . and so on, and so on.  Obama would not negotiate on reopening the government or paying the government's bills when Congress is supposed to do that in the first place.

So where does that leave us? With another continuing resolution to keep funding the government through the middle of January and to extend the debt ceiling through early February, with an outline of a budget plan due by the middle of December.  A final budget plan is not likely to be agreed to, but Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has already made it clear that he won't let House Speaker John Boehner trigger another government shutdown (the House alone has the power to spend money), suggesting an endless future of continuing resolutions, and although Tea Partiers like Rafael "Ted" Cruz insist they're not going anywhere, they're not getting anywhere either.  Mainstream Republican conservatives and the business lobbies that back them are hoping to blunt the Tea Party's efforts to elect more representatives and senators to Congress by supporting establishment Republicans in primary elections.

If there's a winner in all this, it would be the Democrats, but they only won by - no pun intended - default. 

It may not be too late for the GOP to save their House majority - though a Democratic takeover of the House for 2014 suddenly became very, very possible - but it's already too late for reactionary Republican Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for governor of Virginia and finding out that allying oneself with the Tea Party in the wake of a government shutdown affecting a state full of federal employees like Virginia is not a smart strategy.  Democrat Terry McAuliffe will likely be elected governor of Virginia for the same reason Ed Markey was elected to the Senate from Massachusetts - not too many people like him, but the alternative is simply unacceptable.

So is the Healthcare.gov Web site disaster.  After two weeks and change, most people still can't access it, and those that can put in data and get back erroneous information.  

Meanwhile, Democrat Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, is to become the new U.S. Senator from New Jersey, but he's actually suffered a big loss by not winning by enough percentage points; he beat his Republican opponent Steve Lonegan by "only" eleven points. Eleven points would be respectable for any candidate, but not if your name is Cory Booker and your opponent is a Neanderthal.  Booker at least has a year to cultivate a record and a reputation in Washington he can run on when he seeks a full term next year.  Pundits are already saying he shouldn't try to grab the limelight so soon.  Republicans wish that Ted Cruz had taken that same advice.

Is the week over yet?