Something to consider: We’ve had two double-digit GOP-led shutdowns in the past 25 years. Both times, the GOP continued the shutdowns long after it had become obvious that they were not going to “win” and were taking it in the pants at the polls. Both times, the shutdowns were led by overly ambitious assholes who had overplayed their hands because they viewed it as politically advantageous to do so.

Occam’s razor would suggest that it’s easier to assume the GOP are engaged in this shitstorm because they think they can somehow “win” a huge political victory in the end rather than because Vlad Putin called Mitch McConnell and ordered him to keep the gov’t partially shutdown.