Washington -- and Maryland and Virginia -- care a lot about the government shutdown. But out here in California, where the air is clear, perspectives are sharp, and there is no stifling red-and-blue paradigm, not so much. This is why the shutdown is dangerous politics. The longer it goes on, the more likely Americans are to conclude that they don't really need government as much as government says we do. That's why shutdowns don't last. Expect a resolution with 2 weeks, because it's in the interest of the professional politicians to keep the show going.