Episode #260: Let Them Eat Crap

The government shutdown is now approaching a month.  Are we any closer to a deal?  Ken Walsh of usnews.com doubts it.  He assesses the damage, both to the Republican Party and to the country. We have a segment concerning two controversial House members.  Steve King is an Iowa Republican who is best known for a history of racially-tinged comments.  But his latest musings, on white supremacy, caused such an uproar that his own party stripped him of his committee assignments.  Lindsey McPherson of CQ Roll Call is curious why Republicans haven’t taken action before, since his inflammatory language has been around for years.  The other House member is Tulsi Gabbard.  The Hawaii Democrat, an early Bernie Sanders supporter and a favorite of progressives, says she’s running for president in 2020.  But Colin Moore of the University of Hawaii notes that her past views on gay rights and current position on Syria and President Assad may complicate her task. Finally, Steve Kraske of the Kansas City Star and radio station KCUR weighs the significance of the retirement announcement of four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts.  And with the gains made by Democrats last year in the Sunflower State, he wonders if the party can end a jinx that has stymied them for 86 years and counting … the last time they won a Senate seat in Kansas. Photo via The White House Music used in this podcast: Television Man by Talking Heads Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd White Room by Cream Hawaii by The Beach Boys Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain & Tennille The Devil Came From Kansas by Procol Harum