Government shutdowns never produce good outcomes for the country, and rarely for either political party, for that matter. Still, the logic that leads up to this habitual exercise in futility is always fascinating to watch.

Typically, it begins with one party believing that somehow shutting down the government will gain them a political advantage that never effectively materializes. In fact, both sides usually lose. It’s more a question of which side loses the most, because the electorate sees shutdowns as a failure to govern, especially voters in the political center who expect their representatives, Republicans or Democrats, to do their job.

With the government partially shut down as of this morning, the battle is officially engaged, this time over a continuing resolution passed by the

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