7 liberal overreactions to the government shutdown

One casualty of the shutdown: Restraint

Pelosi and Reid
(Image credit: (Win McNamee/Getty Images))

The government shutdown has furloughed 800,000 federal employees, shuttered national parks, and caused businesses to worry that the United States will default on its debt if this drags on past mid-October.

It has also inspired its fair share of hyperbole. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) invoked Nazi Germany to criticize Republicans who didn't want to shut down the government to delay or defund ObamaCare, a law Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) called "the most dangerous piece of legislation ever passed in Congress."

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.