Finding Common Ground In The Midst Of A Shutdown

Can a Tea Party activist, a mainstream Republican congressman and former Democratic  presidential candidate Howard Dean find common ground on how to fix Washington? We’ll find out.

More fire and brimstone from Washington this weekend over shutdown and a now-looming debt ceiling crisis.  Late last week, word was that House Speaker John Boehner had said he would not let the nation go into default.  By Sunday, that guarantee seemed off.  And shutdown, unabated.  Tea Party Republicans demand the president negotiate.  The president says not with the nation held hostage.  Where’s the light here?  Up next On Point:  our own panel dives in.  A Tea Party hardbar.  A mainstream Republican. And former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.  On the crisis in Washington.
-- Tom Ashbrook 

John Bresnahan, senior congressional reporter for Politico. (@BresPolitico)

Katrina Pierson, candidate for Republican nomination in Texas' 32nd Congressional District, Dallas Tea Party activist, head of Pierson Consulting Group. (@KatrinaPierson)

Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, candidate for Democratic nomination for President in 2004. (@GovHowardDean)

Vin Weber, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, adviser for Mitt Romney's 2012 Presidential campaign, co-chairman and partner at Mercury/Clark & Weinstock.

New York Times: G.O.P. Elders See Liabilities in Shutdown — "From statehouses to Capitol Hill, frustration is building and spilling out during closed-door meetings as Republicans press leaders of the effort to block funding for the health care law to explain where their strategy is ultimately leading. 'Fighting with the president is one thing,' said Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri. 'Fighting with the president and losing is another thing. When you’re in the minority you need to look really hard to find the fights you can win.'"

Wall Street Journal: GOP Begins Search For Broad Deal On Budget -- "In recent days, Mr. Boehner has been talking with Republican House members about raising the debt ceiling, insisting to them it must be done. By taking that stance, he has raised questions about how much leverage he could take into negotiations—should any materialize—with Democrats over the debt ceiling. In a session with centrist Republicans, Mr. Boehner suggested that debt-ceiling legislation would likely have to have some support from Democrats, acknowledging that any such measure would be opposed by at least some conservative Republicans."

Politico: Anger At Government Soars — "As the government shutdown continues in Washington, Americans are angrier with how things are going than they have been in years, according to a new poll. Overall, 87 percent expressed unhappiness with the direction of Washington, with 44 percent saying they were 'dissatisfied' and 43 percent saying they were “angry” in a new CBS News poll out Thursday night. Only 8 percent said they were 'satisfied' and 2 percent said they were 'enthusiastic.'"