Government Default

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJWe1v5KO8o Sen. Sanders
http://www.epi.org/blog/welfare-isnt-generous-wages/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jd-iaYLO1A&feature=share Rigged Rules
http://www.businessinsider.com/this-chart-destroys-the-fox-news-view-of-the-debt-ceiling-2013-10
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/12/business-and-the-gop/?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/opinion/krugman-the-wonk-gap.html?ref=paulkrugman&_r=0

Along with the two YouTube videos, the articles above detail the possible detriments associated with defaulting on our debt.

The second YouTube link titled 'Rigged Rules' shows the House GOP's attempt to stop any vote from taking place within the House regarding the government shutdown. In affect, any bill regarding the government shutdown can be brought to the floor only by the majority leader Eric Cantor. This gives the House leadership supreme power regarding the government shutdown. Basically, when it comes to the government shutdown, the House is an oligarchy of a few representatives.

A common misconception regarding how the U.S. pays it's debts is it can pick and choose what to pay and what not to pay. This is false. As detailed in the 'businessinsider' article, the U.S. doesn't possess the ability to easily differentiate between say interest payments and welfare payments, if it can at all. And, even if it did, under some circumstances we still wouldn't be able to afford the interest payments with solely tax revenue. All-in-all, the U.S. is going to default if a solution is not agreed upon.

Sen. Sanders (probably my favorite Senator) makes a couple good points when he is being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer. Towards the end of the interview, Sen. Sanders says something along the lines of  "it is unjust to get out of debt on the backs of the poor". I agree fully. As detailed by the article from 'epi', one of the most egregious misconceptions people have is they think we can just stop paying for government programs that benefit the poor, like food stamps. Aside from whether or not you think welfare in this state is to extensive, all should easily see that to stop paying all of those who are in financial distress would cause mass-malcontent. Indeed it is already causing distress, and that is with a great deal of government programs kept intact. Another point is people choose to get on welfare, and when they choose to get on welfare they live a far better life than when they worked. This is false. By enlarge, people will attempt to financially better themselves by working. They will try to get off welfare if possible. And besides, even if there was a desire to stay on welfare, the welfare life is by no means luxurious.

Not only is the government shutdown incredibly detrimental to the poor, it is also equally detrimental to corporations and businesses. As detailed in the Krugman blog, the GOP has increasingly become the party of bad economic policies for all, rather than just for most.