Democrats are planning — unrealistically, I think — to get a lot done in the lame-duck session of Congress after the election. But Republicans are already laying down a marker that the omnibus spending bill, which didn’t get finished before everyone dashed back home to try to save their seats, will be a no-go come December. Which puts us one step closer to a government shutdown.

David Kurtz

David Kurtz is Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief of Talking Points Memo where he oversees the news operations of TPM and its sister sites.