This is the longest shutdown in the history of the federal government. Both sides have dug in, because both sides see political gain from continuing it. And they both fear reprisals from their respective bases if they “give in” and end it.

While the road seems impassable, there’s an obvious path out of this shutdown. It involves both sides accepting deals they’ve previously said they would reject, and it also involves something far more despised by our lawmakers: a real floor debate.

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