GOP Shutdown Watch 9/21: "Warnings Dismissed by Unyielding Conservatives" Edition

Republicans have just five legislative days left to work with Democrats to avoid another government shutdown, but a budget expert says the odds are slim.  Here’s your daily recap of GOP dysfunction as we inch closer to October 1:

Headlines of the Day:

Politico: The Odds of a Shutdown Spike

New York Times: GOP Leaders Face Tough Test in Congress to Keep Gov't Open

The Hill: Week ahead: GOP leaders try to avoid shutdown over Planned Parenthood

Politico: Conservatives balk at GOP pitch to avert shutdown

Quote of the Day:

Republican Representative Charlie Dent: “Shutting down the government is not in our political interest, it will undermine the Republican brand and it will hurt whoever the Republican nominee is in November.” [New York Times, 9/21/15]

Fact of the Day:

Republicans are threatening another government shutdown in order to advance their attack on women’s health care. However, “CBO warned that 15 percent of [Planned Parenthood] patients would lose access to care [if Republicans defund the organization]. The people most likely to be affected are those living in areas without other healthcare clinics that cater to low-income populations.”

Number to Know:

$2 billion: The payroll cost or lost productivity of furloughed workers during the GOP Shutdown in 2013.