Shutdown begins to hurt, New Jersey election debates, and Yellen for the Fed – US blog round up for 5 – 11 October

Chris Gilson looks at the best in political blogging from the Beltway and across the States. Government shutdown and the debt ceiling Entering its second week, the government shutdown once again dominated commentary across the U.S. blogosphere, with the threat of reaching – and exceeding – the debt ceiling after the 17th of October increasingly becoming a concern as well. Over the weekend, Wonkblog argues that the shutdown is actually a fight between Republicans and the party’s Tea Party faction, saying that while most Republicans didn’t want a shutdown, the 52 members of the Republican conference who identify with the Tea Party are essentially holding the party to ransom. Outside the Beltway says that we if want to understand the motivations of the GOP’s hardliners, then we should talk to their constituents, who are encouraging their representatives to take a tough line on the government. Meanwhile, The Atlantic argues that Republicans are unsure of what they really want out of the current crisis. Crooks & Liars writes that the shutdown has done the GOP no favors, with polls suggesting that 70 percent of Americans disapprove of the way they are handling the crisis.