Do you think the U.S. government shutdown is undermining Washington's credibility abroad?

Credibility? Coming from the US... Never!

Yes, thanks to the tea party anarchists who hate government but get elected by stupid people to try to run it.

This shutdown by the republicans has to do with two things. First that the President is black, they can never get over that. Second, the lies that have been told over and over again about Obamacare have convinced the weak minded that giving healthcare cheaply to millions who cannot get any now is somehow wrong.

The amazing fact about this all is that shutting down the government does not shut down Obamacare at all because it is self-funded. It was written in a way to have zero impact on the government debt. So the clueless republicans are wasting millions and millions of dollars by shutting down the government to get something done about Obamacare that is not affected by the shutdown at all. It is so stupid it is amazing to see.

But polls in the USA are now showing that voters see the terrible actions of the tea party republicans for what they are, pure hostage taking and totally destructive. Polls are dropping for republicans nationwide. If there was an election today the House would swing back to the democrats, despite the gerrymandering that the republicans have done in most states they run. And the longer the shutdown drags on the worst it will be for republicans next year. Hillary must be writing her acceptance speech already for 2016.

Thanks Senator Cruz for doing what so badly needed to be done for the sake of the USA and the world, thanks for destroying the republican party, permanently. Even Nixon was not able to do that.

They look ridiculous. If you can't take something like this seriously enough to work out a constructive solution, then how can they do anything else? What would it take? Aliens invading? World War? Why must be go to those kind of extremes before people aren't so partisan.

Ineptocracy: A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers. That's what I fear my country is being relegated to. It's insane, and I would laugh in all of their faces if it wasn't destroying any chance I had at good opportunities for employment/success back home. I've said it before: a pox on both their houses.

Any country that allows itself to be held to ransom by it's own politicians is clearly dysfunctional... How can anyone take America seriously when a bunch of politicos can throw a strop over a bill they don't like and close the system down.

If the US was a listed company, it's stock would be junk rated.

If the US can't hold it together in their own country, how can they flood the world with their troops and put themselves forward as a model of freedom and democracy?

The country badly needs some cleaning up.

"I'm obsessed with the mess that's America."

Marina and the Diamonds

How can Americans now go around the world preaching democracy without embarrassment?

That's the thing, selfish politicians are only thinking for themselves, never for the nation. The vote is in our own hand, you give your vote to wrong idiot, this is what you deserved.

"Selfish and idiotic politicians will make sure they put themselves first before the Nation".

Blame yourself first before you blame the politicians whom you voted.

The moral of the story is "You vote monkeys in parliament, you get monkey decisions."

You can't kill that which is already dead

The quote above was Obama, criticizing Bush, by the way.

I see a lot of people blaming the republicans here. When are you going to realise there is no left and right any more. The healthcare giants that lobbied for obamacare have seen their stocks double and triple in the past year. Can't you see that the world runs on money? These politicians are all paid for, saying you like 1 side over the other just means you approve of the corporations that pay for what said side say and do.

Both parties are currently cutting off their noses in spite of their faces.. and yes it makes the country as a whole look bad. Pointing fingers doesn't fix anything.

If the US was a listed company, it's stock would be junk rated.

Funny thing, the US is publicly traded, and it tends to rate rather well.

Not yet, but if those idiotic repubs keep it up then yes!

Oops, grammatical error.

The Republicans won't Ok raising of the debt ceiling because the democrats won't promise to cut back on spending. Who's unreasonable?

Here's a quote, tell me who said it and when.....

"“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. . . . Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

@Farmboy, The USA is a world leader of bully. Look at APEC summit, without Obama, the economic activities are more equal, right?

Please change your mind as soon as possible.

If the US can't hold it together in their own country, how can they flood the world with their troops and put themselves forward as a model of freedom and democracy?

For some reason, you would try to find a way to interject and deviate from the topic. The political process in America is NOT the same political process as in Japan, South Korea, France or Germany, that part has nothing to do with setting an example.

The country badly needs some cleaning up.

Hopefully, once we can get through the next 3 years.

You liberals are all so, so hilarious. why would the Republicans ever go with ANYTHING that they don't believe in, they are, after all, the opposition party. They didn't like it from the beginning and why would anyone think that they would warm up to it???? Personally, I think both sides are at fault, NOT ONLY the Republicans. Harry Reid wouldn't even think of considering to sit down with John Boehner to try and negotiate a middle ground, but why fund it, the liberals have already proven these last 5 years that they can't do math...at all! And they think this is good medicine for all of us? (pun intended) The plan will cost thousands of people jobs, since most companies refuse to pay for these insanely high premiums. The CBO has projected that healthcare spending will be 24.5% of federal non-interest spending in 2013 and 39.8% in 2037. It will slow growth in the medical field. Obamacare will stifle the innovation needed to improve people’s health and prolong their lives. Obamacare’s comparative effectiveness review process will increase the cost of developing drugs and medical devices, delay the introduction of new drugs and devices, and discourage research and development projects by increasing the risk that a drug or device will be rejected because the government decides that another drug or device is better. $17 Trillion in debt and Obama wants yet again, the raising of the debt ceiling and Bernanke is printing more and more money , this guy doesn't have a clue, the Repubs sent 4 major budget cuts that were reasonable, which had Obama agreed to, would have had his wish to raise the debt ceiling, he turned it down and is standing his ground, the Repubs couldn't a negotiation from the Libs, so they too, will dig in their heels. The Senate initiated the shutdown, they wanted it to happen, so on that part for sure, the liberals just didn't care.

And pizzatime, please don't even go that route with credibility.