It's pretty clear, living in Washington, DC, that the Obama administration has decided that a shutdown would help Democratic chances in 2012, because an angry electorate would blame Republicans for the inconvenience. To that end, in Our Nation's Capital, the city has announced that no trash would be collected during a shutdown, since it would not be considered an essential service. No doubt the White House thinks piles of garbage would make a charming visual on the TV news...
IMHO, this type of punish the public p.r. campaign is outrageous and irresponsible. It hurts innocent members of the public to score partisan political points. It is a cheap trick that must be turned against those who would attempt to use it.
So, someone I know has suggested that the Republicans on the House Oversight Committee responsible for the District headed by Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) tell Mayor Gray to pick up DC trash--or else, no appropriation for the District of Columbia in 2011. I'd suggest raising the matter as well of a bill to end DC home rule, on the basis of hearings that lay out the city's history of corruption and failure to provide essential services to its citizens.
Pictures of large piles of uncollected garbage should help make a convincing case on C-Span...
