Why This Isn't the 1995 Shutdown

Here's my list of reasons, with the biggest one last:

• Barack Obama is not Bill Clinton.
• Ted Cruz is not New Gingrich.
• The economy in 2013 (stagnant) is not the economy in 1995 (booming).
• The national debt in 2013 ($16 million and growing/98% of GDP) is not the national debt in 1995 ($5 billion/65% of GDP).
• The image of America in 2013 (weak) is not the image of America in 1995 (a Colossus astride the post-Cold War world).
• The readership of the New York Times in 2013 (shrinking) is not the readership of the NYT in 1995.
• The readership of the Washington Post in 2013 (shrinking) is not the readership of the WaPo in 1995.
• Newsweek no longer exists; Time is moribund.
• ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS have dwindling viewership.
• FoxNews has growing viewership.
• Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity.

And the biggest reason why this isn't 1995:

Prezidizzle Obizzle can't get away with his my-way-or-the-highway crap in 2013.