"Shutdown"? Yawn.

So when Obozo "shuts down" the Gummint, what elements of the Gummint WILL continue to operate?

....an OMB memorandum from 1981 lays out examples of the many government functions of federal agencies that may continue during a funding lapse:

• National security, including the conduct of foreign relations essential to the national security or the safety of life and property;
• Benefit payments and the performance of contact obligations under no-year or multi-year appropriations or other funds remaining available for those purposes;
• Medical care of inpatients and emergency outpatient care and activities essential for the safe use of food, drugs, and hazardous materials;
• Air traffic control and other transportation safety functions;
• Border and coastal protection and surveillance;
• Protection of federal lands, buildings, waterways, and other property of the U.S.;
• Care of prisoners and others in federal custody;
• Law enforcement and criminal investigations;
• Emergency and disaster assistance;
• Activities essential to the preservation of the money and banking system of the U.S., including borrowing and tax collection;
• Production of power and maintenance of the power distribution system; and
• Protection of research property.  (Heritage Foundation via HE)

NSA will continue to record all your emails and phone calls; IRS will continue to take your money.  Granny will get her SocSec check and Medicare treatments.

Yawn.