Here's my take on the US situation:

Something has to give in the US:

It's political in-fighting every night. Come on, as a society, this type of stuff has to be settled once and for all.

If a government shutdown occurs, then the US defaults, let's see what happens:

"If" the prediction of doom and gloom are over-dramatized by political pundits and news reporters, then we know that not all government operations are necessary, nor is our business relations dependent on a Federal government. Liberal notions of supporting the downtrodden with programs and laws will slowly diminish in strength and importance, (Labor unions are a dying practice in the US nowadays for instance). If banks can figure out independent ways of moving cash back and forth, the elderly do not require as much support as we are led to believe, and people do not go hungry from lack of food stamps. It validates the Libertarian point and the potential for stripping down services to the minimal.

However, "if" the prediction of doom and gloom are accurate, then let's face it, modern Conservative ideology is dead. Perhaps a few generations ago, it was still possible to move back and have less government in our daily lives. We did not need a Central bank pumping billions of dollars in bond repurchase agreement like a Dialysis machine cleaning blood in our economic system or a federal government collecting Medicare/Social Security withholding to pay the elderly bill. We would not have kids dying of hunger on the streets from lack of food or medical support. Those false hopes are going to haunt every conservative conscience for decades to come and give society at least some measure of purpose.

Another Continuing resolution is not what the people of the US wants, which just builds up the tension from both sides. The Average American needs a final answer to this question for ourselves, beyond what pundits and experts tell us. Can we live without a government shield of protection as individuals? or, Are we far too interconnected as a society that no one can be truly alone anymore?

Without seeing its effects, without knowing how wrong we are in either case, no one will ever settle for the "supposed" truth from either side.

I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican, Tea Party or Occupy, or whatever, beneath everything, everyone wants to know the truth on how far this country has gone and where we need to go in the future.

Just my two cents