As a gun-loving, small government, Tea partier, I have to say, the government shut down is stupid. I am against Obamacare as much as anyone, but defunding it like this is not the proper way to do it. It is not discretionary spending. Its law and it has to be funded (at least 90% of it that is not discretionary). The way the Republicans are trying to go about it is not lawful, at least from what I can gather. Although, I don't think the Republicans are 100% to blame because Obama needs to come to the table too. The GOP is going to cut off their nose to spite their face I'm afraid.
And, as much as I hate to admit it, BOTR is right. Republics and Democracies are not mutually exclusive. We are a Republic with Democratically elected representatives. But we are not a pure Democracy. Ben Franklin (I think) said that a democracy is nothing more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. That's why pure Democracies don't work any more than a dictatorship works.
By the way, I haven't been on here in a while and hope you are all doing well. Especially Beks, BOTR, Farkel, and Sammie!
Edited to add: Bizzy too!!