GOP pledges can no longer be counted on

 MSNBC: When Republicans in Congress voted to cut funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, they also undercut a long-standing tradition that helps avoid government shutdowns, writes Hayes Brown. By retroactively approving cuts made unilaterally by the White House, GOP lawmakers made clear that they cannot be trusted to make any future guarantees on spending to Democrats. That will make it harder to get bipartisan approval for budget deals in the future, all but ensuring a government shutdown this fall. Read more.