In an email exchange with my buddy, the fabulous political cartoonist Kirk Anderson, he said something about the state government shutdown’s outcome that I thought was worth noting. I’ve asked his permission to reprint it here.

A painful state shutdown is one thing, a painful state shutdown that accomplishes nothing is quite another. In two years, not only will we be right where we are now, but the Republicans will have zero reason to compromise at all with [Gov. Mark] Dayton! Dayton’s loud message to them is, “Push me long enough, and eventually I’ll crumble in your hands.”