"Why were the rules rigged to keep the government shut down? Democracy has been suspended!"

There was a time that any representative would have had the right to bring the CR up for a vote. Ah, but on September 30, 2013, the House Rules Committee Republicans changed the rules so that the ONLY Member allowed to call up the Senate's clean CR for a vote was Majority Leader Eric Cantor. Not even Speaker of the House John Boehner could do it!

Result: The government shut down a few hours later and STAYED shut down.

Congressman Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, Maryland) decided to get a clarification on the rules of the shutdown. Watch the whole thing, or pick this up at 4:50. Either way, Van Hollen rocks it.