*** Can’t we just talk? All over the Sunday shows members of both parties were pointing fingers at the other, and – in full anticipation of a shutdown – Republicans are trying to blame President Obama for it by saying he’s not meeting with them, and he’s more willing to speak to the leader of Iran. But reasonably, what would change if the president was talking every second of the day to Boehner, Ted Cruz or whoever else at this point? Obama doesn’t want to change the health-care law; Republicans want to gut it, delay it, change it, etc. Frankly, what’s there to talk about? And how is health care germane to cutting off checks to federal workers or threatening the country with default, but we digress? What does the president do? In the White House’s mindset – nothing because they see anything related to health care as extortion. And their mindset is, “Who are we negotiating with?” They don’t think Boehner is fully calling the shots here. He’s doing whatever it takes to keep the conference united, and that’s his struggle.