Shutdown seen from the pulpit: inching along on a wing and a prayer

Every time there’s a government shutdown, I turn to an unconventional barometer to understand the depth of the impasse.I always observe the first few moments of the Senate session.Logical, right?GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN KNOWLEDGE: GAMING OUT ITS POTENTIAL ENDAny congressional reporter worth their salt would surely want to hear the musings of the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders on the floor to digest where things stand with the shutdown.But I tune in to hear someone who has their palm on the pulse of the Senate. They might not rank as high as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., or Senate