"There are enough votes in the House of Representatives to make sure that the government reopens today," President Obama told The Associated Press. The shutdown has idled some 800,000 federal workers.

Government workers are convinced that the work they do is crucial for the country, even if they've been deemed "nonessential." They're starting to wonder whether politicians in Washington agree.

What do the real grassroots Tea Party groups think about the politics of the government shutdown? Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the group, Tea Party Patriots, says the shutdown gives Americans the chance to speak out against Obamacare — and offer a compromise.

With the federal government in the midst of a shutdown, NPR's Scott Simon turns to Profiles In Courage by John F. Kennedy. As he pages through the chapters on politicians who did what they felt was right, in spite of party and constituent pressure, he wonders how similar defiance might play out these days.

The problem stems from post-2010 redistricting and a ban on earmarks, says NPR's senior Washington editor Ron Elving. He discusses the reasons Congress has no incentive to end the government shutdown with host Scott Simon.

Some lawmakers canceled fundraising events with the government shutdown this week. But for outside groups, controversy is always a good reason to ask small donors for cash.

It's been a bumpy week for the new state health care exchanges. Computer problems and the sheer number of people trying to log in overloaded the system. Despite the technical issues, health care navigators are trying to help people figure out their options.

Even as hundreds of thousands of federal workers stay home, some members of Congress have kept most or all of their own staffs working. With no end to the government shutdown in sight, that's put Republicans on the defensive.

The day centered on a quote attributed to an unnamed source. But one thing President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner could agree on: Nobody's winning in Washington.