A government shutdown isn't just an opportunity for our nation's lawmakers to skip work for two weeks and counting.

A shutdown is when political stars are born.

Senate freshman Ted Cruz and his health care filibuster in 2013.

Do you like green eggs and ham?

I do not like them, Sam, I am.

I do not like green eggs and ham. Pelosi, Schumer, Trump, and the border wall throwdown of 2018. Chuck, we can build a much bigger section with more money. Let's debate. Let's debate in private. Okay? Yeah, let's debate in private. DeVoy, frankly, the fact. In 2025, Schumer's back. Hakeem-Jeffries is trying to break through. So why don't you just keep your mouth shut? Oh, because you showed up. Is that the way to talk? You showed up. But it is Georgia Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Green. Why don't you go talk about Jewish space lasers? Her? Her. Who is winning hearts and minds with a compelling mix of sticking to her guns and generally being less nutty.

That's all ahead on Today Explained.

Support of the show, and it comes from The Guardian.

If you listen to our show, my guess is that you value independent voices and perspectives on the news.

You want real reporting on real stories and you don't want to wonder if the news you're getting is being skewed by an unseen hand.

The Guardian says they're fiercely independent too.

They aspire to report the whole picture and their coverage goes beyond the news.

They have new perspectives on culture, wellness, sports, and more.

For U.S. and World News without compromise or paywallwall read, watch and listen today at The Guardian.com.

Support for today explained comes from Dell.

Dell would like to introduce the new Dell AIPC powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor.

They say it can help you do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing those images, designing

those presentations, generating that code, debugging that code, guys, summarizing meeting notes,

finding files, managing your schedule, responding to emails, leaving all the time in the world

for the things you actually want to do. Get a new Dell A-I-PC at Dell.co.uk-A-I-P-C at Dell.c.com.U.K. slash AI-P-C. Dell, how those ahead, stay ahead.

What do you think today explained this?

I don't know.

...