The Huffington Post consulted Thomas Brackett Reed Professor of Government Andrew Rudalevige for his perspective on next week’s possible government shutdown. Journalist Dan Froomkin writes:

Calling what Congress is doing hostage-taking isn’t really fair — to hostage-takers, said Andrew Rudalevige, a government professor at Bowdoin College. That’s because a criminal’s job is to take things and get away, and hostages can be a means to that end, he explained. By contrast, Congress’ main job “is making sure the government operates and is stable.” Therefore, Rudalevige concluded: “Hostage-takers are doing their job, however perverse that is, while the Congress is not.”

The article continues:

Rudalevige said bargaining and negotiating are always part of the process. “But now you actually have people who affirmatively don’t want the government to operate,” he said.