Rachel Maddow had a little reminder for her audience this Monday about the fact that these TeaBirchers in the Republicans party have been threatening, and gleeful about the possibility of a government shutdown for a very long time now.

We've had no major legislative accomplishments since they took over the House. They've been threatening to shut down the government since they were put in charge of the House, and this week, they finally made good on that promise.

And as Maddow discussed here, this tactic is nothing new, and it's not about the Affordable Care Act. That's just their latest excuse to burn the place down.

MADDOW: This is happening because they like this tactic. In 2011, they didn't even bother making it about health reform. They made it about the budget back then. For a minute it was about Planned Parenthood funding. For a hot moment this weekend, the whole thing was about whether or not your boss can block you from getting contraception covered by your health insurance.

It doesn't matter what they're actually using it for. The point is that they're willing to go this far. what is happening tonight is happening tonight because this is what Republicans do. This is what they promised to do. This tactic is an end in and of itself, because it displays sufficient fervor.

And that is why there's no talkig them out of it. Elect Republicans and they will burn the place down, and they like the sound of that, and they will laugh while they do it. And now we're all left to figure out what happens next.