I predicted this was coming!

Jon

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/24/politics/shutdown-showdown/

Washington (CNN) — Republican Ted Cruz of Texas took to the Senate floor on Tuesday to discuss the shutdown debate in remarks that headed deep into the night — a dramatic step in defense of his high profile and controversial plan to prevent any funding for Obamacare.
“I intend to speak in support of defunding Obamacare until I am no longer able to stand,” he said. “All across this country, Americans are suffering because of Obamacare. Obamacare isn’t working.”
Cruz, who began speaking shortly after 2:40 p.m. ET, was alone for nearly an hour before being joined by Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican.

Piggy: “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—.”

Ralph, thinking to himself: “What was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense. There was no solemn assembly for debate nor dignity of the conch.”

“The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.”

Ralph: “Whoever holds the conch gets to speak.”

Jack: “Conch! Conch! We don’t need the conch any more. We know who ought to say things.”

Ralph: “If I blow the conch and they don’t come back; then we’ve had it. We shan’t keep the fire going. We’ll be like animals. We’ll never be rescued.”

“Then, with the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children, he [Piggy] picked up the conch, turned toward the forest, and began to pick his way over the tumbled scar.”

Piggy: “That was what you meant, didn’t you? That’s why you got the conch out of the water.”

“Ralph waved the conch.
“Shut up! Wait! Listen!”
He went on in the silence, borne on in his triumph.”

“They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority….”

The entire first chapter (The Sound of the Shell) is devoted to the conch, really, and its symbolism for democracy and civilisation.