If the continuing resolution is not passed by this Friday, the government will shut down — not that this is a bad thing.

Everyone in Washington is claiming they don’t want a shutdown, but Harry Reid’s actions suggest he does. Instead of dealing with the continuing resolution when the Senate gets back for business this week, he will take up patent reform instead.

The patent legislation is rather controversial, changing the patent granting standard from “first to invent” to “first to file”, meaning that you may invent something, but unless you file your patent before someone else does, the other person gets the patent.

Yes, the patent office needs to be reformed as does the patent process. Companies now have to spend large sums on patent fights. Software is now treated as a patent issue instead of a copyright issue, expanding litigation efforts and stifling innovation.

But listening to Democrats and Republicans in Washington, there is no more pressing issue than preventing a government shutdown.

So why then is Harry Reid putting off consideration of the continuing resolution? Either he wants a government shutdown, or he is admitting the GOP has won.