Debate Magazine

How's That Shut Down Strategy Working for You, GOP?

Posted on the 11 October 2013 by Doggone

Remember when the extremist Conservatives assured the GOP that the shutdown wouldn't hurt their popularity?
How's that shut down strategy working for you, GOP?
Uh OH! Looks like someone was badly wrong (not that the right ever admits it when they are).

For example, from the Hill:
Heritage Action says shutdown strategy won't hurt GOP
By Elise Viebeck - 08/14/13 10:53 AM ET

Heritage Action is pushing back against claims that allowing a government shutdown in a move to defund ObamaCare would hurt the Republican Party.
The powerful conservative pressure group released a poll Wednesday suggesting that a majority of voters (60 percent) would approve of a "temporary slow-down" in non-essential government functions if it leads to a "time out" in the Affordable Care Act's implementation.
The Aug. 7-8 survey from Basswood Research suggested that voters would blame President Obama and congressional Democrats more than they would blame Republicans for a partial shutdown.
In materials accompanying the poll, Heritage Action proclaimed that the House Republican majority is "not at stake" over the defunding threat.
"There is nobody who denies this will require courage," said Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham on a call with reporters. "Maybe [Congress's] approval rating is at 12 percent because they haven't tried to inspire people."
The survey represents the latest volley in a struggle between conservative and establishment Republicans on how to handle the fiscal debates that await Congress this fall.
Heritage Action and a long list of conservative groups are supporting a campaign by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to pass government funding bills in September that do not include money for ObamaCare.
Proponents of the strategy suggest that it will force Obama to choose whether to fund the healthcare law or shut down the government when the current operations bills expire on Sept. 30.
Will this hurt Republicans in 2014? They don't think so, not even now.  Even some Democrats aren't sure it will. But formerly Red/Republicans states have turned blue, or at least purple, after shut downs in the past.  It is not likely to help them; it remains to be seen if it hurts them and how much.
But expect "teh right wing denial" to continue.


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