Here's what's got Republicans worried about the looming government shutdown: The
possibility fact that they
might would get blamed.
So:
With time running out before the government closes for the first time since 1996, congressional Republicans are rallying around the same message: A shutdown won’t be our fault.
But will it work for Republicans to be rallying around a message that so obviously flies in the face of reality? Well, based on these numbers from
a new CNN poll conducted over the weekend, the early results are in:
Do you think the Republicans in Congress have acted mostly like responsible adults or mostly like spoiled children during the recent debate over the federal budget?
Like spoiled children: 69
Like responsible adults: 25
Congressional Democrats aren't in great shape either, but those numbers are absolutely dreadful for Republicans, and deservedly so, because they are on the wrong side of this battle:
Which do you think is more important for Congress to do:
Avoid a government shutdown: 60
Defund Obamacare: 34
The one bit of good news for Republicans: There are 200 House Democrats. Because even if the House GOP can't get its collective act together, 17 Republicans plus 200 Democrats is all it would take to get out of this miss. The Democrats are ready and willing. There are
certainly enough Republicans ready and willing. The question is: Will Speaker John Boehner or someone else let the House work its will?
