This "shutdown" is over Obamacare, which most Americans dislike.
Credit for the focus on Obamacare belongs to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for the masterful 21-hour speech he delivered on the Senate floor week before last.
Sen. Cruz insisted then that Republicans shut down the government in what would have been a futile effort to defund Obamacare. That would have had catastrophic consequences for the GOP. But the silver-tongued Texan is now on board with the leadership's strategy of seeking a one-year delay.
By margins of 2 to 1 or greater, Americans oppose shutting down the government to defund Obamacare, three polls last week indicated. But they support, 55-35, GOP efforts to delay it, according to a poll this week.
A prolonged standoff will hurt Republicans. But Democrats may have more at risk. The higher Obamacare's profile, the worse they look. Thanks to Sen. Cruz, every vulnerable Democrat in the Senate has voted to inflict upon Americans Obamacare provisions even they say are stupid and harmful.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
