For most Republicans in the House of Representatives, the only greater peril than shutting down the federal government would have been fighting to keep it open.
While a shutdown could hurt the Republican Party’s ability to win the Senate next year or take the White House in 2016, that’s not the concern of party members in the House, who led the push to pair continued government funding with measures that would delay President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law. …
Tea Party lawmakers don’t run for office nationally, but in districts where they are more secure than ever in their jobs, thanks to careful redistricting after the 2010 census and increased polarization among voters. [cont.]
Andy Sullivan, Reuters