Now that the deadline for a continuing resolution has been missed, correct messaging around the partial government shutdown is critical. The left will try to repeat the story of 1995, but this situation is fundamentally different and Republicans need to be prepared to message appropriately to ensure that voters know […] Read more »
Defining the Opponent
Elections are about choices. Beyond defining themselves, successful candidates also define opponents by framing the choice facing voters in a favorable way and then creating a clear contrast within that frame. If Democrats aim to become synonymous with “reasonable solutions,” then how best to characterize Republicans? Specifically, what is the most […] Read more »
History Suggests Shutdown Stakes May Not Be That High
As the federal government prepares to shut down for the first time since 1995/1996, historical Gallup data reveal that the repercussions of that past conflict ranged from none to short-lived, in terms of Americans’ concerns about the U.S. and the political players involved. [cont.] Elizabeth Mendes, Gallup Read more »
Republicans More Insulated Against Backlash
Resolving the serial showdowns over the federal budget and debt ceiling may be more difficult now than during the last shutdown under Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich because so many more House Republicans today represent safely GOP districts, a National Journal analysis has found. This suggests that even if a […] Read more »
For House Republicans, confrontation is safer than compromise
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 […] Read more »
Seven reasons why Democrats won’t delay the Affordable Care Act
Washington, D.C’s current, unneeded crisis seems destined to lead to a federal government shutdown starting October 1. House Republicans have refused to fund the government unless the Affordable Care Act is defunded or delayed. Their strategy can’t succeed because the Senate will never agree and nor will President Obama. [cont.] […] Read more »