… To many Americans, the shutdown came out of nowhere. But interviews with a wide array of conservatives show that the confrontation that precipitated the crisis was the outgrowth of a long-running effort to undo the law, the Affordable Care Act, since its passage in 2010 — waged by a […] Read more »
Shutdown’s roots lie in deeply embedded divisions in America’s politics
The government shutdown did not happen by accident. It is the latest manifestation — an extreme one by any measure — of divisions long in the making and now deeply embedded in the country’s politics. … Some may rightly blame politicians in Washington for behaving badly, but in reality the […] Read more »
Utahns don’t believe Obamacare fight worth shutting down government
A majority of Utahns don’t believe it was worth shutting down the federal government to fight President Barack Obama’s new health care law and most blame Republicans just as much as Democrats, according to a new Deseret News/KSL poll. Nearly half of the Utahns surveyed also disapprove of the tea […] Read more »
The unsettled healthcare law
… The tea party caucus has succeeded in making resistance to Obamacare a litmus test for Republicans, and as a result, it’s likely that next year’s congressional election will be fought in large part over the health insurance program. The fate of Obamacare may hang in the balance. … “The 2014 […] Read more »
Five myths about House Republicans
On most weekday mornings, House Republicans huddle in a windowless room in the Capitol basement. Over pastries and coffee, they confer with the leadership and discuss strategy. Sometimes they complain; sometimes they cheer. This past week, it’s been more of the former. As the tensions grow, the GOP’s internal debate […] Read more »
The Benefits of Intransigence
… Changing demographics would seem to weaken the appeal of anti-government figures like Mr. Cruz (who was born in Canada and is of Cuban ancestry). That is why traditional conservatives like the columnist Michael Gerson insist that “pragmatic Republicans” are the party’s salvation, and that Mr. Cruz and his allies […] Read more »