Yeah, it's about time the House GOP started to act like they have the power that they do. While only holding one half of one branch of the government, they do hold it and nothing gets through without their say-so. For too long they've just let the Democrats roll them.
Cruz's gambit both ignited them and kind of forced them into a corner. Once they took the first big step, they really can't back down now. The second Reid and Obama forced a shutdown rather than debate, the die was cast - the GOP is going to get all the "blame" anyway (no matter what the real story is), so there's no reason not to go for broke.
Reid's been playing politics with the budget process for years - refusing to pass a budget to avoid holding his members accountable for specific spending line items. But that's given the House tremendous bargaining power that they're only just waking up to the fact that they have. And it's payback time for Reid killing every single bill they pass without even letting it get to the Senate floor.
Reid and Obama also made a tactical error in passing/signing the military pay "mini-CR". Because that enabled the House to start saying "well, you passed that one, so here's a bunch more", letting the House pick and choose which ones to send, going for high-profile and generally non-controversial programs to force the Senate to either go along or be shown as the obstructionists that they are. Reid realized this mistake and is now killing everything, but it might be too little, too late if the House GOP keeps piling on.
At some point, even the MSM won't be able to sugar-coat the fact that it's Reid who's refusing to do anything. In the meantime, the GOP needs to hit the alternative media hard and really push this story. They have a winning hand, i only they will play it.
“Reid and Obama also made a tactical error in passing/signing the military pay “mini-CR”. Because that enabled the House to start saying “well, you passed that one, so here’s a bunch more”
Yes, i think i can now see a potential endgame for the shutdown. If they can get 2/3 in both house and senate for these mini-CRs, Obama can’t stop them.
We will see how long Reid can hold his people, but the house is nearly at 2/3 votes after one day! i think after a few days, the pressure will be on democrats in both house and senate to pass mini-CRs to reopen the popular stuff.
if they can start passing mini-CRs with a 2/3, support for obama/reid “no compromise” will totally disintegrate and it will be every democrat for himself...
the danger for republicans now is weak sister RINO treachery that votes for a clean CR and snatches defeat...