“From the Republican side, the point is to remove any sympathy that may have been directed toward the federal employees. And, thereby, keep the focus on Obamacare.”
Eh, maybe it’s just me, but I wasn’t shedding any tears over some guy who probably spends his days surfing the internet at the Department of Commerce having to deal with reality most of us face, if only for a few weeks.
Now, that guy has a sweeter deal than he normally has. He can go on a vacation, do whatever he wants, and he gets his normal salary. And he’s non-essential, so no one will really miss him.
I assume, then, that you were not around for the Great Government Shutdown of 1995 -- when the MSM ran story after story about poor, betrayed federal workers who had been deprived of their paychecks at Christmastime.
That narrative played a large role in turning public opinion against Newt & The Boys.
Paying the federal employees is a good political idea. It keeps them from being a distraction from the major issue -- Obamacare. Which is a winning issue for us.