This past shutdown ended nearly identical to the one in 1996 when Newt and Dole sent Clinton the exact CR that he demanded, and both paid the furlouged workers for their time off too.
Boehner did EXACTLY what we knew he would do.
So far shutdowns haven't produced anything good.
This makes me wonder,
since the 1995-6 shutdowns have been so romantized over the decades on AM talk radio will someday this past one 2013 be re-told as a stunning defeat and cave by Obama?
And why is that? Is it because the ideas of a smaller, more responsible government are wrong, or is it because the GOPe betrayed those ideas?
The 96 shutdown led to a lot of good policies. In fact, if Dole didn’t cave, we would have had a stunning victory. It’s in Stephenoupolus’ book that the White House was preparing to cave.
Until 1996 shutdowns were no big deal. There were six or so under Reagan and several under Carter. In 1996, the media used it to hammer Republicans and use it politically as never before. Now in the 24/7 news world it is just easy to do, and the template is created. In this environment unless there was a) unity on our side and b) a strong leader with communication skills, it is pretty much a no win for the GOP.