House Voted 11 Times to Reopen Govt

For the record, Matt Vespa chronicles the 11 times the "House GOP voted to reopen the government but were blocked by Senate Democrats and the president" between September 20 and October 4, 2013.

Hayward: Students Blame Obama for Shutdown!?!

University of Colorado students were asked, Who do you blame for the shutdown?  Their answers, captured in a 2:30 video posted by Steven Hayward at powerlineblog.com, are very entertaining! 

Government Shutdown: CBS Poll

"CBS News' brand new national survey has four major take-aways" on the federal government shutdown, writes Guy Benson @ Townhall.com.

(1) Obamacare remains unpopular.  
(2) Government shutdown is even more unpopular, with 72 percent of the country opposed.
(3) Americans narrowly blame Republicans more than President Obama (44R/35O/17both), though the split is far less lopsided than it was in 1995 (2-to-1 blaming the GOP).
(4) The public overwhelmingly supports a compromise solution to resolve the impasse:

Most Americans want compromise. Majorities think the President and the Democrats in Congress (76 percent) and the Republicans in Congress (78 percent) should compromise in order to come to an agreement on the budget. But there are some party stalwarts who don't think compromise is the way to go. Thirty-eight percent of Republicans say members of their party in Congress should stick to their positions even if it means not coming to an agreement, while 36 percent of Democrats say that about their party.

James Taranto @ the Wall Street Journal asks, "Could Republicans be Winning?"

...we've been surprised this week at the Democrats' tactical maladroitness. As Josh Jordan quipped yesterday on Twitter: "Since the shutdown began, Obama and [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid have taken tough stands against the two most villainous groups: WWII veterans and kids with cancer."

[snip]

Even diehard partisans in the press are on the defensive. "Come On, No. Harry Reid Doesn't Hate Kids With Cancer," reads a headline on The Atlantic's website. When you feel compelled to answer a question like that, it's a sign you aren't winning the argument.

As Benson points out, government shutdowns are common occurrences in recent history.

Democrats controlled at least one house of Congress throughout Reagan's two terms, during which time there were eight separate shutdowns. Here's the liberal Wonkblog's timeline of the 17 shutdowns since the late 1970s.

What may not be so common is that government shutdowns may no longer be an automatic public relations win for liberals.

Government Shutdown - Thank Rabid Progressives

"Is this really a "Republican" shutdown? No," argues Matt Vespa. "Sen. Harry Reid [D-NV] and his execrable cadre of left-wingers are the ones truly holding the country hostage."

In at least four separate times, the House has passed a bill to fund the government.  Democrats have completely turned their backs on everything sent over by the House.  In doing so, they have also turned their backs on American families and workers.  How is that fairness and compromise?  Furthermore, 77% of Americans want to delay Obamacare’s individual mandate, including 65% of Democrats!

Vespa catalogues 34 separate news reports showing the extent of Democrat dissatisfaction over the new health care law, which is the root issue of the government shutdown. He concludes:

Harry Reid could’ve avoided this shutdown if he listened to his own ranks about Obamacare.