I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation about why the last government shutdown was bad for the GOP? All I hear is: "the last shutdown hurt the Republicans, etc."
While they lost seats, didn't the GOP retain majorities in the House and Senate in the 1996 elections?
Didn't the steadfast Republican position on the budget lead to small increases in the federal budget -- one factor in cutting the deficits in the mid- to late nineties?
A small majority of Republicans favor a shutdown. I wouldn't expect a backlash among GOP voters.
But the trick will be: how to broadly and effectively communicate that the Republican budget coming out of the House was blocked by the Senate -- and pin the blame on the Senate? A tough trick to pull off.
