Republicans Nix Idea of a Second Shutdown

While President Barack Obama's healthcare apology and administrative fix may have fed into Republicans' efforts to delay or defund the Affordable Care Act, the GOP is still not likely to push for another government shutdown over it.

According to BuzzFeed, even conservative lawmakers who supported linking budget negotiations to Obamacare in October do not see that as the appropriate course of action in the new round of spending talks taking place on Capitol Hill.

"Separate from all of the spending negotiations we should be working on repeal. It's the right thing to do, regardless if you have a spending bill coming up or debt limit bill coming up. I don't think you need to attach the issues together," Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan told the online news outlet.

Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan agreed, saying, "No one wants [a shutdown], no one wants that."
Public opinion polls after the shutdown showed that it dealt a major blow to the GOP's image, caused rifts between the tea party and the Republican establishment, and bred widespread dissatisfaction with the government as a whole.

Shortly after the Senate-negotiated spending deal that ended the 16-day government closure in October, senior GOP members tried to quell fears of another shutdown, noted The New York Times.

Republican Sen. John McCain rejected the notion that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who spearheaded the first shutdown, could cause a second one. He told the newspaper at the time, "I think he can exercise his rights as a senator, but it will not happen. The American people will not stand for another one of those things."

Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, speaking on CBS' Face the Nation, said, "There will not be another government shutdown. You can count on that."

Some Republicans, however, maintain that the administration's latest move shows Republicans may have been on the right track back in October.

Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina told BuzzFeed that the proposed administrative fix "lays validity to a point a number of different folks tried to make at the time of the shutdown."

"I think it gives legitimacy to the Republicans at that time," he added.

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• Democrats Shift Focus FromObamacare Woes to Budget, Elections
• Congressional Budget Fix Lacking Concrete Details