Eric Cantor Signals To GOP Colleagues That They Should STFU About Government Shutdown

[Tx4obama]

Eric Cantor Signals To GOP Colleagues That They Should STFU About Government Shutdown

Based upon what Robert Costa is reporting today, it would seem that the GOP's "Defund Obamacare Or We'll Shut Down The Government" caucus is all but dunzo in the eyes of party leadership. Costa talks to GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and it seems that the Virginia Republican representative is fully aware of the impracticalities of such imprecations, telling him, "No one is advocating a government shutdown.”

Per Costa:

He also threw a little cold water on the “defund or shutdown” rallying cry. “In order to avoid a government shutdown, we need 60 votes in the Senate and 218 votes in the House to pass a continuing resolution,” he explained. “To get 60 votes in the Senate, you need at least 14 Democrats to join Republicans and pass a CR that defunds Obamacare. Right now, I am not aware of a single Democrat in the Senate who would join us. If and when defunding has 60 votes in the Senate, we will absolutely deliver more than 218 votes in the House.”

-snip-

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/eric-cantor-gop-government-shutdown_n_3734298.html

[PM Martin]

1. It would only work to the advantage of Obama and the Democrats if

the government were shut down. The last time it happened during Clinton's first term, the GOP effectively conceded the 1996 election.

[madrchsod]

2. yes eric i doubt you'll get the democrats to roll over on this.

but you can still hold out for a miracle...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. President Obama isn't going to sign a repeal

and there is no way in this life (or the next) that there is going to be a veto-proof majority in Congress capable of doing it either.

The Republicans need to give it up IMHO

[hrmjustin]

3. It would be nice if the GOP could act like adults for once.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. So Democrats/liberals/progressives everywhere ...

Dress up in you finest 'merikan flag regalia, get your mis-spelled signs and three corner hats ... attend the gop townhall nearest you and demand an answer:

"Do you support Lee and Rubio? Will you stand fast? Defund ObamaCare or shut down the government ... Yes or No!"

[CTyankee]

6. Eric musta had a big "rut roh!" on this. He prolly saw some internal polling that showed the GOP

sucked a big egg in the view of the voters on this one...

[Chan790]

8. Cantor's an asshole, not an idiot.

He wants to remain majority leader for as long as possible and he sees the extremists marching the GOP off the cliff. Now is as good of a time as any to stand against them and let them marginalize themselves before they start lining up in earnest to run for President in 2016 or cost the GOP the House in 2014 and stall any effort to take the Senate.

[CTyankee]

9. Of course he does. My point was that he must have a basis for opposing the extremists, altho he most

certainly is one of them. And I am sure he is basing his action as a result of internal polling of voters and seeing some very bad numbers come back staring him in the face.

[Chan790]

10. Oh absolutely.

He's got to know that it's a dead issue.

[DhhD]

7. So its is a perfect time to let the likes of Ted Cruz expose their shared extremism.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/07/30/ted_cruz_filibustering_the_continuing_resolution_and_shutting_down_the_government.html

13 Senators wanting to stop government
http://www.democrats.org/news/press/the_gop_stunt_to_shut_down_the_government_if_obamacare_is_not_defunded_is_d

[AlinPA]

11. He's only talking about votes in the Senate and House; not against the extremistrs.

[Kablooie]

12. They need 261 votes in the house to override a presidential veto.

Along with 60 Senate votes, of course.

This means that 28 House and 14 Senate seats would need to switch to Republican for them to have complete control over the bills.

Otherwise the president can kill anything that comes across his desk.