Message #2622

[ekg]

I'm more than willing to give Republicans credit for shifting their demands and adopting Dem's ideas about cuts. That's called bipartisanship.

According to Tim Pawlenty, though, the process ends March 18th. He and the future president, Newt, believe a shutdown is necessary.

deja vu!

and 80% of R want a shut down..

The partisan differences are striking. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats prefer avoiding a shutdown by going with current spending levels. But 80% of Republicans -- and 59% of voters not affiliated with either major party -- think a shutdown is a better option until the two sides can agree on spending cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/february_2011/58_favor_government_shutdown_until_spending_cuts_are_agreed_upon
 

granted, that is a GOP-slanted Rasmussen poll.. the rest of the country feels the opposite..

Potentially most helpful to Democrats is the finding that, by 60% to 32%, more Americans want legislators who share their views on the budget to agree on a compromise budget rather than hold out for a budget they mostly agree with, which would trigger a government shutdown after March 4.

Republicans may have hoped that the potential of a government shutdown would pressure Democrats to accept deeper spending cuts than they have to date. However, the finding that most Americans are averse to a shutdown could ultimately strengthen Democrats' bargaining power

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146315/Neither-Party-Edge-Federal-Budget-Dealings.aspx

but those bat-shit crazy tea party repubs are just licking their lips in anticipation.. Newt has them believing they can win a shutdown this time because Obama's ears are too big and his wife is too fat to tell us what we should eat.

or something..