In other words, the Tea Party got EXACTLY what they wanted from the SELECTIVE shutdown of the federal government. What did the Democrats gain from this?
The federal government just got shrunk in a bathtub without anyone in the Democratic ledger having to go on record to vote directly for it, and the military is exempted from having its trousers taken in. Jitters about the Debt Ceiling aside, Wall Street is exultant about the Sequester and partial shutdown. The NASDAQ was up 7 or 8 percent in September, and the Dow has risen nearly 15% since the Sequester started.
The GOP got exactly what they wanted, and if his past statements are any indication, Obama IS willing to give them more than half of what they want, at least in Social Security program cuts.
-- MORE --
Pentagon: Most Furloughed Civilians Ordered Back
Source: AP
The Pentagon is ordering most of its approximately 400,000 furloughed civilian employees back to work.
The decision by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is based on a Pentagon legal interpretation of a law called the Pay Our Military Act.
That measure was passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama shortly before the partial government shutdown began Tuesday.
The Pentagon did not immediately say on Saturday exactly how many workers will return to work. The Defense Department said "most" were being brought back.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/...
The GOP now has absolutely zero reason to make any deals until 10/17, and then Obama will give them at least 50% of what they want in the way of cuts to Social Security because it's what he and the Wall Street wing of the Democratic Party want, too.
There are those who suggest the GOP will have to cave. How does the GOP have to cave? All they have to do is vote on the 17th for a CR to avoid federal default, something the financial sector and most corporations would never permit.
So, what are the Republicans really giving up? Most of the GOP is not really opposed to a personal mandate (which is Romneycare, after all) - they're just making noise about Obamacare to keep their base happy. Obama has already indicated he's happy to give them cuts to Social Security and Medicare and some other (unstated) social programs as part of a Grand Bargain.
How are the Republicans going to cave if they sign a CR? You tell me - what are THEY really going to give up?