It's the economy, stupid
For now, the polls are showing that the public blames the Republican Party for the government shutdown. Yet the Republicans don't seem worried. They seem determined to not only keep the government closed, but to breach the debt ceiling as well. What's going on? Are they merely bluffing?
I don't think they are bluffing. I think the GOP has a plan, and their plan is to bring down the U.S economy and blame President Obama and the Democrats. And even though they would be the ones at fault, historically, the public tends to blame the president and his party for economic bad times. The Republicans are betting this time will be no different.
So I'm afraid that the government will remain closed, and the debt ceiling will be breached. A recession, or worse, a full-blown depression, will hit later this year. President Obama will have to make major concessions to them to have the debt ceiling increased and the government reopened. By then it may be too late for the economy anyway.
And the GOP will be looking forward to winning the senate in 2014 and the presidency in 2016.
Am I being too pessimistic? I hope so, but I fear for the worst.