Why Many Republicans Won’t Back Down

Politico: “The vast majority of GOP lawmakers are safely ensconced in districts that, based on the voter rolls, would never think of electing a Democrat. Their bigger worry is that someone even more conservative than they are — bankrolled by a cadre of uncompromising conservative groups — might challenge them in a primary.”

“So from the standpoint of pure political survival, there’s every incentive to keep the government closed in what looks like a futile protest over Obamacare. The latest theory gaining currency in Congress is that it will take a potential default on the nation’s debt in a few weeks to bring the crisis to a head.”

The Daily Beast quotes NRCC chairman Greg Waldman to a group of frustrated GOP donors: “Listen. We have to do this because of the Tea Party.
If we don’t, these guys are going to get primaried and they are going to
lose their primary.”