Andy writes:
There is nothing honorable in the legerdemain we discussed on Sunday: The GOP’s unanimous and ostentatious support only six months ago for a defunding amendment when the vote was just a pose, followed today by the belittling of defunding legislation as “the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard” – to borrow the words of Sen. Burr, who co-sponsored the March defunding amendment – because this time the legislation is accompanied a plan to achieve the stated objective.
People who favor the defunding of Obamacare — and have therefore voted for it — may also reasonably believe that using a shutdown to achieve it is a dumb idea. Obviously, people who hold that belief are not objecting to the strategy because it is “a plan to achieve the stated objective.” I don’t think it’s dishonorable for Andy to distort the views of the people he’s attacking in this way. I don’t think it’s enlightening either.