From Senator John Cornyn’s op-ed in the Houston Chronicle today:
Over the next few months, we will reach deadlines related to the debt ceiling, the sequester and the continuing appropriations resolution that has funded federal operations since October. If history is any guide, President Obama won’t see fit to engage congressional Republicans until the 11th hour. In fact, he has already signaled an unwillingness to negotiate over the debt ceiling. This is unacceptable. The president should immediately put forward a plan that addresses these deadlines, and he should launch serious, transparent budget negotiations.
Cornyn continues later in the piece:
Republicans are more determined than ever to implement the spending cuts and structural entitlement reforms that are needed to secure the long-term fiscal integrity of our country.
The coming deadlines will be the next flashpoints in our ongoing fight to bring fiscal sanity to Washington. It may be necessary to partially shut down the government in order to secure the long-term fiscal well being of our country, rather than plod along the path of Greece, Italy and Spain. President Obama needs to take note of this reality and put forward a plan to avoid it immediately.
If Republicans are serious about allowing the government to be shut down rather than accept a terrible deal, it could give them more leverage in the debt-ceiling and sequester talks. On the other hand, if Republicans let the government shut down, they also risk a PR crisis where more Americans blame Republicans rather than the Democrats for the effects of a government shutdown. If the GOP is going to pursue this route, they better have a solid message that can convincingly make their case to voters why this shutdown is necessary.