Update: And another quick rejection: CARNEY SAYS PIECEMEAL APPROACH TO FUNDING GOVT ‘NOT SERIOUS’
If the president was hoping to shame the Republicans into caving and passing a clean Continuing Resolution, by constantly blaming them about the broader government shutdown, he will have to shift his strategy. Moments ago Reuters and other wire services report, citing Republican Peter King, that House Republicans plan to pass three funding bills today to reopen Federal Parks, veteran programs and fund for the District of Columbia. In other words, little by little, the GOP will provide funding for everything... except Obamacare, which they will keep as a trump card up their sleeve until the debt ceiling negotiation comes to a head some time in the next week.
The question then becomes whether the Senate and Obama agree to pass partial funding measures, or throw these back at the House, even if in doing so they losee leverage and talking points, as the GOP can now claim they were willing to fund virtually every aspect of government but the healthcare act.
If this is indeed how the Republicans plan to proceed, the government shutdown, either en masse, or partially may extend far longer, and the debt ceiling debate will be even more contentious than most expected.