GOP Donors Revolt Against Republican-Led Government Shutdown

[DonViejo]

by David Freedlander Oct 3, 2013 5:45 AM EDT

It’s not just Democrats who are angry at the Tea Party-led shutdown. Republican donors are furious their party has managed to ‘grab defeat from the jaws of victory’ on Obamacare—and some are withholding funds, reports David Freedlander.

On a Monday last month, Rep. Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, met with some top GOP donors for lunch at Le Cirque on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. The donors, a youngish collection of financial industry types and lawyers, had some questions for Walden, a mild-mannered lawmaker from eastern Oregon known for speaking his mind.

Why, they asked, did the GOP seem so in the thrall of its most extremist wing? The donors, banker types who occupy the upper reaches of Wall Street’s towers, couldn’t understand why the Republican Party—their party—seemed close to threatening the nation with a government shutdown, never mind a default if the debt ceiling isn’t raised later this month.

“Listen,” Walden said, according to several people present. “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.”

Walden asked how many of those seated around the table were precinct captains. These were money men, though, not the types to spend night after night knocking on doors and slipping palm cards into mailboxes.

“A lot of the people there didn’t even know what a precinct captain was,” said one attendee.

full article
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/03/gop-donors-revolt-against-republican-led-government-shutdown.html

[Old and In the Way]

1. The GOP - the Party of $, but no organizing intelligence. nt

[tanyev]

2. Excellent.

[BlueStreak]

3. This doesn't even make sense. I guess that is the point.

How, exactly, did they " ‘grab defeat from the jaws of victory’ on Obamacare"? That issue was decided as soon as the SC ruled it Constitutional and Obama was re-elected. If anybody in that room seriously thought they could stop it after that, they are insane.