Expert Congress-watchers now believe a government shutdown is unlikely this week.
But those same experts predict that a showdown over a shutdown merely has been postponed until December.
Our local Republican representatives in Congress seem inclined to force that confrontation, though not for identical reasons.
U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-3rd, supported the last shutdown in 2013. He strongly supports defunding of Planned Parenthood over concerns about its role as an abortion provider. He could be expected to reject any budget that continues funding for Planned Parenthood, and he likely could oppose a budget for additional reasons.
U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Indiana, said Monday he would not support raising the nation’s debt limit without “meaningful action” to address debt and deficit problems. Coats will retire at the end of 2016, and Stutzman is a candidate to take his place.
A major poll released Monday showed 69 percent of Americans oppose shutting down the government over Planned Parenthood, and only 23 percent support that action.
Even among Republicans, the poll shows 56 percent opposed to a shutdown over the Planned Parenthood issue.
This week, Republicans in the House are preparing to create a special committee to investigate claims that Planned Parenthood may be selling body parts of aborted fetuses.
The woman who would chair that committee, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., says people want to get to the bottom of the Planned Parenthood controversy.
Supporters of Planned Parenthood are crying foul, claiming the committee would conduct a “witch hunt.”
We believe most Americans would welcome a fair, sober investigation of Planned Parenthood that represents serious study and not just a stage for political grandstanding.
Many Americans don’t know what to think about the charges leveled against Planned Parenthood. To some, they may seem too awful to be true, and the organization’s supporters contend they are based on videos that have been heavily edited to make Planned Parenthood look evil.
Americans would like to know the truth from an unbiased source we can trust, if such a source can be found in today’s Washington.
Before we endure a government shutdown, we deserve to understand the issue behind it and know whether it is based on reality or propaganda.