House Republicans, fearing election, consider an about-face on government shutdown

It's impossible to overstate the dysfunction that is the Republican House of Representatives. Here's the latest example: A majority of the House Republican caucus wrote a letter to their leadership, Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, demanding that they bring on a government shutdown over funding for the Affordable Care Act. They insisted that leadership must "not to bring to the House floor in the 112th Congress any legislation that provides or allows funds to implement ObamaCare. [...]" They underlined the defunding part, just to make sure they were really, really clear on this.

The first signature on that letter is Rep. Jim Jordan's (OH), chair of the Republican Study Committee. But what's this?

House conservatives urged Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to back a stopgap spending bill that would extend into 2013 and take the issue of government funding off the table during the election and the jammed lame-duck session this fall. [...]

Two leading members of the Republican Study Committee, Chairman Jim Jordan (Ohio), and Rep. Scott Garrett (N.J.), are supportive of the idea. The conservatives are willing to consider higher spending levels than they have voted for in the past to get a long-term continuing resolution, the aide said.

Freshman Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) also said conservatives might be willing to accept provisions in a stopgap spending bill that they otherwise would oppose, such as continued funding of the 2010 healthcare law. Conservatives have previously urged the Republican leadership to keep fighting to defund the law in appropriations bills.

What's that? Now they're saying no government shutdown fights over Obamacare? Why would that be? Oh, because "they are worried that Democrats will draw them into a battle that could lead to a government shutdown in October, right before the November elections." Right, a shutdown would be the Democrats' fault.

Bottom line: They want to be reelected, that's why. But what are all their teabaggy constituents, frothed up into a frenzy over Obamacare repeal, going to think about that? Seems those patriotic, principled tea party Republicans are just regular, hypocritical politicians, after all. And that's not going to help with their reelection, either.

Let's make it even harder for them. Chip in to the Speaker Pelosi Project to take back the House.