There are 200 Democrats in the House of Representatives, and it is clear that more than 18 Republican moderate conservatives in the House are ready to end the government shutdown, nearing the end of its first week, undermining economic recovery and putting the security of the US itself in danger.
All that has to be done is for a discharge petition on opening up the government to be introduced and gain 218 votes, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, MUST call for a vote, and the stalemate would end.
And the same applies for the need to raise the debt limit, that a small number of responsible Republicans, willing to do the right thing, but endangering their seats, join with Democrats to force a vote to overcome the reckless, anarchistic Tea Party radicals, who have no concern over anything, but undermining government, which they hate with a passion.
It is time for these responsible Republicans, who are disgusted with what their party has become, and knowing its future as a serious opposition is in danger, to work with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats to resolve this crisis, and repudiate the irresponsible stand of Speaker Boehner.
And by so doing, Boehner avoids blame from the far right, and would be likely to keep his Speakership, for all that it is worth, which is not much at all, with his loss of stature and prestige as a serious leader of Congress!
The aim must be to insure his defeat for his House seat in 2014, just as Democratic Speaker Tom Foley lost his seat in Washington State in 1994!