article_snippet: Once again congressional Republicans are using up a valuable chunk of President Obama's political time.
article_snippet: Using up the legislative clock has been central to the Republican strategy since the 2010 midterm elections, a tactic that the Democrats have found difficult to fight back against.
article_snippet: This is what Republicans did in 2010 and 2011 when Republicans warned that Republicans would not raise the debt limit ceiling if Democrats did not accede to Republicans budget demands.
article_snippet: The GOP did the same with the threat of a government shutdown.
article_snippet: Even though the possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act is remote, Republicans keep bringing Even though the possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act is remote up for a debate, forcing Democrats to defend the program and spending more time on a proposal that nobody really thinks stands a chance of passing.
article_snippet: The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans has been pivotal to this strategy as was clear this week.
article_snippet: Since The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans have shown repeatedly that The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans are willing to employ the most extreme measures to defend The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans principles, and that The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans won't allow Boehner to rein The "tea party" faction of the House Republicans in for "practical" political considerations, Democrats can't afford to take the threats lightly.
article_snippet: While it is true that these tactics have hurt the name brand of the GOP and place Republican presidential candidates at greater risk in 2016, many congressional Republicans have been willing to suffer hits in the polls because the tactic has allowed these tactics to continue using up time on the legislative calendar.
article_snippet: By avoiding permanent solutions to budgeting problems, and keeping the debate over these issues in play for even more time, the GOP continues to eat away at Obama's political clock.