If Congress is unable to come up with a compromise to continue to fund the federal government by Monday's midnight deadline the government will be shut down for the first time in 17 years. Publicly the majority of legislators have been trying to prevent the shutdown, or at least appearing as if they are trying to do so, but some in the government are fired up by the fundraising boon that a shutdown may provide, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, hadn't even sat down after his 21-hour speech aimed to sway support for the defunding of the Affordable Care Act before millions of emails had been sent out from the Senate Conservatives Fund, a lobbying group that gives money to only those on the far right of the Republican party, trying to seize the opportunity to raise some funds, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"We can win this fight, but we must do our part," the email read. "If you want to help us continue to put pressure on wavering Republicans, please donate $5 or more. We are doing everything we can to win this critical fight."
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., have also sent out email messages using the current congressional fight as a reason to donate. The Sunlight Foundation, a non-partisan group that tracks campaign activity, said that at least seven legislators have fundraisers scheduled for this week, USA Today reports.
Those on the left are also trying to cash in as they see a possible government shutdown as a great opportunity to place the blame on House Republicans and attempt to seize back control of the chamber in 2014. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has set a goal of collecting 25,000 online donations to give a "show of support for President Obama at this critical moment," according to USA Today.
"Demonizing the opposition is central to the process [of raising money]," Steven Smith, a political science professor at Washington University in St. Louis, told the Los Angeles Times. "The more important the development in Washington, the easier it is to scare potential donors into handing over the cash."
Some in Congress believe that at times legislation is taking a backseat to fundraising; Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., believe that a vote in the Senate was postponed for his reason, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"I am understanding the reason we are waiting is the senators have sent out press releases and emails, and they want everybody to be able to watch," Corker said. "It does not seem to me that is in our nation's interest, nor is it, candidly, in the interests of those who want to see good policy on the conservative side come out."
Common Cause, a liberal activist group, is hoping that members of Congress will stop clamoring for donations if a government shutdown occurs, USA Today reports.
"It's unthinkable that in the midst of a shutdown, which may deprive up to 1 million federal employees of their paychecks, members of the House and Senate would pursue a political payday," Karen Hobert Flynn, the senior vice president for strategy and programs, told USA Today.
