On what planet is 19 percent of the population the expression of the will of the American people? The GOP has routinely conflated disapproval of or confusion about Obamacare with a desire to defund the law. Now they seem to believe that the American people want to defund the health-care law so much that they are willing to drive the American economy off a cliff. It’s beyond delusional. This is government of, for, and by the fringe.

Could people in Congress possibly behave another way when they disagree with the president on an important policy matter? Yes, it turns out they could. In April 2007, when 76 percent of Americans said the Iraq War was going badly, a CBS/New York Times poll found that 36 percent of all adults wanted Democrats to withhold funding for the Iraq War if no timetable for withdrawal was set. Did the Democrats take the U.S. government to the brink of disaster to get this accomplished? No, they didn’t. They included a timetable in an Iraq War spending bill. President Bush vetoed it, and Democrats relented in the face of outrage from their liberal flank. It’s worth noting that the Iraq War was a demonstrable mistake involving life and death. Obamacare is essentially government run-health insurance that hasn’t even fully launched. The hysteria and hostage-taking of Wacko Bird, Inc. is not reasonably matched to the current situation.