Sen. Richard M. Burr on Thursday took aim at conservatives who have threatened to shut down the federal government if the 2010 health care law is not defunded, calling it the "dumbest idea I've ever heard." In an audio recording posted by Public Radio International's Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich, the North Carolina Republican was asked by reporters if he was supportive of the efforts led by GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marco Rubio of Florida. "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard of," Burr said. "As long as Barack Obama is president, the Affordable Care Act is going to be the law." One reporter — we suspect The Associated Press' Andy Taylor — noted Burr was in the House during the 1995 government shutdown that proved disastrous for Republicans. "I was around in 1995," Burr acknowledged. "Some of these guys need to understand that if you shut down the federal government, you'd better have a specific reason to do it that's achievable. Defunding the Affordable Care Act is not achievable through shutting down the federal government." (more…)
