Would a Government shutdown help or hurt Republicans?

[Roemerista]

It seems to be on every Democratic pundit's tongue, the possibility of a 1995 repeat. For obvious reasons if it played out the same the interest is there. The swing helped a less popular Clinton to smash the Republican Brand, and Newt was destroyed in the publicity battle.

Despite my firm belief that it is an unwinnable public image battle for the republicans, my mind is changing. This is not 1995, Obama is not Clinton, and Newt is not there. If the GOP could play its cards right, it could spin the failure to pass a budget previously, as a political slight of hand at the public's expense. Meaning that the budget was not passed because they "knew" hard choices would need to be made, and who better than a GOP house to make them look like the "bad guys." True? Who cares. A story that only enforces our negative image of politicians? Why sure. But that is the line Fox would certainly pick up, its attack has an "extra" dividend because it implies the inability for Dems to govern in such a crisis.

And by crisis I do mean the deficient. Like it or not, the Tea party was successful in making that the topic that is on everyone's minds these days. Other policy issues, such as the prolonged unemployment, are seemingly getting the "shaft" so to speak; the effects of it are seemingly neglected by the media.

Again this is not 1995, and the Republicans also have their news mouthpieces ready to spew their spin in place, to a far greater degree than before.

[Roemerista]

I am assuming a zero-sum game, it is really a question of who is going to be blamed for it.

Oh come on.  How could it 'help' them?

Why it matters who wins the "Spin" game, and who the public ends up blaming for the shut down. If the Dems are put at "fault" than it would quite clearly help them politically.