Commentator Thomas F. Schaller and the other Democrats in the liberal media blame the Republicans for the government shutdown ("Government shutdown is the Republicans' fault — period," Oct. 1).
The truth is that it was the Democrats who caused the shutdown. Democrats in the Senate and the White House said "we will not negotiate."
To them, the shutdown was preferable to finding a compromise with House Republicans, especially if they could blame the Republicans, which they did with the help of the liberal media.
Future negotiations? Forget it. The Democrats will not negotiate in good faith. Their attitude will be, "We won the last one, we will win this one. What is there to negotiate?"
Joseph Schaum