Despite - or maybe because of - the Ted Cruz 21 hour talkathon, the National Journal is reporting that House Republicans have conceded defeat on connecting a defunding measure to the CR, choosing instead to hold the debt ceiling vote hostage by including a one year delay in implementing the individual mandate: In a private conference call Tuesday night, talk among conservatives centered on using the funding bill to "chip away" at Obamacare rather than defund it entirely, according to one senior GOP aide familiar with the conversation. "People were very cautious," the aide said, noting the change in tone and language. "There was not an enormous amount of fight from members." Indeed, according to several lawmakers and GOP aides familiar with House Republicans' recent strategy sessions, lawmakers have abruptly shifted from swinging for the fences to playing small ball - dropping demands that the bill defund the program and instead calling for conservative policy riders to be...(Read Full Post)