The government shutdown is now over, but Congress is still back at the same point where they began, thanks to a short term deal that will fund the government until Jan. 15. According to many senators and President Barack Obama, there were no winners or losers in the shutdown battle, but American voters will decide that next November.

Polls have shown that Americans are blaming Republicans for the shutdown. 

Americans are right to blame the GOP because they did not see Democratic senators talking about shutting down the government for 21 hours— but they did see Republican Sen. Ted Cruz doing that.

People did not see Democratic congressmen fighting with a park ranger like Texas Rep. Randy Neugebauer.

People did not see Democrats running to the national monuments when veterans decided to go see their monument and use it as a photo opportunity like Rep. Michele Bachmann.

All of this, plus more, would not have happened if it were for these Tea Party conservatives who are dragging down the Republican Party. 

Moderate Republicans are now guilty by association because they share the same party with extreme conservatives.

The shutdown has hurt the Republican Party so much that it is at its lowest popularity level ever, according to Gallup. The last time they were this unpopular was when they were impeaching President Bill Clinton.

Shutting down the government has killed the GOP’s chances of gaining control of the Senate and keeping the House next year. 

Democrats should be thanking Cruz and Bachmann for forging a path to victory during next year’s election.

When Democrats regain control of the House, the country will be so much better off. 

Real solutions will be presented to America and passed into law because the Democrats will have a unified government again. There might be unnecessary filibusters by Cruz, but by that time his own party will be tired of his antics.

A new poll from CNN has shown that Americans think it is a bad thing the GOP controls the House. The same poll also revealed that most Americans and Republicans think Speaker John Boehner should be replaced. The best way for both of these things to happen will be for the House to be under Democratic control with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi once again taking the speaker’s gavel.

It is obvious that Americans are tired of all the fighting that has come from the House being controlled by Republicans. It is time for that four year nightmare to end.

When Jan. 15 comes, expect the government to shut down again thanks to the Republicans. The fight will be nastier and most likely longer than the shutdown that just happened. 

This fight will only enrage Americans to vote in the midterm elections, and kick out as many Republicans as possible from Congress.

If, and when, Republicans lose the next election they should blame themselves.