After a 16-day government shutdown federal government employees are heading back to work.
After a stand-off between Republicans and the White House over funding, the government forced the temporary lay-off of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and brought the nation to the edge of default -- a Reuters/Ipso poll shows more Americans blame the republicans.
. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADRIAN WRIGHT, A FORMERLY FURLOUGHED FEDERAL EMPLOYEE OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH A REPORTER AND SAYING:
WRIGHT: "I would assume it's a devastating blow to their brand."
Senator Ted Cruz emerged as a new face in the Republican party, as he pushed the House to defund the Affordable Care Act.
It was a fight House Speaker John Boehner took up, but couldn't win.
Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL TANNER, AN ANALYST OF THE CATO INSTITUTE, SAYING:
"Well, I think Republicans clearly took a big hit to
