Shutdown extension ahead?

The fever is breaking among Republicans, but not likely in the way President Obama had hoped. After weeks of brutal feuding over the best way to attack Obama’s new health-insurance entitlement program, Republicans are rallying around a new strategy: Step back from the debt-limit fight and remain focused on the ongoing battle over funding the federal government. Conservative activists groups made it clear Wednesday that they were not interested in a debt breach. Despite some talk about “sequencing” obligations to avoid default, conservatives seem uninterested in fighting Obama on that...