Article on Michael Needham from the WSJ. A 31 year old was behind the shutdown.

Michael Needham: The Strategist Behind the Shutdown

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303382004579129360000422966

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"The strategy from day one once it passed was repeal, repeal, repeal," Mr. Needham says. Republicans were "very split as to what to do. Some said, 'Look, it's the law of the land, how do we improve it?' Our response was we're not going to tweak it, we're not going to fix it, we're going to get rid of the whole law." That vision and the ensuing battle plan have impressively—or ruinously, depending on your point of view—culminated in the current shutdown.

Mr. Needham is a Stanford business-school grad, conservative to the core, uncompromising and skilled in the smash-mouth politics now played in Washington. His first job was as research assistant—then speech writer and eventually chief of staff—for Heritage founder Ed Feulner, who stepped down as president in April. (Full disclosure: I worked for Mr. Feulner from 1983-88.) Mr. Needham's new boss at Heritage is Jim DeMint, the former South Carolina senator whose former aides populate the staff of Sen. Cruz and other conservative groups and work closely with Mr. Needham.

Mr. Feulner was famous for preaching that "in the war of ideas there is no room for pacifists," and Mr. Needham has taken those words to heart. To his admirers, he has pushed the Republicans to show backbone and stand up for principle. His detractors, many of them inside the party, denounce him as everything from cocky to a GOP wrecking ball.

Several sources I have interviewed inside and outside of Heritage have complained of late that Mr. Needham's $7 million lobbying shop has become the tail that wags the $75 million think tank. "I hope that's not true," he responds. He says Heritage Action amplifies the message of Heritage scholars



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