bill archer is a former republican congressman from texas, he served as chairman of the ways and means committee during the 1995 government shut down. congressman archer the popular believe is that republicans shut down the government in 19 r-9 5. you disagree. why? >> well, unfortunately our leaders at that time in the house wanted to take credit for it, and that gave president clinton the opportunity to assign the blame to the republicans. in our inside leadership meetings i argued against it, i told them they were making a mistake, but they thought that the public wanted the government shut down. it was a mistake, and the republicans actually did not shut the government down, they sent appropriations bills to the president, which would have permitted the government to stay open, and the president vetoed them, and that shut the government downment again, as i said unfortunately our leaders publicly said they were taking