GOP congressman: Why wouldn't Democrats want to fund the VA?

Nearly a full 24 hours into a partial government shut down, and the rhetoric has become even more intractable.

CNN polls show most Americans think that lawmakers on all sides of this are acting like spoiled children – which is truly an insult to spoiled children everywhere.

They've all gone home for the night, having achieved nothing all day. In the latest move House Republicans tried and failed to pass targeted, piecemeal bills to reopen parts of the government in the short term, including national parks and claims processing at the department of Veterans Affairs.

"I don't consider funding the Veterans Administration, the GI bills, as piecemeal," said Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy, of California. "If there's elements or places of the government we can agree on, then why punish them?"

McCarthy said Republicans "never wanted to shut the government down."

The shutdown did not stop the health insurance exchanges under Obamacare from opening as scheduled today. And aside from a few error messages – well, several of those, actually – people have been signing up throughout the day.

If Republicans are truly interested in reforming Obamacare, then there are other ways to do it, their approach does not appear to be a good faith effort at reforming the health care law.

"Ten times this year, (Obama) has delayed one portion of Obamacare," said McCarthy. "He has acknowledged it has problems."

For more of our interview with Rep. Kevin McCarthy, watch the video above.