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Burr: Shutdown over defunding ObamaCare 'dumbest idea' ever

Blocking a government funding bill over ObamaCare is "the dumbest idea I've ever heard," Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said Thursday.

Burr argued stopping ObamaCare's funding is not going to be achievable as long as President Obama is in the White House, and that Republicans risked taking the blame if they forced the government to shut down over the issue. 

"I think it's the dumbest idea I've ever heard," Burr told journalist Todd Zwilich on Thursday. "Listen, as long as Barack Obama is president the Affordable Care Act is gonna be law.

"I think some of these guys need to understand that you shut down the federal government, you better have a specific reason to do it that's achievable," Burr continued. "Defunding the Affordable Care Act is not achievable through shutting down the federal government."

Support is building within the House and Senate GOP for using a continuing resolution to fund the government to take a stand on ObamaCare. 

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has been among the loudest voices arguing Republicans should not fund ObamaCare through a government-funding measure. 

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is spearheading the effort and has rallied a number of Tea Party Republicans and members of Senate Republican leadership around the proposal. 

House Republicans are also putting pressure on their leaders over the issue.

On Wednesday, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) also expressed opposition to the proposal.

"I think holding the debt limit hostage to any specific thing is probably not the best negotiating place," Blunt said.