Indeed, they did have "guns" pointed at their heads. Their choice was simple: pass the resolution, or shut down government forever. Had they shut down the government, the "guns" were every single media outlet in the US blaming them for starving children, shutting down the military, eliminating Social Security payments, and all other evil that could occur. It happened during the Clinton reign, and they haven't forgotten it. There is no way that anything but a continuing resolution would pass, and no way that failure of anything to pass would be total blame on them and them only.
The unfortunate reality is that Obama is President, Reid controlls the Senate, and the mainstream media is on their side. Wishful thinking will not change that.
You make that sound like a bad thing. Especially now, compared to the unrecoverable morass we are currently facing.
Honestly, they should have passed a CR every day, 24 hours at a time, forcing a budget vote. That's why they sent the TEAparty to Congress.
Making excuses for spineless elected officials is no way to go through life.
If you cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Every citizen needs to fight. Once you give up you become a slave.