As most Republicans were taking a victory lap the morning after the elections, a group of conservatives huddled anxiously in a conference room not far from Capitol Hill and agreed that now is the time for confrontation, not compromise and conciliation.
Despite Republicans’ ascension to Senate control and an expanded House majority, many conservatives from the party’s activist wing fear that congressional leaders are already being too timid with President Obama.
They do not want to hear that government shutdowns are off the table or that repealing the Affordable Care Act is impossible — two things Republican leaders have said in recent days.
“If the new Republican leadership in the Senate is only talking about what they can’t do, that’s going to be very demoralizing,” said Thomas J. Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a conservative advocacy group that convenes a regular gathering called Groundswell. Any sense of triumph at its meeting last week was fleeting.
“I think the members of the leadership need to decide what they’re willing to shut down the government over,” Mr. Fitton said.
The positive thing to take away form this is that the GOP may be so distracted by infighting that they are unable to get anything done. And they will certainly have a difficult time getting the votes together in order to pass legislation.
However on the negative side this means that establishment Republicans will be wary of making any deals which might indicate weakness in the eyes of the rabid Right Wing and ensure primary challengers when they come up for reelection.
Ultimately this stand off may simply indicate that even with significantly higher numbers, and the Senate on their side, that the conservatives will be just as ineffectual at leading as they have been in the four years since John Boehner first picked up the Speaker's gavel.
"“I think the members of the leadership need to decide what they’re willing to shut down the government over,” Mr. Fitton said."
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And then when they realize that they are ready to shut down the government of a nation of over 300,000,000 people
1) rather than ensure that Americans don't die for lack of money, or
2) shut down rather than pay for debts ALREADY incurred and which were ALREADY included in the budgeted, or
3) shut down because they absolutely refuse to govern and don't know how to govern and their egos are to big to realize that governing effectively always, always, always, means being willing to negotiate and not getting 100% of what *you* want,
4) or shut down the government of a nation of 300,000,000 people to once and for all put that African-American President in his place...
When they realize what they are ready to do to this country out of their own hubris, arrogance and contempt for that country's very government, they should resign immediately, having realized how grossly they violated their oath of office.
I won't hold my breath, but that's what should happen.
...and we get stuck in the middle, waiting for stuff to get done.
ReplyDeleteIf these maroons are serious, they will compromise and get enough R and D votes so that the President will sign whatever the bill is.
ReplyDeleteI read this week that our Senator from Maine, Angus King (I) has decided to stay with the Democratic Caucus after he spoke with Maine Senator Susan Collins. Together they decided that it would be best for Maine and the country to have one Senator in each caucus. In this manner, they can perhaps bring about the compromise necessary to keep us moving forward.
I know, I know, when pigs fly, but at least these two Senators are going to try and break the gridlock. And that is a start.
IMO these types of article are nothing but utterly ridiculous and transparent space-fillers.
ReplyDeleteThere is NO difference between teabagger and non-teabagger Republicans. They ALL vote the same way.
We're still a two party system. The party of "What's in it for me" and the "Democratic Party". Call them GOP, Tea Party, RWNJ. They're cut from the same cloth and have demonstrated they don't care about their constituents nor their country. Shut down the government once, you're an asshole, twice, you're still an asshole.
ReplyDeletehttp://aattp.org/watch-obama-rips-do-nothing-republicans-nobodys-stopping-you-from-passing-bills-video/
I think the battle will be between the GOP and President Obama. The Republicans never air their dirty linen in public. Not one formerly moderate Republican has risen up on the floor of Congress and said that he/she supports the president and condemned the totally irrational obstructionism of his/her fellows on that side of the aisle. Think of all of those Senate votes when it was thought that the lady senators of New England would vote with the Democrats. They never did. Party discipline always trumps the good of the country (or the world) with Republicans.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Gerrymandering and other GOP election sabotaging tactics should never have been allowed to enter and become imbedded in our election system in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed in the Democrats for being pushovers. Letting the GOP get away with this.