What’s going on with the Republican leadership in Congress?
There’s been so much news lately about intra-Republican wars in Congress between the GOP regulars and the conservatives (such as McConnell and Ted Cruz, respectively) that it’s hard to sort out. In fact, I spent several hours last night reading article after article about it and came out of the experience with a singular lack of clarity and a huge amount of frustration, not only with the situation itself but with the unclear and shallow way it’s being written about.
It’s almost impossible to untangle the massively knotted skein of what’s actually happening. I don’t mean what the right is saying is happening, or what the establishment is saying is happening, or what the left is saying is happening, or the MSM, or various blogs on the right. I mean trying to figure out the truth. What are the goals and motives of each side—particularly the decidedly unsympathetic McConnell—besides the givens of gaining power and money, that is?
This Politico article is one of the few pieces that tries to explain how McConnell got to the pinnacle of power that he’s reached. It’s a mystery to most of us way-outside-the-beltway folks, who look at him and see a guy who looks uncharismatic, unappealing, and doesn’t radiate Machiavellian power. He almost fades into the background; the nickname “turtle” seems fairly descriptive.
But of course it’s not:
…[McConnell] achieved his iron-fisted grip on the politics of his home state and his fractious party on Capitol Hill through discipline, cunning and, oftentimes, fear. Which is why, at the moments that have found him happiest””winning elections, blocking bills, denying the sheen of bipartisanship to President Barack Obama””he has radiated not joy but menace. Stepping to the microphones at a Capitol press conference some years ago, he announced with the slightest trace of a smile, “Darth Vader has arrived.”
Conservatives dislike him a great deal: he likes to bluster and then to compromise and cave. Not to cave to them, but to the Democrats. That’s seen as a series of unforced errors, and conservatives are angry about it (that includes me, by the way).
McConnell started out in politics as a moderate Republican in a blueish state, and as time went on he moved to the right. But that change has seemed to be less about ideology and principle and more about politics and power.
In a state that was predominately Democratic, being a moderate was the only way to get elected as a Republican. But over the years, as the national GOP moved rightward, McConnell, whose ideology was power, moved with it.
So, why did he become a Senate leader in the party?:
Although registered Democrats still outnumber registered Republicans, Kentucky’s eight-member congressional delegation contains only one Democrat, and Democrats have not had a federal statewide candidate win there since President Bill Clinton was reelected in 1996. “There are now three or four generations of Kentucky political leaders who count McConnell as their mentor,” says Josh Holmes, McConnell’s former Senate chief of staff, who is now a senior adviser to the minority leader’s embattled campaign.
When Senate Republicans elected McConnell as their leader in 2006, they did so very much because of his reputation as a party-builder with a killer instinct.
He did block Obama’s agenda when he was Minority Leader, enforcing party discipline. But now that he’s Majority Leader, the task is different and his clashes with the conservative wing expose the fact that ideologically he’s not really a conservative at all.
Here’s another description:
Even for a politician long hailed for his pragmatism””“McConnell’s gift is his brutally candid assessment of reality,” Dyche says””his rapprochement with Paul is remarkable, and in some respects risky. “It’s so transparently cynical that it feeds into the whole ”˜he’ll do anything to keep power’ charge,” one McConnell loyalist told me. “And I think, given his lack of personality, that’s what makes him vulnerable.
Mike Lee and Ted Cruz have been fighting McConnell for quite some time, as the article shows. They’re still fighting
More here and here about the Senate infighting.
But the infighting between conservative Republicans and establishment Republicans isn’t limited to the Senate. The House has gotten into the act too on the highway bill and its amendments or lack thereof.
Some of this is a disagreement in political strategy. As best I can piece it together, one of McDonnell’s motives (besides the aforementioned power/money) is that he believes that in 2016 it will be beneficial to Republican candidates to be able to point to a record in this Congress of a modicum of cooperation rather than blocking Obama or introducing more extreme bills. I think that approach is wrong, both because people will still view Republicans-lite as evil Republicans, and because if McConnell angers the base any further he loses them, and without them he can’t win.
People sometimes compare politics to watching sausage being made. But watching sausage-making sounds like a walk in the park compared to what’s going on in Congress right now.
I can’t figure it out either. Sometimes the conservatives seem to lack strategic thinking, but I don’t trust McConnell not to compromise too far. I hope we get a Walker or Fiorino on our team who can make the conservative case without screaming–someone who can set priorities and has the trust of the people that they will proceed to step 2 after step one is accomplished.
This article could also be called The Harry Reid story.
Mitch defines the Ruling Class. Or as Carly would say, the Professional Political Class.
Big talk. No action. Status quo. Money roles in.
The rino caucus is primarily interested in maintaining their position within the beltway. That is at the top of their agenda. They are, for the most part, anti-conservative. They like big, overreaching government that favors the interests of the big donor class. Its not a mystery.
To explain it clearly is to reveal how many republicans are really democratic socialists, and not republicans and beyond the term RINO…
you have to make a list and sort it by the old and left to even start sorting it out… till you have three categories.
1) communist leftist insuring both sides of arguments are controlled by one
2) those not on the left but using their offices to pad their pockets to the point where they do what the left wants to be remunerated
3) the very few who are actual republicans and caught between a rock and a hard place.
the first two dominate the whole as they are the majority… the last one cant act fully cause it has to pick its fights or be delt out.
this is the big issue with party politics which is what we have given you cant really donate to candidates..
Long ago, the left realized that you can run on the right win, and sew up the whole, and then the one elected on the right just plays bad cop to the good cops. this is why they “threw” the past elections as they also get more election money but waste it without being effective.
remember, if your going to throw the game, you have to make it look like you lost not like you threw the game.
take the case of malcom smith and how its reported.
Feds say Democratic lawmaker wanted to bribe his way onto GOP ballot in NYC mayor’s race
respectfully, they are one dem, and a category 2 republicans…
but CNN takes this cut:
Corruption case a blow to GOP diversity
why? cause the lawbreaking dem bribing their way in is black..
so which is it? some said republicans making money letting dems pay them for sellng out, or is it a race charge in whcih the republicans lose diversity by not allowing a black democrat willing to bribe officials into office?
parker:
I already said power and money as motives; that’s a given. It’s a given among most politicians, and always will be. It explains some, but not all, in my opinion. You have to read all the details in the linked articles about the machinations going on right now to understand why I say this.
I once worked for a Naval Officer who thought like a politician. Whenever an issue or problem came up he would immediately go into this mode of thinking: What will the big brass think, what will SECDEF think, what will my sailors think, how will this be perceived in the civilian world, and the final piece of the puzzle – how can I address this and enhance my career?
It was a new experience for me. I had always been in operating units and our problems usually consisted of a mission and how we accomplished that mission. Except for directions or commands from higher authority, we never gave a second thought to how what we were doing to complete the mission would look to anyone else. That tour of duty (2 years) gave me an insight into how the Pentagon and Washington DC work. It was not my cuppa, and probably the reason why I did not go far. I was an operator, not a politician.
IMO, that is why so much of what we see in our representatives seems so mystifying and horrifying. We see what appears to be a straightforward way to solve a problem, but we don’t see the checklists of donors, lobbyists, friends, other party members, journalists, personal preferences, career enhancement chances, etc., etc. that influence what actually happens. A whole lot of it stinks, but unless the electorate becomes much better informed, it isn’t going to change. We want and need problem solvers – operators if you will – we’ve got a bunch of politicians who don’t necessarily benefit from solving problems.
I just finished reading Ann Coulter’s book, “Adios, America!” She lays out the immigration problem and exposes all the interest groups that oppose reform of our immigration system. (Democrats, certain businesses, La Raza, the Mexican government, the MSM, and others.)
The solution is quite clear:
1. Close the border. Also tighten up tracking of aliens who come here on visas to make sure they leave when the visa runs out.
2. Change our legal immigration program to taking foreigners who will be able to be self supporting.
3. Require illegals who are here to register. Deport those who are criminals or unable to support themselves. Give work permits to those who can support themselves.
Straightforward, no? But those steps are opposed by so many interests in this country that the politicians cannot/will not solve it. It is my opinion that California will have to try to secede and rejoin Mexico before enough voters wake up to what’s happening and will vote for some problem solvers.
I read the articles, and my take remains the same. The McConnells of the gop do not want to reverse the course of ever expanding federal power; they simply want to be at the helm. And, they want the approval of the msm which means they yearn to be recognized as ‘moderates’.
McConnell is married to Elaine Chao, who has received 35 Honorary Doctorates.
Wiki says,”In 2010, the OpenSecrets website ranked McConnell, because of net household worth, one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. Senate at the time, because of gifts given to him and his wife in 2008 from his father-in-law James S.C. Chao.”
Just behind John Eff Kerry?
Ah So.
Jimmy J:
I really think you nailed it.
Jimmy J:
“We see what appears to be a straightforward way to solve a problem, but we don’t see the checklists of donors, lobbyists, friends, other party members, journalists, personal preferences, career enhancement chances, etc., etc. that influence what actually happens.”
I’ve posted this tandem here before.
Matt Continetti’s exposé of DC wheelings and dealings:
http://freebeacon.com/columns/divorce-beltway-style/
* Matt shines a critical light on the Dems, but leaves little doubt the GOP plays the same game.
+
Related, Obama’s relationship with corporate America:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704900004576152254129083120
Jimmy J:
“A whole lot of it stinks, but unless the electorate becomes much better informed, it isn’t going to change. We want and need problem solvers — operators if you will — we’ve got a bunch of politicians who don’t necessarily benefit from solving problems.”
That quaint notion goes to the since-discredited idealistic founding conceit of blogs like Neo’s that ‘sunlight is the best disinfectant’.
Informing, while necessary, is not by itself transformative – activist – action.
Simply informing the electorate won’t rid America of the reindeer games that maneuver power and influence and the people’s resources (and credit), and the law itself, unrestrained by the people’s vote. They’re organic to the system and culture.
Electoral politics, while necessary, are too limited in reach to effect the reform you want. See the Greek referendum as a recent stark example. The only hope to beat the trends is to take on the reindeer games competitively.
The activist game is the only social cultural/political game there is. Pragmatic politicians like McConnell, as demonstrated by the Clintons, will react favorably when they’re compelled by environmental conditions constructed and controlled by winning activists.
IMO, both Jimmy J and parker are correct.
“I once worked for a Naval Officer who thought like a politician. Whenever an issue or problem came up he would immediately go into this mode of thinking: What will the big brass think, what will SECDEF think, what will my sailors think, how will this be perceived in the civilian world, and the final piece of the puzzle — how can I address this and enhance my career?” Jimmy J
Notice how doing the ethically correct thing is never even considered in the political calculus?
“IMO, that is why so much of what we see in our representatives seems so mystifying and horrifying. We see what appears to be a straightforward way [ethically obvious] to solve a problem, but we don’t see the checklists of donors, lobbyists, friends, other party members, journalists, personal preferences, career enhancement chances, etc., etc. that influence what actually happens.” Jimmy J
Considerations as to the “donors, lobbyists, friends, other party members, journalists, etc.” are what advances or retards the politician’s chance of career enhancement…
“The McConnells of the gop do not want to reverse the course of ever expanding federal power; they simply want to be at the helm.” parker
The larger the trough of slop, the greater the feasting and, the alpha dog gets first ‘choice’.
“And, they want the approval of the msm which means they yearn to be recognized as ‘moderates’.” parker
More than anyone, politicians recognize the power of the MSM to influence how the public votes.
“They are, for the most part, anti-conservative. They like big, overreaching government that favors the interests of the big donor class. Its not a mystery.” parker
Bingo. And because they do, a vote for a GOP RINO presidential candidate is simply a vote for slow acting poison, rather than the left’s gas chambers.
BTW, that assertion is not support for a third party because it’s too late for that, just as its too late to try to take over the GOP from within. The Left has given both party’s Crony Capitalists “enough rope to hang themselves” and have indoctrinated half of America (increasing every day with immigrants both legal and illegal) into support for slaying the “golden goose” (America’s culture of hard work, personal responsibility and individual liberty).
I do take issue with Jimmy J’s prescription for stopping illegal immigration as unnecessarily cumbersome, divisive and expensive. The answer to illegal immigration is however, simple… go after the employers, HARD… with NO benefits for illegals. No jobs, no benefits = no immigration because the great majority are here for the jobs and benefits. They don’t want to be Americans, they’re here to feast on America’s carcass “while the gettings good”.
As a conservative my primary interest is whether or not the Republicans move the country in a conservative direction. I expect a lot of byzantine interactions.
The problem is that the Republicans seem incapable of fighting the left no less actually winning.
Harold: “The problem is that the Republicans seem incapable of fighting the left no less actually winning.”
Your statement contains the explanation to the problem.
You implicitly assign to the Republicans the task of “fighting the left”. Yet it’s not for Republicans to compete with the Left across the spectrum of social culture and politics. It’s for the Republicans to take on the Democrats. It’s for the Right to take on the Left.
If the collective Right does its part to defeat the collective Left, then – and only then – can the Right-powered and Right-controlled Republicans do their part in the activist game by defeating the Left-shorn Democrats.
Taking from my last comment, one tweak. I said: “Informing, while necessary, is not by itself transformative — activist — action.”
That’s not quite right. Informing the electorate is activist action insofar it’s tailored to win the Narrative contest of the activist game. In other words, informing the electorate is effective in terms of re-educating the people.
One more add:
Jimmy J: “We want and need problem solvers — operators if you will”
Activist = problem solver/operator.
The switch of perspective you need to make is to look out from the familiar ground of the GOP and electoral politics. Don’t stop looking at the GOP and investing in electoral politics, but what you seek is not located primarily within the GOP.
The problem solvers and operators you seek may not exist – yet – outside the GOP, either, but that’s where they need to be constructed, organized, and deployed in order to earn the effect you seek, by honest competition.
Eric, I ask this with all respect. What specific “activism” do you propose?
Y also proposes un-feeble action. I wonder what that might be, beyond insinuation.
No doubt, the time has come for something definite.
What that is, is not even discussed.
There is a 3, perhaps 7, percent solution. The day is coming, alas, when the shtf. We shall then learn which side we are on. Don’t want to see it happen for the well being of my children and grandchildren, but imo it is unavoidable because even if a real, steadfast conservative wins in 2016, he or she will be thwarted by the rinos in congress and by the courts.
parker Says:
July 28th, 2015 at 10:38 pm
And by the permanent bureaucracy, which is thoroughly Leftist.
We are not going to vote our way out of this. It’s beyond recovery. The government is too corrupt, and the citizenry are too spoiled, ignorant, and depraved.
Well, here’s a little ray of light:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/28/john-boehner-coup-mark-meadows-files-motion-oust-h/
I don’t expect it to come to fruition, but it’s a start.
rickl, sadly I can’t see a peaceful solution. I am too old to put up with much more of the bs. My only wish is to be viable for the first few days of the civil war 2.0
McConnell has moved beyond log-rolling — and is now able to skate on ball-bearings.
Hence, he can turn on a dime, and his body often is simply following his feet… he can’t lead with the head or the heart.
rickl…
The high yield bond market is emitting a thunderous sell signal.
0care is contracting the money supply — as described at some length before in prior threads.
The top authorities are already aware that the money supply growth is rolling over.
BUT, they can’t put their finger on it. !!!!!!!!!
A collapsing money supply and crippled housing sector MUST derail the status quo.
Yet this is still not even muted by the market pundits.
I’m the only two-eyed man in the era of the blind-sided.
Y also proposes un-feeble action. I wonder what that might be, beyond insinuation.
I mentioned some of the things people have done a few days ago, but that was in older threads.
http://neoneocon.com/2015/07/24/taking-impeachment-off-the-table/#comment-910152
What that is, is not even discussed.
It’s not a good idea to discuss specifics on unsecured communications. The Tea Party did that and the IRS were sent to destroy them.
Still, with that being said, there are still a lot of things that slip through the word filters of the Regime, that they allow people on the internet to foment.
Project Veritas by O Keefe
VoxDay’s never ending fight with SFWA
Baen and other authors rebelling against Hugo vote fixes, via Sad and Rabid puppies.
Planned Parenthood hacks, cracks, and discoveries.
GamerGate and allied efforts to suspend or force the resignation of SJWs in Reddit
Bundy Rance resistance
Above are mostly victories, below are either stalls or defeats.
Tea Party vs Feds.
Wisconsin suppression of Walker supporters
Waco 2
Baltimore and Ferguson riots.
Zimmerman
Eich
A bunch of other things I have forgotten probably +
The victories are much shorter than the defeats, though.
Since politics is rigged, the Tea Party cannot on their own, take on the main battle line of the Left, without support. Especially if the air support from the MSM and the feds are still around.
So people know who was responsible for the hit, from the IRS. They know who is responsible. They know those people must be dealt with. But all they talk about are elections. But elections don’t decrease the military power of the Left.
People know the MSM is responsible for much of the casualties suffered by our side, right? So why do people leave them alone? Because of elections?
If people want to fight a war, the first thing they must do is treat this as a war, with the appropriate tactics and strategy in mind. That’s the fundamental problem at hand, which is why people constantly cry out for a Republican Supreme Leader to tell them what to do.
Nobody’s going to tell you what to do. That ended when the occupation of Iraq and America was taken over by Democrats.
You’ll have to undertake what some call 4th generational warfare, what others call insurgency. There’s no centralized bureaucracy or Republican leadership to tell you what to do, because if there were, the Democrats would take it over.
So people, if they were real Americans, would figure out what to do, especially given the superior command and control the internet gives them over their forefathers and FF ancestors.
Awesome topic and excellent summary Neo. McConnell is a shrewd genius who should not be dismissed or underestimated. “McConnell’s gift is his brutally candid assessment of reality” and the flaw of conservatives is that our overwhelming desire for instant deployment of our principles overlooks the checks and balances that stand in our way. Ironically, those checks and balances are the part of a CONSERVATIVE framework laid out by our Founders. We conservatives act like petulant children who don’t like being told that major obstacles put what we want out of reach, or that smaller steps are the best we can do in the present.
For example in 2013 McConnell knew he couldn’t win the effort to block Obamacare funding. He didn’t want to fund Obamacare, but more importantly, he didn’t want the GOP to reinforce branding as the cruel party of government shutdown. Cruz was a fool to do the shutdown stunt, but it served his personal ambitions at the expense of the appeal of conservatism to the general electorate.
McConnell’s pragmatism needs to be comprehended and not derided in knee jerk declarations of “RINO.”
She is in deep trouble, but a high ranking Democrat will have to come forward to take her on in order for her to lose the nomination. I think that will happen.
Honestly, I see the divide between MY generation who are just getting elected into positions of power (I’m a Gen X person) and the Baby Boomers who have been in office for decades and don’t want to give up their power and have very different ideas about ‘being conservative.’
My generation grew up with very strong memories of Reagan and his leadership style. It influenced us heavily in our search for leaders. I am more than happy to see the 30- and 40-somethings start to take over in Congress and the Senate and change how work is done.
When we say we are doing to reduce government and government spending, we mean it. When we talk about fixing Social Security, we mean it. When we talk about chucking the tax code and starting over, we mean it.
We’re tired of the political class (as Carly Fiorina calls them) telling us they are working for America, when they NEVER do anything or make any significant improvements. I want someone in charge who DOES what he says he’s going to do, who speaks the truth, and who does not back down to the press, the left, or even fellow Republicans who don’t have America’s best interests at heart.