I have a question for people who hate the GOPe
Yesterday the Senate GOP did something a lot of people thought they’d never do: used the nuclear option in order to clear the way for the confirmation of Gorsuch.
I’m certainly not going to defend all the actions of the GOP in Congress; I’ve criticized them plenty myself. But I’ve also defended them on many occasions too numerous to mention, pointing out that a great many people on the right expected them to do things that just were not possible, and were incredibly angry at them as a result, and that in some cases it was those people who were being unreasonable.
I’m not going to re-fight those battles now, or even link to them, but anyone who reads this blog probably knows what I’m talking about.
What I’m wondering now, though, is this: did some of you think the GOP wouldn’t have the cojones to do this? Were you surprised that they did? Are you willing to give them any credit for it? Does it change your general opinion of them at all?
Yeah I give them credit but I would argue that we are really only talking about a handful of people in the senate on this issue. McCain, Graham, Collins, Murkowski and Hatch are the ones that come to mind. Just about all the rest were pretty solid on this particular issue.
No, I was not surprised. My interpretation of McConnell’s recent statements was that he would “push the button” if necessary. I believe it was the optimal course of action open to the GOP. As a result, the GOP has gone up slightly in my estimation, although I consider Devin Nunes’ temporary recusal to be something of an offset.
I don’t really hate the GOPe. Mostly disappointed.
I give full credit to Trump. He stiffened their spine. It is now all about winning. The unhinged response of the Dems to Trump apparently crystallized the thinking of the GOPe.
IOW, the Left is insane and therefore we can’t help them anymore.
The SC appointments–particularly Trump’s list–were the reason I voted unhesitatingly for Trump. Because of my religious views, the fact that he won, encouraged my hope for our country’s future. I have felt contempt from time-to-time for the GOP, but I have always voted along party-lines because of my pro-life position. I am not surprised–but am relieved. Hoping for the best going forward.
Well, despite my continual mockery of sensitive conservatives, and my support for Cruz in the primaries, I am probably not at the extreme end of those who despise the GOPe. My ire was mostly reserved for the GOP senate
Now McConnell specifically? Yes. And yes I am surprised.
He was the one Cruze mentioned by name in his famous Senate speech. He looked as though he lived to be rolled.
He always looked like a frightened or nonplussed man, and I have no idea where he found the ballast to do what he did.
Perhaps he finally realized he had nothing to lose with the collegiality hammock’s unraveling since the Demos had already pulled half the strings themselves earlier, and would do so fully, the next chance they had to dump the Repubs on the ground.
I was absolutely surprised, and I’m definitely a GOPe trasher. It started with the Garland nomination and they’ve followed through with Gorsuch. That’s enough for me to call it an institutional hardening and not a oncer.
I don’t think we should underestimate the ramifications. It appears that the GOP Senators have, belatedly (by at least 30 years), realized that they’re in a brass knuckles fight and not a country club. To me, that’s pretty much independent of Trump. I also think they *might* have realized that they were one defeat away from losing it all.
I’ll give Trump (and not the GOPe) credit for targeting the administrative state though. If the GOP were to start playing the long game like that they might even get some respect from me.
Blowing up the Dems’ judicial filibuster, originally instituted to harass Bush, was the right and obvious thing to do. The GOP held firm on the Biden Rule as well, which was also the right and obvious thing to do.
Make them play by their rules.
Duh.
That being said, I don’t trust any of these squishes not to squish out at the first possible opportunity.
I’m one of those with little use for the GOPe. I do not hate them, I am contemptuous of them.
I’m not surprised at this but can only give limited credit to them. Based on their past actions, I suspect it to be far more likely they did it for reasons of self-preservation, than out of concern for the nation’s welfare. Which is nearly always the case with them. Self-serving actions do not deserve the credit that sacrificial or principled actions deserve.
Those who promise the public principled service in order to be elected, who then place their retaining of office first, deserve neither respect nor credit.
It is the cynical lip service the GOPe engages in, wherein my contempt for them arises.
The only vote that surprised me was Collins vote. As far as the gope is concerned, I don’t expect them to always do what I desire, just bat .400.
Like a bad comic in a low-end nightclub the GOPe gets 1 applause-worthy line. So I applaud their consistency on the SCOTUS nominees…making Garland go away AND confirming Gorsuch. Those are of a whole piece in my mind.
I still don’t trust McCain or Graham or even Ryan…so, I am not dialling back my GOPe loathing just yet. What is it you say neo…? “We’ll see.”
A lot of those commenting here seem to agree with me. I am surprised they had it in them to pull that nuclear trigger. But I am proud and happy they did. Time to put up or shut up and time to realize why they have that majority now. So maybe they finally get it. I approve and am still doubtful of them concerning further actions.
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1. I was a little surprised that they actually did it. But they had no other option really. The democRATS have gone completely over the cliff and are irrational to the point of being ‘openly’ willing to damage the country to win partisan political battles.
2. Not really. Again, with the rats digging in, if they did not do it, it would clearly demonstrate to everyone with a pulse that they were just democrat lite.
3. Absolutely.
4. The republicans are a far more diverse group than the rats. They are never going to march in lock-step. Still though, there is a not small group in the Senate and House who are against Trump and his agenda and were happy with the status quo. Let’s see how things unfold. It’s only been 10 weeks.
Neo, ask that question again after the votes on:
1. funding a border wall (remember when it was border security first, then immigration “reform”)
2. de-funding planned parenthood
3. reducing the budget of several departments, including state, HUD, HHS, EPA
4. de-funding NEA
5. tax reform including reducing corporate tax rate
6. actually cutting the budget of anything– and I don’t mean reducing the rate of increase
7. do some heavy lifting on the entitlement cliff that is social security and Medicare (actually anything would be nice)
8. If they decide to enshrine the new entitlement of health insurance, actually providing the revenue for it, rather than expanding the program with the revenues increases coming in years 8, 9 and 10
John Kasich is heading the effort for a constitutional convention for a balanced budget amendment. I think there needs to be an additional 5 states. This could do more to save the republic than…. well anything.
did some of you think the GOP wouldn’t have the cojones to do this?
No. They had no choice.
Were you surprised that they did?
No.
Are you willing to give them any credit for it?
Mmm. Maybe.
Does it change your general opinion of them at all?
Need to see a trend.
What Brian E said.
Good list, Brian E.
Lol the Akinsky rule turns around and bites his minions in the
Asse “hold them to their own standards”
Gotta love that one Hillary & Shumer. Huh???
My frustration and contempt for the GOP mostly falls two places:
1. They neither comprehend nor believe in small gov and free markets. It follows that, when on the stump, they cannot make such a case to voters.
2. They do not play to win. Rather, they play to lose more slowly. When engaged with the pretend media: GOP are frightened bunnies. Trump demonstrates how to play to win. Also, if one must lose, here is the best strategy for losing more slowly: play to win
I don’t hate the GOPe, although I do think they are politicians first (and maybe second also), and thinking about the good of the country last. That said, I remember well 9/11 and how sure I was that Bush was going to blow up an aspirin factory somewhere and call it even. I was surprised when his response was significantly other. This, and refusing to bring Garland for a vote, are both actions that surprised me. I do give them credit. Whether I change my opinion of them remains to be seen.
Waidmann
Heck, I’m probably in the GOPe. I can’t honestly blame them for being mad at Trump, he said some mighty mean things about them in the primary, and politicians are known to carry grudges. But those things needed to be said, because Trump was the only candidate who could have won the Presidency, and given the Republicans another chance. (Can you just imagine how Jeb vs. Hillary would have turned out? He’d be lucky to even carry Florida.)
Heck, I’m probably in the GOPe. I can’t honestly blame them for being mad at Trump, he said some mighty mean things about them in the primary, and politicians are known to carry grudges. But those things needed to be said, because Trump was the only candidate who could have won the Presidency, and given the Republicans another chance. (Can you just imagine how Jeb vs. Hillary would have turned out? He’d be lucky to even carry Florida.)
I despise the Senate (and other) Democrats. It was pretty obvious what had to be done re Gorsuch. McConnell showed his spine when he refused to consider the Garland nomination, entirely within his Constitutional power also, and to my great relief.
So I applaud McConnell et al. for doing the obviously right thing and doing away with filibusters for SCOTUS nominees, just as Reid did for all lesser Federal judgeships. The next thing to do is to do away with the filibuster altogether. Those good ol’ days are gone, as long as Democrats breathe air.
“Trump was the only candidate who could have won the Presidency”
Not this tired falsehood again.
I am certainly pleased, but somewhat surprised that the Republicans voted unanimously.
It is nonetheless dismaying that the Senate is abandoning a portion of the role assigned it in the Constitution as a deliberative assembly of wise and mature individuals which could hold in check the rash and risky acts that a mere and temporary majority might desire. Some legislation is of such sweeping scope that it should only be passed by a supermajority. I would put any measures which expand the role of the Federal government in that category.
One would hope that the filibuster will be retained for legislation. If not, the Senate will be nothing but a smaller House of Representatives, and our nation will have taken another step towards becoming a banana republic.
“They neither comprehend nor believe in small gov and free markets.”
Not sure where trump becomes the antidote to this.
“Trump demonstrates how to play to win. “
Sure he does. Create distraction and controversy, so that the GOP are constantly badgered by the msm to respond and defend trump on them.
Hey, why not? There isn’t anything more important to do, right?
Oh, and trump very much likes to point to polls that show how much he is “winning!” – what does that say about his “demonstration” so far?
“did some of you think the GOP wouldn’t have the cojones to do this? Were you surprised that they did? Are you willing to give them any credit for it? Does it change your general opinion of them at all?” – Neo
Think you see from the above comments, here, that few (of the ones you were addressing), if any, budged whatsoever.
Some even give trump the credit?
Like the commenter you debated with a short while ago, doubtful folks had to organize anything larger than a small PTA, if they think all it takes are cojones / backbone / spine to get ones own way in a legislative body.
Didn’t Cruz give that mode a good college try on the debt ceiling? Yah, it didn’t work out so well.
“What I’m wondering now, though, is this: did some of you think the GOP wouldn’t have the cojones to do this?”
I did not think they would.
“Were you surprised that they did?”
I was and am.
“Are you willing to give them any credit for it?”
Yes.
“Does it change your general opinion of them at all?”
I am doing a majot audit of my thinking to determine what needs to be corrected.
This election cycle has triggered a lot of that.
Unless you wanted Hillary to win and really dislike the GOP you might take a moment to savor this appointment as a solid win against the progressive slippery slide that has been going on for the past eight years.
I am a glass half full person and while things have been rather messy so far with Trump he is not Hillary and he is not Barrack and that is a good thing.
With the roll backs recently of the regulations slammed into place during the past year I am delighted. Will we start to make headway in the Middle East after all of the genius decisions made by the State Department in the past eight years, I don’t know but I am will to wait and see.
Since I had minimal expectations of the GOP and the new White House leadership I have been pleasantly surprised. In spite of the media which drove W nuts and which Trump actually seems to use to his advantage we seem to have a decent hand and if we can stay in the game long enough the next four years might be a solid win.
Lots of conditional above but, what the heck, you buy your ticket and you take your chance and with our current GOP that’s good enough for me.
The blunt truth is they had no choice. Either push the “nuculahr” button, as GW would say, or give up on getting anything in the next 4 years. If the GOP had preserved the hallowed history of the senate, then the soul-free Schumer would have had free reign over the rest of the term.
The Dems have been doing this for decades. Banking on the conservatives to have principles whenever the Dems are in the minority while throwing principles to the wind when in the majority. They are shocked that the GOP may be understanding that winning is everything. Trump may well be teaching them that. I hope so because when you are forced to deal with gutter rats, the only real way to beat them is get into the gutter and smash them.
This is the unfortunate and stark reality the Dems have forced onto the system.
Spec: A. Breitbart said “Politics is downstream from Culture.”
Have you tried reasoning with a Leftist lately? Yeah, we’re in a culture war. Politics will have to be this way until we win. Thank God we found a general who fights.
Does Trump get any respect from GOPe types for nominating such a sterling candidate? I think that helped everyone stay strong, the fact that we were going to end up with an excellent Supreme Court justice at the end of it all. If only we could work together like this more frequently.
AMartel:
Trump was widely praised by just about everyone on the right, of all stripes including Never-Trumpers, when he nominated Gorsuch. If you missed it, you can catch up here.
See this article from the Weekly Standard (no Trump supporters they):
http://www.weeklystandard.com/how-mitch-mcconnell-won-the-battle-to-confirm-gorsuch/article/2007596
It was a very close call. Three left leaning GOP senators were ready to vote with the Dems on going nuclear. The usual suspects: Collins, Murk, and Corker. They were mainly concerned about abortion with the next nominee. From reading between the lines in the article, Corker caved from heavy pressure and the weak sisters decided not to take the political heat so they went along.
So no, I still despise the GOPe.
skeptic:
I’m way ahead of you 🙂 .
About an hour before you commented with that link, I posted this post.
“Unless you wanted Hillary to win and really dislike the GOP you might take a moment to savor this appointment as a solid win against the progressive slippery slide that has been going on for the past eight years.” – OldTex
You mistaken this “win” (and, yes, it is a good result) will be lasting.
What will happen WHEN (not, if), the dems have merely 51 votes in the Senate, a House majority, and POTUS?
Think not possible?
Well, maybe trump can borrow another $1-2T to goose the economy and make it artificially seem that the economy is turning around (which only buys us more trouble down the road), but his poll numbers right now are pathetic.
It might be sooner than WE think!
The dems made that very mistake (thinking they’d be able to thwart any conservative changes for the foreseeable future), with the rule changes they advocated. Instead, they gave us cover for “going nuclear”.
So ya, they lost THIS round.
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Will the GOP mend it all back again, but in a way to prevent an easy 51 vote Senate rule change in future?
If not, why bother keeping the filibuster for legislation?
After all, does the UK parliament have anything like a filibuster? Is it really so bad that we start looking more like Europe?