CNN reports that GOP lawmakers are being forced to choose to stand with what they thought were their original Republican values or get behind Trumpism.
Maybe they should have thought of this last year when they got hard thinking about all the harsh legislation they were going to be able to force down our gullets with a Republican in the Oval Office. They knew what he was. They didn’t have to endorse him. They’ve got their Supreme Court Justice now.
Anyway, here’s what they’re up against:
Instead of lining up behind Corker and Flake, the party’s leaders on Capitol Hill closed ranks, desperate to preserve hopes of the tax reform that Trump and establishment lawmakers badly need, despite their mutual antipathy.
“The party is currently being redefined in Donald Trump’s image with his priorities and his tone and way of doing things,” said Matt Latimer, a former aide to President George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“The traditional Republican Party has to decide if they are going to acquiesce to that or rebel against it. Right now the majority of the base seems to be in favor of acquiescing. There are very few willing to revolt right now.”
D’OH!
There seem to be liabilities to stirring up the base with inflammatory and stupor inducing rhetoric, bigotry and appeals to “Daddy’s in charge” deference to authority and over the top patriotism that amounts to little more than flag waving and tears in the eyes at God Bless the USA at NFL football games.
You can have a party completely dedicated to Trump and his boorish, destructive agenda and you can have a government run by his league of loyal lackies.
But you can’t call it a democracy. It’s something else. And excuse me, but the majority of voters in this country didn’t sign on to that.
So, kudos to Flake, Corker, Collins and McCain for finally standing up and saying No. But it’s a little late for fiery speeches when the pitchforks are already fluffing us like hay and the torches are burning things down.
If you’re serious about dismantling Trump, now would be the right time to join the other team and impeach his ass before we can’t find our way home.
If you’re going to be brave, go BIG.
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Another post on the same topic from the failing New York Times.
Does anyone else get the impression that the Republicans are running around with their hair on fire about Trump and they know something about him that we don’t know?
I’m beginning to think they are seeing their window of opportunity closing and they need to nip this in the bud right now. They take a risk if their primary base gets angry about this. Maybe it’s reverse psychology. They still need a critical mass of Republicans in the Senate and as bad as he is, Roy Moore is running for a crucial seat. Maybe all this sound and fury is intended to stir up resentment in the base so that it turns out for Moore in Alabama and Gillespie in Virginia.
It could be 3 dimensional chess or maybe they really mean it.
If the former, I hope is fails. If the latter, they’d better make sure it’s a clean knockout.
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It feels like Fall today. The temperature has dipped and will hover around 50 today here in Pittsburgh.
So I finally busted out my new over the knee boots and black leather jacket, black tank, sweater, socks, distressed jeans and scarf. And I am HOT.
Literally. Too many layers. I’m going to sweat like crazy all day. Ugh!
Filed under: General |
The Confluence 
Excellent post. I was thinking along the same lines. They are now where Hillary was in her campaign when she was warning everyone and where we were before we voted for him. And the current crop of Rs are making the same mistake of going after his character (which didn’t work) when they have to go after his corruption, breaking with the constitutional norms, foreign interference, the big I as in incompetence, his appointments and on and on. It is a minority government elected by a minority holding the rest of us hostage. Find a way to IMPEACH and nothing less.
Ooops… before we voted for her. {should read what I write}
And what about the media? They have to clean up their act in a major way. I just heard Brett Stephens (that fucker) say Clintons lie all the time and Stephanie Ruhle, instead calling him out, said trumpanzees use that all the time. This kind of both sides nonsense has to stop. The Hillary haters among the media are bringing this country down as much as trump and his supporters.
See Bob Somerby’s excellent piece “How he got there” chronicling the news media war on Al Gore.
But Flake, Corker, Collins and McCain could do more than just say NO and still carry a great deal of power in the process. How about they all switch parties go Indy and vote with Dems or become Dems and save the country. And the Dems are just getting silly anyway, they also need diversity in their Party. Easy and that should take care of Trump et al.
These are the people trump has brought to surface and now holding this country hostage.
https://mobile.twitter.com/lachlan/status/923172311481626625
Trump voters turn out Dems and moderate repubs don’t. Simple as that.
I’m still on an all Tom Petty music binge