G.O.P.’s Hopes to Take Senate Are Dimming

The New York Times ^ | October 12, 2013 | JEREMY W. PETERS

[Kenny]

WASHINGTON — Next year was supposed to be a prime opportunity for Republicans to retake the Senate. And for a while, everything seemed to be breaking their way: a wave of Democratic retirements, a fluke in the electoral map that put a large number of races in states that President Obama lost, a strong farm team of conservative Senate hopefuls from the House.

Then the government shut down. Now, instead of sharpening their attacks on Democrats, Republicans on Capitol Hill are being forced to explain why they are not to blame and why Americans should trust them to govern both houses of Congress when the one they do run is in such disarray. Complicating the prospects, the grass-roots political force that has provided so much of the energy for conservative victories over the last four years — the Tea Party — is aggressively working against Republicans it considers not conservative enough.

As a result, many Republicans are openly worrying that the fallout from the fiscal battles paralyzing the capital will hit hardest not in the House, which seems safely in Republican hands thanks to carefully redrawn districts, but in the Senate. Republican infighting, they say, has given Democrats the cover they need to deflect blame and keep their majority.

“The Tea Party benefits when the energy is focused on the Democratic Party and their agenda,” said Brian Walsh, a Republican consultant and former strategist for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “What’s concerning is a select few groups trying to turn that fire inward on the Republican Party. And that is not helpful.”

[entropy12]

You took the words right out my brain!

I see so many leftist talking heads on TV news shows expressing “CONCERN” over how the GOP is committing suicide by not giving in to the demoRats. And they never look happy saying that. Why? They should be smiling ear to ear!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

... pick one of two other 'Rat favorite programs for defunding.

EPA and Department of Education.

Can I add a few more?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“And that is not helpful.”

That's a phrase coined by Democrats. What's an alleged "Republican" doing using it.

[Defiant]

We are more than a year away from the next election. Did the Times predict 1994, 2002, or 2010 when we were only one day away? Why would we care what they think now?

[Venturer]

The New York Times just tossing out more crap.

If they weren’t so scared we would never hear anything about he Tea party.,

[knarf]

bullshit

[muir_redwoods]

Says the NY Times. Since they are among the worst sources of news and opinion, who cares?

[butterdezillion]

lol. The only thing lower than their circulation is their credibility. There are always some people who subscribe for the comics, crossword puzzles, and ads - the only things of value in most newspapers these days.

The sad thing is that some of the critters in DC actually get demoralized away from holding firm because they believe the fake Twitters, polls, and propaganda machine. That is one reason those corrupt things continue, the other reason being that public perception is necessary in order for elections to be stolen. These propaganda props are necessary in order for the low-information folks to believe we still have electoral integrity.

[Political Junkie Too]

According to my 2012 election analysis, Republicans were riding high in the Senate until after the convention. After that, they went limp and failed to put any kind of national unified message together.

McConnell and the National Republican Senatorial Committee failed to build a national ticket, and left each candidate to drift in the winds of their own states.

If Republicans fail to retake the Senate in 2014, it won't be because of Cruz or the Tea Party, it will be because of weak and invisible leadership. Given that McConnell is in a primary fight of his own, don't expect him to be the braintrust behind a national "retake the Senate" movement.

If McConnell loses his primary race, expect him to behave like all of his colleagues before him. Expect McConnell to refuse to endorse the winner, and refuse to support what it will take to retake the Senate.

-PJ

[entropy12]

EPA and Department of Education. Can I add a few more?

Dept of Agriculture (they don't grow anything) Dept of Commerce (businesses will sell abroad on their own) Dept of Labor (how does that help grow economy?) All of these departments spend 100's of Billion dollars every year!

[Paladin2]

Add away.

I'd suggest starting out small but pet projects, especially of 0bama. Defund anything CAIR (now WTF?) and the ACORN offspring.

[Paladin2]

Census, we don’t need them for a few more years.

[Paladin2]

Start giving National Parks to the States that want them.

[svcw]

NYT nuff said.

[Venturer]

When you post an article the responses are meant for that article and not for the one who posted it. I wish people here would realize that.

He certainly is not referring to you,but to the article.

[American Constitutionalist]

Tokyo Hoes, or Tokyo homos, which ever way you want to name it.
In reference to Tokyo Rose's psychological warfare.

[cripplecreek]

The taxpayers have given the department of energy some $53 billion to dispose of nuclear waste yet decades after the deal was made they haven’t moved an ounce.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The truth is always the opposite of whatever the New York Twerk says it is.

[American Constitutionalist]

" They keep saying Palin is a has-been. "

Palin " has-been " helping the Vets and stood up for the Vet in Washington.... that's how we respond to them if they call her a has been ..... yes, a HAS-BEEN on the front lines of standing up for Americans.

[hosepipe]

Take the Senate with which republicans..?
Some republicans are little better than democrats some are as bad..

A RINO exodus from the Senate is a good thing...
Electing another RINO in their place is meaningless..

click-> America the Beautiful......