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The New Cruzians Are Ready to Make Life Hell for Mitch McConnell
The Daily Beast ^ | 11.17.14 | Patricia Murphy

Posted on 11/17/2014 7:36:33 AM PST by SoConPubbie

A few bipartisan bills to show everyone a GOP Senate means business? Pledges to keep the government open for business? Not if these three new conservative senators can help it.

Congratulations, Mitch McConnell! You now have the hardest job in Washington.

That dubious distinction used to belong to belong to House Speaker John Boehner, who has struggled since 2011 to manage a GOP majority so unwieldy he called it everything from “frogs in a wheelbarrow” to the “knucklehead” caucus.  
 
But as the incoming Senate majority leader, it will now fall to McConnell to receive legislation from the House, shepherd it past his 53-member majority, and deliver completed bills to the president, all while keeping the government open for business.

McConnell’s difficult job will be made enormously more complicated by the makeup of his incoming three-seat majority. It includes at least three senators eyeing a run for president (Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Rand Paul), and 11 new Republican members, three of whom have been pegged by grassroots activists as the conservative cavalry riding in as reinforcements for the Cruz wing of the party. 
 
Those senators—Joni Ernst of Iowa, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Ben Sasse from Nebraska—were all breakout stars for activists in the 2014 cycle. They raked in millions of dollars from outside groups like the Senate Conservatives Fund, and are the three that conservatives like Steve Deace, the nationally syndicated conservative radio host from Iowa, say they expect the most from.

“What I heard from conservatives I talked to around the country during the election was ‘Who is going to go there and help out Cruz and [Sen. Mike] Lee? Who is going to help out the wacko birds?’” said Deace, referring to the derisive term Sen. John McCain once used to describe Cruz that conservatives now wear as a badge of honor. “Our expectation is that [Ernst, Cotton and Sasse] are going to join the ranks of the wacko birds. That’s our expectation.”

Deace and his listeners won’t be the only ones looking to the trio to for results. So will conservative donors. The Senate Conservatives Fund and its affiliate Senate Conservatives Action, for example, plowed millions into the Iowa, Nebraska and Arkansas races. Ernst received nearly $450,000 in bundled contributions and $475,000 in independent expenditures from the groups for her race. Sasse got $487,000 in bundled contributions and more than $835,000 in outside expenditures in his GOP primary. Cotton picked up about $200,000 in bundled SCF money and saw more than $500,000 in outside SCF money in his race against Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor.

Another major conservative group, Club for Growth Action, poured more than $800,000 into Cotton’s race against Pryor, about $500,000 against Sasse’s primary opponents, and another $297,151 and $186,587 in bundled donations for Cotton and Sasse, respectively.

The first place conservatives will look to the new freshmen to make their voices heard is on immigration, which Ernst and SCF both call “executive amnesty.” The president has indicated he’ll soon take sweeping unilateral action, a move McConnell said won’t draw him into a government shutdown fight when he takes over the majority. 

“There won’t be a government shutdown,” McConnell pledged Thursday, a commitment that left conservatives livid.

“Whatever enjoyment McConnell got out of being elected leader today, enjoy it. Because from this point forward, power is going to be leaving his hands.”

“Mitch McConnell is making promises he can’t keep,” Deace said. “Whatever enjoyment McConnell got out of being elected leader, enjoy it. Because from this point forward, power is going to be leaving his hands.”

Jim Manley, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, predicted that McConnell and the Republicans will safely navigate the lame-duck session, but once the new senators are sworn in, “All bets are off.”

“Sen. McConnell has got a whole bunch of people in his caucus, including those up in 2016, who realize the current strategy [of obstruction] is not going to work, and they need to put some legislative points on the scoreboard,” Manley said. “But whether that’s going to play out remains to be seen, in part because there are three Republicans running for president, none of whom care much about the Senate as an institution nor about their other colleagues’ views, quite frankly. And there are a handful of incoming senators who are very, very conservative.”

But Ron Bonjean, who was a senior staffer to Sen. Trent Lott when he was majority leader, said McConnell not only will have to consider the instincts of conservatives during those votes, but also the needs of several Republicans like Pat Toomey, who is up for reelection in 2016 the blue state of Pennsylvania.

“I do think McConnell knows how to manage his caucus,” Bonjean said. “While there will definitely be turbulence because he has more members to deal with, there are also some other dynamics at play for some of these members.”

Bonjean predicted that like Boehner, McConnell will need to have a majority of his majority on board to get a bill to the floor, but also will have to make the bills bipartisan enough to avoid a Democratic filibuster.  

“Here’s the problem: Even if McConnell has all 53 Republicans, he’s got to get to 60 votes,” Bonjean said. “That’s very difficult to do, so they’re going to have to go for bipartisan victories to begin with, low-hanging fruit that can move through the Senate to show that they can get the work done.”

But low-hanging, bipartisan bills are exactly what Cruz and the grassroots conservatives backing Ernst, Sasse, and Cotton say they don’t want, especially in the face of an Obama executive order. 

“I took an hour of calls yesterday asking what Congress should do if the president acts alone on immigration,” Deace said. “Every call, all over the country, men and women, all said the same thing: Impeach him.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; dailybeast; dnctalkingpoints; gettedcruz; pravdamedia; tedcruz
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"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton

 

"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan

 

"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792

 

"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams

 

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

 


1 posted on 11/17/2014 7:36:33 AM PST by SoConPubbie
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To: SoConPubbie; Kale; Jarhead9297; COUNTrecount; notaliberal; DoughtyOne; RitaOK; MountainDad; ...
Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!
2 posted on 11/17/2014 7:37:02 AM PST by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: SoConPubbie
But Ron Bonjean, who was a senior staffer to Sen. Trent Lott when he was majority leader, said McConnell not only will have to consider the instincts of conservatives during those votes, but also the needs of several Republicans like Pat Toomey, who is up for reelection in 2016 the blue state of Pennsylvania

Sorry Ron, but it is Pat Toomey's responsibility to get Pat Toomey reelected.

3 posted on 11/17/2014 7:43:22 AM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

I’m skeptical of any posts that put Ted Cruz at odds with Mitch or anyone else. Let’s unite under a common cause.


4 posted on 11/17/2014 7:46:25 AM PST by nikos1121
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To: SoConPubbie; Kale; Jarhead9297; COUNTrecount; notaliberal; DoughtyOne; RitaOK; MountainDad
How gently and wonderfully the posted article attempts to deliver bad news to "Conservatives." A triumph of lowered expectations!

Needless to say, the Conservatives in the Senate need to slap the shiite out of the incredibly wealthy, fat, superannuated, slightly bent McConnell and his Geezer Brigade. Forthright opposition to the Democrats would invalidate the entire political life of each of these accommodation artists. After all "going along to get along" has put many millions into their bank accounts.

5 posted on 11/17/2014 7:47:44 AM PST by Kenny Bunk (Aßkloünz)
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To: SoConPubbie

*   


6 posted on 11/17/2014 7:50:03 AM PST by skinkinthegrass ("Bathhouse" E'Bola/0'Boehmer/0'McConnell; all STINK and their best friends are flies. d8^)
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To: SoConPubbie

McBoner will do whatever Obola tells them to do.


7 posted on 11/17/2014 7:50:20 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Any energy source that requires a subsidy is, by definition, "unsustainable.")
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To: nikos1121

I am pretty sure that Cruz would respect the outcome. I just don’t see him screwing up like much of the line of contenders we had in 2012. I think there are a lot of people who won’t be such an embarrassment in the primaries, and will be better organized in their campaign.


8 posted on 11/17/2014 7:51:41 AM PST by Morpheus2009
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To: nikos1121
I helped elect Cruz to be at odds with any liberal republican that stands in the way of a conservative agenda.

Get used to confrontation. It's on the menu.

/johnny

9 posted on 11/17/2014 7:52:19 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: SoConPubbie

I will believe it when I see it.


10 posted on 11/17/2014 7:53:01 AM PST by sport
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To: SoConPubbie
“I took an hour of calls yesterday asking what Congress should do if the president acts alone on immigration,” Deace said. “Every call, all over the country, men and women, all said the same thing: Impeach him.”

IBTCOWCBIWRTDB (In before the cries of we can't because it will rally the demonrat base)

11 posted on 11/17/2014 7:59:45 AM PST by Envisioning (My desire to be well informed is at odds with my desire to remain sane....)
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To: nikos1121

McConnell will never unite with Cruz or anyone under conservatism. The liberalism of the establishment GOP is everything to him.


12 posted on 11/17/2014 8:05:21 AM PST by Olog-hai
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To: SoConPubbie; All

“I sure wish you would stop being no nice to me Captain.” - Cool Hand Luke


13 posted on 11/17/2014 8:07:55 AM PST by notdownwidems (Washington DC has become the enemy of free people everywhere)
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To: nikos1121

If Mitch is ready to act in a conservative , CONSTITUTIONAL manner, no problem. IF NOT, I say GO AT IT TED!!!!!!!!!!! We are behind you!
As Rush Limbaugh said last week, we are IN THE BALLGAME right now!! NOT next year!!


14 posted on 11/17/2014 8:11:56 AM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: JRandomFreeper

SPOT ON Johnny !!!!! You said it well!!!!
GO TED GO!!!


15 posted on 11/17/2014 8:13:08 AM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: Kenny Bunk

Cruz it or lose it.


16 posted on 11/17/2014 8:14:48 AM PST by Reagan Disciple (Peace through Strength)
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To: SoConPubbie
.....doing the job rino's won't do
17 posted on 11/17/2014 8:17:39 AM PST by virgil283 (Gun control is just that : CONTROL)
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To: pollywog

Guess the author did not notice that the age of 60 votes for everything ended, killed by the Democrat Party and I doubt seriously
that the republican majority will revive itr


18 posted on 11/17/2014 8:19:44 AM PST by Bidimus1
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To: nikos1121

If Ted is not at odds with Mitch, he’s not doing the job that Texans sent him to Washington to do. Mitch is a progressive who fights only conservatives. Bob


19 posted on 11/17/2014 8:37:00 AM PST by alstewartfan (A bear won't treat you so You're satisfied to know When he chews you up he still respects you! Al S.)
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To: Bidimus1
Guess the author did not notice that the age of 60 votes for everything ended, killed by the Democrat Party and I doubt seriously that the republican majority will revive it

That'd be great! The Republican Senate leaders playing hardball against the Democrats! About time! McConnell's got the fire in his belly! He's ready for a fight! He's...


...uh, nevermind.

20 posted on 11/17/2014 8:49:36 AM PST by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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