Posted on 02/09/2016 8:46:50 PM PST by Bratch
I speak for myself, and only myself. However, I hope you will indulge these considerations and correct me where I’m going wrong.
On December 23rd 2009 Harry Reid passed a version of Obamacare through forced vote at 1:30am. The Senators could not leave, and for the two weeks previous were kept in a prolonged legislative session barred returning to their home-state constituencies. It was, by all measures and reality, a vicious display of forced ideological manipulation of the upper chamber. I share this reminder only to set the stage for what was to follow.
Riddled with anxiety we watched the Machiavellian manipulations unfold, seemingly unable to stop the visible usurpation. Desperate for a tool to stop the construct in December 2009 we found Scott Brown and rallied to deliver $7 million in funding, and a “Kennedy Seat” victory on January 19th 2010.
Unfortunately, the trickery of Majority Leader Harry Reid would not be deterred. Upon legislative return he stripped a House Budgetary bill, and replaced it with the Democrat Senate version of Obamacare through a process of “reconciliation”. Thereby avoiding the 3/5ths vote rule (60) and instead using only a simple majority, 51 votes.
Angered, we rallied to the next election (November 2010) and handed the usurping Democrats the single largest electoral defeat in the prior 100 years. The House returned to Republican control, and one-half of the needed Senate seats reversed. Within the next two election cycles (’12 and ’14) we again removed the Democrats from control of the Senate.
Within each of those three elections we were told Repealing Obamacare would be job #1. It was not an optional part of our representative agreement to do otherwise.
However, from the writing of Jonah Goldberg, an advocate for modern conservative political opinion, you find the following:
[…] If you want a really good sense of the damage Donald Trump is doing to conservatism, consider the fact that for the last five years no issue has united the Right more than opposition to Obamacare.
Opposition to socialized medicine in general has been a core tenet of American conservatism from Day One. Yet, when Republicans were told that Donald Trump favors single-payer health care, support for single-payer health care jumped from 16 percent to 44 percent. (link)
With control of the House and Senate did Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or House Speaker John Boehner use the same level of severity expressed by Harry Reid to put a repeal bill on the desk of Obama for veto? Simply, NO.
Why not? According to Goldberg it’s the “core tenet of American conservatism”.
If for nothing but to accept and follow the will of the people. Despite the probability of an Obama veto, this was not a matter of option. While the method might have been “symbolic”, due to the almost guaranteed veto, it would have stood as a promise fulfilled.
Yet the professional political class speak of “core tenets” and question our “trust” of Donald Trump?
We are not blind to the maneuverings of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President Tom Donohue. We are fully aware the repeal vote did not take place because the U.S. CoC demanded the retention of Obamacare.
Leader McConnell followed the legislative priority of Tom Donohue as opposed to the will of the people.
This was again exemplified with the passage of TPA, another Republican construct which insured the Trans-Pacific Trade Deal could pass the Senate with 51 votes instead of 3/5ths. This is limiting government? No, this is usurpation of the will of the people.
However, the TPA bill passage provides both an example and a contrast.
We are not blind to the reality that when McConnell chooses to change the required senatorial voting threshold he is apt to do so. Not coincidentally, the TPP trade deal is another legislative priority of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Yet you question the “trustworthiness” of Donald Trump’s definitions of conservatism?
Another bill, the Iran “agreement”, reportedly and conveniently not considered a “treaty”. Again, we are not blind; nor are we blind to Republican Bob Corker’s amendment (Corker/Cardin Amendment) changing agreement ratification to a 67-vote-threshold for denial, as opposed to a customary 67 vote threshold for passage. A profound difference.
Yet you question the “principles” of Donald Trump?
A truly representative political body would be questioning the “ideological conservative principle” of their leader, Mitch McConnell. Or questioning Bob Corker. Both McConnell and Corker working to deny the will of the electorate within the party they are supposed to represent.
Of course, you need to remain willfully blind. You need to keep acting as if we are not aware of these closed door machinations. If you faced us, if you opened yourself to really being questioned by us, it would force you to admit some uncomfortable truths. In years past such a confrontation would have included tar and feathers.
Another example – Lisa Murkowski ? An Alaskan senator who can factually lose her Republican primary bid, yet run as a write-in candidate, without admonishment from the Republican Party, and the professional political class permit her return to the Senate with full seniority and committee responsibilities?
Did the RNC, Reince Preibus, or a republican member of senatorial leadership meet the returning Murkowski and demand a Pledge of Allegiance to the principles within the Republican party? No, but you damned sure required a pledge from candidate Donald Trump. Square that circle.
The “protectionism” and “isolationism” you rail against in the few media appearances where you are brave enough to raise your head, is simply projecting your own protecting of your political interests, and your own isolation to retain your status. We do not forget Mitch McConnell working to re-elect Senator Thad Cochran, fundraising on his behalf in the spring/summer of 2014, even after Cochran lost the first Mississippi primary?
We do not forget the NRSC spending money on racist attack ads. We do not forget the GOP paying Democrats to vote in the second primary to defeat Republican Chris McDaniel. We are well aware the “R” in NRSC is “Republican”.
Perhaps you chose to think we forget. We do not.
You stand jaw agape in admonition of those who have had enough, and are willing to support candidate Donald Trump. Intentionally you must refuse to accept how intensely angry we are. However, specifically because of your refusal, you have now taken yourself further into the bunker and don’t realize the scope of our assembly.
Your latest attempt to quell the rising pitchforks is Paul Ryan; now charged with the definitions of who is allowed to call themselves republican, or conservative.
Tell those definitions to the majority of Conservative Republicans who supported Chris McDaniel and found their own party actively working against them.
Oh, we understand your definitions.
Where is the historical republican “character” in the fact-based exhibitions outlined above?
Remember Virginia 2012, 2013? When the conservative principle-driven electorate changed the method of candidate selection to a convention and removed the party stranglehold on their “chosen candidates”. Remember that? We do.
What did McConnell, the RNC and the GOP do in response with Ken Cuccinelli? They actively spited him and removed funding from his campaign. To teach us a lesson? Well it worked, we learned that lesson.
Representative David Brat was part of that lesson learned and answer delivered. Donald Trump is part of that lesson learned and answer forthcoming – yet these professional political voices speak of “character”.
You speak of being concerned about Donald Trump’s hinted tax proposals. Well, who cut the tax rates on lower margins by 50% thereby removing any tax liability from the bottom 20% wage earners? While simultaneously expanding the role of government dependency programs? That would be the GOP (“Bush Tax Cuts”)
What? How dare you argue against tax cuts, you say.
The truth is the “Bush Tax Cuts” removed tax liability from the bottom 20 to 40% of income earners completely. Leaving the entirety of tax burden on the upper 60% wage earners. Currently, thanks to those cuts, 49% of tax filers pay ZERO federal income tax.
But long term our fiscal house is much worse. The “Bush Tax Cuts” were, in essence, created to stop the post 9/11/01 recession – and they contained a “sunset provision” which ended ten years later specifically because the tax cuts were unsustainable.
The expiration of the lower margin tax cuts then became an argument in the election cycle of 2012. And as usual, the GOP, McConnell and Boehner were insufferably inept during this process.
The GOP (2002) removed tax liability from the lower income levels, and President Obama then (2009) lowered the income threshold for economic subsidy (welfare, food stamps, ebt, medicaid, etc) this was brutally predictable.
This lower revenue higher spending approach means – lower tax revenues and increased pressure on the top tax rates (wage earners) with the increased demand for tax spending created within the welfare programs.
Professional DC Republicans focus on “spending” without ever admitting they, not the Democrats, lowered rates and set themselves up to be played with the increased need for social program spending, simultaneously. Is this reality/outcome not ultimately a “tax the rich” program?
As a consequence what’s the difference between the Republicans and Democrats on taxes? All of a sudden Republicans are arguing to “broaden the tax base”. Meaning, reverse the tax cuts they themselves created on the lower income filers?
This is a conservative position now? A need to “tax the poor”? Nice of the Republicans to insure the Democrats have an atomic sledgehammer to use against them.
This is a winning strategy? This is the “conservatism” DC is defending because they are worried about Donald Trump’s principles, character or trustworthiness.
Here’s a list of those modern conservative “small(er) government” principles:
• Did the GOP secure the border with control of the White House and Congress? NO.
• Did the GOP balance the budget with control of the White House and Congress? NO
• Did the GOP even pass a FY 2016 budget with control of the House and Senate? NO.
• Who gave us a $2.5 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill in December 2015? The GOP
• Who eliminated, not just raise but eliminated, the debt ceiling? The GOP
• Who gave us the TSA? The GOP
• Who gave us the Patriot Act? The GOP
• Who expanded Medicare to include prescription drug coverage? The GOP
• Who created the precursor of “Common Core” in “Race To the Top”? The GOP
• Who played the race card in Mississippi to re-elect Thad Cochran? The GOP
• Who paid Democrats to vote in the Mississippi primary? The GOP
• Who refused to support Ken Cuccinnelli in Virginia? The GOP
• Who supported Charlie Crist? The GOP
• Who supported Arlen Spector? The GOP
• Who supported Bob Bennett? The GOP
• Who worked against Jim DeMint? The GOP
• Who worked against Rand Paul? The GOP
• Who worked against Ted Cruz? The GOP
• Who worked against Mike Lee? The GOP
• Who worked against Ronald Reagan? The GOP
• Who is working against Donald Trump? The GOP
• Who said “I think we are going to crush [the Tea Party] everywhere.”? The GOP (McConnell)
And, you wonder why we’re frustrated, desperate for a person who can actually articulate some kind of push-back?
Here’s a shock for ya – We are not just pushing back against Obama, Pelosi and Reid,we are also desperate for push back against you.
Inasmuch as Obama is our enemy, so too are Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and Paul Ryan. Which leads to the next of your GOP talking points. Where they opine:
“Politics is a game where you don’t get everything you want”
Fair enough. But considering us “whacko birds” have simply been demanding common sense, ie. fiscal discipline, a BUDGET would be nice.
The last federal budget was passed in September of 2007, and EVERY FLIPPING INSUFFERABLE YEAR we had to go through the predictable fiasco of a Government Shutdown Standoff and/or a Debt Ceiling increase specifically because there is NO BUDGET!
That’s a fiscal strategy?
That’s the GOP strategy?
Essentially: Lets plan for an annual battle against articulate Democrats and Presidential charm, using a creepy guy who cries and another old mumbling fool who dodders, knowing full well the MSM is on the side of the other guy to begin with?
THAT’S WAS YOUR GOP STRATEGY?
Don’t tell me it’s not, because if it wasn’t there’d be something else being done. And what did the GOP do? They eliminated the entire debt ceiling, passed a $2.5 trillion omnibus spending bill, and kicked the can all the way to March 2017.
That’s a flippin’ solution?
That’s a republican solution?
That’s a conservative solution?
And don’t think we don’t know the 2009 “stimulus” became embedded in the baseline of the federal spending, and absent of an actual budget it just gets spent and added to the deficit each year, every year. Yet this is somehow smaller fiscal government?
No more scamnesty candidates.
Send the illegals home build the wall. Stop the Muslim invasion. Bring jobs back.
Didn’t read the article.
The headline is correct. Didn’t have to go further.
When did the Chamber of Commerce go from being an advocate for small local businesses to being shills for crony capitalist global corporations?
Excellent.
L
We need to buy thousands of “traditional lamp posts,” place them all around the country, and start “using” them.
There are other groups. There is the NFIB.
that’s why Zuckerberg,gates,Soros and the the 61 people who own half the world’s wealth and manipulate everything insight speak with one satanic voice when they say they want us to give up our guns. With all their wealth, power and influence they are still only made of hamburger meat.
VOTE FOR TRUMP!
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| Kill The GOPE! |
Some good insights. The GOPe hates Trump almost as much as they hate Cruz.
What is missing from above is that Cruz was for cutting off funding of Obamacare among other monstrosities of our liberal government, but he was not supported by the GOPe. The GOPe even funded Planned Parenthood AFTER they have been revealed to sell baby body parts.
Sick group we have in Washington. There are endless abuses of power that far exceed the abuses of Great Britain committed against the Colonies that led to the Revolution.
The tree of liberty is parched.
You can destroy the establishment without electing Bernie as President by supporting Cruz.
Some governors have done good jobs, so I disagree with the article. It is all about the National level and DC with this author.
Write in the name CLAYTON BIGSBY.
You may well get your wish when the dust settles from this Trump vs Cruz vs Establishment Candidate circus. If so it will come at the price of living under a President Hillary or Bernie - and who knows how many more consecutive Democrat Administrations after that.
nice summary of how the gopes have fed obama to us on a silver plate. so agreed, let trump wreak all the havoc he can on the gopes. we need a new conservative party. and if trump goes (or has to go), third party, i’ll vote for him over cruz or any goper.
and let’s not forget the traitorous gope appointee to the SC who let obamacare stand.
He is working for the GOPe. Do you think he could have gotten away with calling McConnell a liar on the floor of the Senate otherwise? He has voted like one of the GOP establishment. Just claiming to be Conservative does not his so when his votes are otherwise.
The majority of his donors are Wall Street.
Well, consider some of tonights BIGGEST LOSERS, other than the losing candidates:
Rich Lowry (for incorrectly stating that Fiorina had emasculated Trump, and for being a general all-round puke)
Rush Limbaugh (for mortaging half of his brain to the robot factory)
Mark Levin (for not having even half a brain to tie behind his back)
Leon Wolf and RedState, Erick Erickson, and Megyn Kelly (for being snotty dips#its toward Trump)
Pretty much everyone at Fox News (ditto)
Nate Silver (who wins the Dick Morris Award for getting his prediction totally absolutely cataclysmically wrong)
Glenn Beck (because it wouldn’t be right to post a list of losers without his name being on it)
Cruz fans love to say “he’s got all the right enemies”. It seems fair to also say “Trump’s got all the right people predicting his demise”.
Bern it down....
And that’s different from having the GOPe in charge, how?
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