Cornyn won’t pay a price for defying Ted Cruz on budget ceiling vote

Dallas Morning News ^ | 2/15/14 | Todd J. Gillman

[jimbo123]

Politics is sometimes the art of choosing the lesser of evils.

For Sen. John Cornyn and other GOP leaders, it was better to let Democrats raise the debt ceiling last week than to dig in and risk a federal default. But tamping down a filibuster from Sen. Ted Cruz invited the wrath of the tea party.

We’ll find out soon enough whether Cornyn pays a price — or, possibly, emerges stronger and more independent after the March 4 primary.

Cruz predicted that voters will punish “establishment politicians in both parties” for their resistance to his filibuster — an extraordinary comment, given that all eyes were on his fellow Texas Republican and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

With Democrats unified against the filibuster, it was McConnell and Cornyn, his deputy, who delivered the coup de grace.

With his primary less than three weeks away, Cornyn seems to be in pretty good shape for re-election. That surely made it easier to defy Cruz and his followers.

To many Republicans, the fight Cruz had picked was the wrong one.

Default would have dire implications for the world economy. Even toying with the idea could badly harm the party with voters.

Cornyn argued that extending the debt limit was the only reasonable course, even if he would have preferred to see that linked with budget cuts and other reforms.

But Republicans lack sufficient leverage to wrest any serious concessions — that was a key reason House Speaker John Boehner let the House vote Tuesday to raise the debt limit. Better to take the lumps and move on than to prolong the agony and lose anyway.

Cornyn and others made a similar judgment call last year when they resisted Cruz’s demand to defund Obamacare, at the risk of a government shutdown.

[jimbo123]

Turtle Soup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EIMkxNhClQ

Texans for Stovall

http://www.texansforstovall.com/

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https://twitter.com/dwaynestovall

[exDemMom]

Default would have dire implications for the world economy. Even toying with the idea could badly harm the party with voters.

What idiots believe this stuff?

Borrowing ever increasing sums to try to keep the unsustainably high level of spending going is insanity. Individuals cannot keep increasing the limit on their credit cards without going bankrupt; the government, being bigger, is not immune to the same laws of economics.

We need more senators like Ted Cruz, who understand the laws of economics. And they need to hammer, over and over, the fact that there is nothing responsible about borrowing to pay bills--sooner or later, this practice will lead to a crash, unless politicians develop backbones NOW and stop the insane spending and borrowing.

[Gaffer]

Politics is sometimes the art of choosing the lesser of evils.

No Todd, we conservatives out here aren't gonna play that silly a$$ game any more.

Your Democrat Appeasing RINO show voting keester-boy is gonna go down in the primary.

[jimbo123]

Stockman for Senate

http://www.stockmanforsenate2014.com/

https://twitter.com/StockmanSenate

https://www.facebook.com/congressmanstevestockman

[Gaffer]

Democrats don’t believe in the economy being fragile, precarious or any of that sensible stuff as long as when they swipe that EBT card the gibsmedat transaction goes through.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Look at the challenger in Ky. Something to do with supporting the Rats on a bailout issue. Be careful what you wish for. Akin/Mourdock anyone?

[smokingfrog]

Wanna bet?

If Cornyn does manage to get reelected, it’s not going to be such an easy ride this time.

[Moorings]

Ok Todd, how about ever increasing spending. What kind of dire effect does an unsustainable amount of debt have on the economy? Have you written anything about that? If not, just shutup and go find another line of work.

[DoodleDawg]

And they need to hammer, over and over, the fact that there is nothing responsible about borrowing to pay bills--sooner or later, this practice will lead to a crash, unless politicians develop backbones NOW and stop the insane spending and borrowing.

I have no faith that there are any Senators or Congressmen in Washington willing to do that. Look at the recent, incredibly small attempt to reign in entitlements with the military pensions. We're not talking cuts in pensions mind. And this did not touch pensions for those who were disabled. We were talking modifying how pensions were increased annually, and only for those who retired and started receiving pensions before they were in their 60's. Once they reached their 60's then the increases would go back to the more generous method of calculation. It raised a holy poop storm, and the GOP was falling all over itself in demanding the modifications be rescinded. Without paying for it mind.

Now we can argue about how the military shouldn't be the ones to take the first cuts, but that's not the point. The point is one small segment of society faced a modification to their entitlement and the outrage was enormous and the caving was immediate. What's going to happen when it isn't a small segment but a large one? When it's Social Security recipients who are facing actual reductions in benefits, or when Medicare recipients are being told they need to pay more? What politician of any stripe, Republican or Democrat, is going to stand tall against that storm? Well that's what it's going to take to get our financial house in order. So yes, Senator Cornyn, I agree with you that the debt limit increases are dangerous. And I see you voted against it. So where would you cut the $1 trillion plus to make such increases unnecessary?

[Gaffer]

There is nothing more important now for conservatism than to effect a humiliating defeat for Boehner, McConnell and Cornyn. The GOPe RINO leadership cabal needs to be excommunicated completely.

[lodi90]

I am so sick of this false choice narrative. There wasn’t going to be a default last week regardless of one filibuster vote.

The GOP leadership and most of the party simply do not want to govern in a conservative manner.

The GOP will not substantively oppose Obama and the Dems no matter the abuse or assault on the American people. It couldn’t be more clear. BOHICA.

[Paine in the Neck]

Politics is sometimes the art of choosing the lesser of evils.

Not any more. There are too many carven, self-aggrandizing weasels who have taken advantage of that position. It is now time to clear them all out, regardless of party.

Politics takes money. The Republic is in peril. The Founders pledged "our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor". What can we do?

Senate

Support Matt Bevin to oust Mitch McConnell in KY

Support Dwayne Stovall to oust John Cornyn in TX

Support Joe Carr to oust Lamar!

Support Lee Bright to oust Lindsey Graham in SC

Support Dr. Milton Wolf to oust Pat Roberts in KS

Support Chris McDaniel to oust Thad Cochran in MS

Also, support Ben Sasse for the open Senate seat in NE

House

Support Eric Gurr to oust John Boehner in OH-8

Also, press your Representative to NOT support Boehner for Speaker - or Cantor, either!

Support Dave Brat to oust Eric Cantor in VA-7

Also, press your Representative to NOT support Cantor for Speaker.

Support Katrina Pierson to oust Pete (NOT Jeff) Sessions in TX-32

Support Bryan Smith to oust Mike Simpson in ID-2

Support David Hale to oust Adam Kinzinger in IL-16

[Gaffer]

You are trying to teach the wrong person. That was my response to a prior post.

[lodi90]

I have no faith that there are any Senators or Congressmen in Washington willing to do that. Look at the recent, incredibly small attempt to reign in entitlements with the military pensions. We’re not talking cuts in pensions mind. And this did not touch pensions for those who were disabled. We were talking modifying how pensions were increased annually, and only for those who retired and started receiving pensions before they were in their 60’s. Once they reached their 60’s then the increases would go back to the more generous method of calculation. It raised a holy poop storm, and the GOP was falling all over itself in demanding the modifications be rescinded. Without paying for it mind.

Now we can argue about how the military shouldn’t be the ones to take the first cuts, but that’s not the point.

---

No, that is the point. You are ignoring it because it is inconvenient to your defense of the feckless GOP.

You don’t start with a vet pay cut while the free buffet chugs along for Dem supporters.

The vet pay cut was done to finance DOD appropriations for GOP donors. The Dems refused to sufficiently increase the DOD budget and the GOP decided to take from the vets and give it to their crony donors. Disgusting.

You really need to think about the facts of Ryan-Murray before you defend the GOP. Continue supporting progressive Republicans and they will continue marching to the left. You seem happy with that. I never will support that.

[Paine in the Neck]

Gaffer, don’t take it hard. That wasn’t aimed at you. It’s for down-thread and later browsers. You were just a convenient place to click in. ;^)

[Gaffer]

Ok...I can go with that. :o)

[DoodleDawg]

You really need to think about the facts of Ryan-Murray before you defend the GOP.

Who is defending the GOP? A pox on both their houses so far as fiscal restraint goes.

[X-spurt]

Dallas Mourning News never backs or writes fair pieces on any true conservative.

Lucky for Texas, its rare the Dallas Mourning News has much sway in GOP Primaries or many elections.

[Labyrinthos]

But Republicans lack sufficient leverage to wrest any serious concessions — that was a key reason House Speaker John Boehner let the House vote Tuesday to raise the debt limit. Better to take the lumps and move on than to prolong the agony and lose anyway.

Can someone please explain to me how the Republicans "lack sufficient leverage when they control the House and the filibuster in the Senate.