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Egos And Infighting: The GOP’s Biggest Opponent In November
Townhall.com ^ | June 29, 2014 | Derek Hunter

Posted on 06/29/2014 5:58:45 AM PDT by Kaslin

Stars are aligning for a big Republican victory this November – solidifying and expanding the GOP’s majority in the House and perhaps gaining one in the Senate. This is a best-case scenario, and any majority in the Senate would be a slim one. But the importance of removing Harry Reid as majority leader cannot be overstated. That’s why Democrats will pull every dirty trick in their deep bag to hold the Senate, and sadly many Republicans will help them in that quest.

President Obama will have two years left to wreak havoc on the country after the next election, but he can only throw stones into the river of time, not permanently change its flow. The ripples from his stones will have consequences, but they will be nothing compared to the lasting damage he can do with more Supreme Court appointments. Obamacare, oppressive EPA regulations, executive orders, all of it can be changed or repealed, but not with a more activist progressive Supreme Court.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 81 and suffering from pancreatic cancer. So far, she’s resisted progressives’ calls for her to retire so the president can replace her with a younger reliable vote, but no one knows if that will continue. Justice Anthony Kennedy is the key swing vote on the court right now. He’s 77 and in seemingly good health. But he’s also an unreliable vote for the Constitution. If they, or any of the other justices could be replaced by a younger, unchecked Obama appointee, the chances they’d bastardize the court’s rulings to permanently enshrine unconstitutional unilateral presidential actions rises exponentially.

Harry Reid spared SCOTUS nominees when he changed the Senate filibuster rules, but he could close that loop quickly. The Supreme Court is key and it’s their goal. Pack it with progressives, particularly young ones with decades to serve, and it’s game over.

That’s what’s at stake.

With the ability to “fundamentally transform” the country on the line, you’d think Republicans could keep their eyes on the goal and put aside egos and petty in-fighting. Contentious primaries – even over-the-top nasty ones – are an unfortunate reality in politics. But once the winner is declared, the runners shouldn’t fight on the podium.

The cause of liberty is bigger than any one candidate, no matter what. In Mississippi, Thad Cochran won the Republican primary. Would it be better if hadn’t? Absolutely. But wishes don’t win elections, votes do, and he got more. Chris McDaniel is understandably upset, but he lost. How he lost can and should be studied. It should not be the basis for a fight that can’t be won that puts the general election at risk.

When Eric Cantor lost he was, understandably, upset. What he didn’t do was cry foul, threaten to sue and undercut the validity of David Brat’s victory in an attempt to harm his chances in the general election. For all his faults, and Cantor has many, he’s gotten out of the way.

It’s the lesson of Ronald Reagan in 1976, and it’s a lesson McDaniel should emulate.

Reagan mounted an insurgent campaign to win the nomination away from President Ford. He came close, but he lost. Reagan could have withheld support, could have raised holy hell, but he didn’t. He tried, he lost, he accepted it. He moved on and won the nomination and the presidency four years later.

Reagan’s smart, unemotional reaction to the disappointing events of 1976 advanced the cause of conservatism when he easily could have gone the other way.

The unselfishness exhibited by Reagan is a rare commodity in the time of Kardashians. And, unfortunately, the Republican Party is not immune to the viral entitlement strain worming its way through the culture nowadays. And the selfie-virus, if not held in check, will be what turns probable victory into certain defeat come November.

You may not like the candidate who won a particularly primary. You may even hate them. But they’re infinitely better than any Democrat, particularly in the Senate, because any Democrat in the Senate will vote to retain Harry Reid as majority leader. And Harry Reid as majority leader means unfettered access to lifetime judicial appointments for activist progressive judges, up to and including the Supreme Court. If the courts are lost for a generation, no election will matter.

The internal fighting, jockeying for position and ideological purges are all necessary, and I’m down for every bit of it…just not until progressivism is vanquished. The Tea Party and the establishment both need to heed this concept or risk neither getting what they want (which, by the way, has significant overlap).

The future prospects of individual liberty hinge on whether the various factions of the Republican/conservative/libertarian movements can keep their circular firing squad powder dry long enough to win an election that couldn’t be better situated to be a tap-in putt. Between now and November we need to hope they have something in their bag other than a wedge.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 2014elections; dingyharryreid; elections; scotus; senate; thadcochran
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1 posted on 06/29/2014 5:58:45 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

“It’s the lesson of Ronald Reagan in 1976, and it’s a lesson McDaniel should emulate. “

Oh what bullshit.

Another “Conservatives should roll over for RINOs” screed.


2 posted on 06/29/2014 6:00:39 AM PDT by headstamp 2
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To: Kaslin

Townhall goes GOPe...FU Derek.


3 posted on 06/29/2014 6:01:25 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Mississippi!)
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To: Kaslin

“In Mississippi, Thad Cochran won the Republican primary”

Except he didn’t and we know he didn’t. the fraud has been exposed, and even if he had won, he didn’t win the Republican primary because Republicans voted McDaniel by an 8 point margin


4 posted on 06/29/2014 6:02:27 AM PDT by Viennacon
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To: Kaslin

Yes, it’s really a shame the GOPe were so stupid, but what is done is done. Of course, they COULD get old Thad to retire now and let McDaniel’s take the seat but they won’t. Sigh, nothing we can do.


5 posted on 06/29/2014 6:06:27 AM PDT by McGavin999
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To: headstamp 2

The Republicans may win by default because of Obama’s unpopularity, but they will win in most cases without my vote.

I don’t vote for RINO’s in primaries or general elections.

RINO’s have won here in PA where I live without my vote for a long time.

Opposition to the GOPe does not mean supporting Democrats, its means supporting the principles of limited government and balanced budgets that the Republican Party has demonstrated again and again that it does not support.

My Republican governor (Tom Corbett) imposed a 28 cents a gallon gas tax hike over five years with the first 10 cents kicking in this year.

He’s raking in billions to pay construction companies who in turn are kicking back hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions for Corbett’s re-election.

Labor unions that represent highway and bridge construction workers have also endorsed the Republican Corbett as well in exchange for money taken out of my pocket.


6 posted on 06/29/2014 6:18:10 AM PDT by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: Kaslin

Kill the Republican Party.

There is no hope of a future if all we have in this country are two Liberal parties. We must get rid of one of them so that an alternative approach can arise.


7 posted on 06/29/2014 6:18:37 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("Harvey Dent, can we trust him?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBsdV--kLoQ)
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To: McGavin999

You ignore the fact that the rats in Mississippi crossed over and voted for Cochran


8 posted on 06/29/2014 6:18:45 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: headstamp 2

Ya gotta “forgive” “ole” “Kaslin” and ALOT of late 1990s/Early 2000s FreeRepublicers. They have been SLURPING GOP-e/RINO/Bushie Luvin KOOLAIDE so LONG their BRAINS are FRIED.


9 posted on 06/29/2014 6:18:58 AM PDT by US Navy Vet (Go Packers! Go Rockies! Go Boston Bruins! See, I'm "Diverse"!)
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To: headstamp 2

For historical reference, one of the key GOP coordinators at the 1976 convention helping to keep the Mississippi delegates away from Reagan and locked in behind Ford was someone named Haley Barbour.


10 posted on 06/29/2014 6:22:14 AM PDT by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: Kaslin

No only did the GOPe’s go after black vote in MS, they used democratic
lying, despicable tactics to do it?

Why would any true conservative vote for this dead party?


11 posted on 06/29/2014 6:23:24 AM PDT by tennmountainman (True conservatives don't like being pissed on by their own party!)
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To: Kaslin

Your reply to me makes absolutely no sense at all


12 posted on 06/29/2014 6:24:50 AM PDT by McGavin999
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To: Kaslin

Thanks to Republicans dumping the money into Democrat pockets to create the campaign that drove them into voting for Cochran.

The Uniparty versus the Patiots-Conservatives line was drawn in Mi$$i$$ippi.


13 posted on 06/29/2014 6:26:09 AM PDT by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: Kaslin

BTW Kaslin, this whole article is about how those of us who are furious should just get over it. I say their side should just get over it and do something if they want our vote. Good thing I’m in in MS because I’m so made I would actually vote for the democrat just to make absolutely sure the GOPe did not prosper from their dirty tricks.


14 posted on 06/29/2014 6:28:04 AM PDT by McGavin999
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To: Kaslin

If the GOPe hadn’t stabbed Sharon Angle in the back, Harry Reid wouldn’t be Majority Leader in the first place. So, we have to support the anti-conservative GOP establishment that handed Reid his last election....wait for it...in order to defeat Reid.

The GOPe might want Reid gone, but not at the expense of replacing him with one of us. Tell me again why our priorities - and political strategies - should be any different from those we are now encouraged to support.

If we followed the establishment MO, Cochran and McConnell would both go down in defeat along with much hand-wringing about how their losses prove that establishment candidates can’t win in Nov.

I didn’t set these rules of engagement. The establishment did. You can do better than this, Derek.


15 posted on 06/29/2014 6:32:39 AM PDT by ziravan (Choose Sides.)
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To: McGavin999

You reap what you sow. The GOPe’s should prepare themselves
for what is coming in NOV.
McConnell will be voted out.
Cochran could be voted out.


16 posted on 06/29/2014 6:34:32 AM PDT by tennmountainman (True conservatives don't like being pissed on by their own party!)
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To: McGavin999

Supreme court ... but won’t there _always_ be a pressing reason?


17 posted on 06/29/2014 6:40:03 AM PDT by Principled (Obama: Unblemished by success.)
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To: Kaslin
When Eric Cantor lost he was, understandably, upset. What he didn’t do was cry foul, threaten to sue and undercut the validity of David Brat’s victory in an attempt to harm his chances in the general election. For all his faults, and Cantor has many, he’s gotten out of the way.

Never mind that he has drained GOP coffers, denying Brat of that money.

It’s the lesson of Ronald Reagan in 1976, and it’s a lesson McDaniel should emulate.

Brat didn't win by pulling in black Democrat voters and sliming the Tea Party with talking points straight out of the left wing.

18 posted on 06/29/2014 6:40:53 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: Kaslin

The Republican Party is in a Civil War. Until the establishment decides to form a coalition with its base instead of trying at every turn to undermine it, the establishment deserves to lose.

They started this war, they can end it. It serves no purpose to question the validity of why the base is taking up arms. The answer is simple: we’re done taking so-called friendly fire.

In the meantime, I’ll be damned to be lectured about how I have an obligation to lay down arms in a civil war not started by me and still actively being waged against me. The GOPe can go to hell.


19 posted on 06/29/2014 6:41:04 AM PDT by ziravan (Choose Sides.)
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To: tennmountainman
From your keyboard to God's ear. That would be the best possible outcome. They have no idea how mad we are and how mad we will remain.

The tricks were just too dirty, the clurs too over the top. They can rot in their ivory towers. They have counted on us to stand up for getting rich to allow them to pull all kinds of shenanigans to make them richer and us poorer, well hope they can stop what is coming their way now.

20 posted on 06/29/2014 6:42:07 AM PDT by McGavin999
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