[arthurus]

I suspect that even if a Republican wins the presidency in 2016 he will have a solidly Democrat House and Senate. The Republicans in Congress, including most of those elected as Tea Party firebrands have become handmaidens of the Democrats and there is not much of any reason to vote for them or even to kick them out in primaries as the likelihood is that it will happen all over again. In fact, if the Republicans win the presidency and keep the Congress, assuming the Republican President is an actual Conservative, he will face just as much opposition from the Republican Congress as he would face from the Democrats. Republican Primaries serve the purpose of letting the people choose just who they want fronting for the Chamber of Commerce.

It doesn't really matter to sitting Republican Reps and Sens if they lose in subsequent elections. Their fortunes are made by toeing the CofC and the Democrat line while serving. One term and a loss guarantees the Representative a wealthy lifestyle for the rest of his life so long as he voted "correctly" in his two 2 or 6 years in office. As a principled statesman he has only the income from his salary. That's not peanuts but there is ever so much more available if he just plays the game.

[1010RD]

There is an invisible political party - government. It is a caucus with real goals, focus and power. It will always work to elect its supporters. Ike’s worry about complex didn’t go far enough.