I like Newt and deeply respect his intellect, insight and sense of history, but looking at this struggle in partisan terms is a fatal mistake. Republicans took control of the House in 2010 and what did Boehner or Ryan do to thwart any of Obama’s policies from 2010 to January 2017? Answer, virtually nothing. After Ryan became speaker, one of his very first acts was to hand Obama a blank check for everything on his agenda. The same can be said of the Senate since republicans took control in 2014.
The Republican Party, as it is currently configured and led, can’t be counted on for anything other than to capitulate to, or attempt to mollify, Democrats, who continue to lose seats at every level throughout the country. Name one Republican “leader” that you honestly believe represents the majority of your positions on anything. Hell, the RNC actively campaigns against people who, like us, know the country is going/has gone to hell, our constitutional rights are diminishing on an almost daily basis, our government is too damned big and oppressive and exists only for the perpetuation and growth of government.
Republicans could hold an airtight, two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and still WOULDN’T implement and fund the policies that we voted for. If I may paraphrase, “If the Republican party’s the answer, it’s a pretty stupid question.”
You nailed it. Sundance over at Conservative Treehouse lays out your argument very well almost everyday when commenting on the Republican’s lack of action and support for Trump/us.