Is fiscal sanity an important conservative consideration? Is regular and due constitutional order concerning one of the biggest handouts ever conceived by man a principled position? Massie's opposition to a law which not only plunges the nation deeper into debt but alters the very manner in which we govern ourselves worthy of at least requiring a recorded vote? Is passing a massive law the provisions of which were extorted by an extreme political party and which for all practical purposes can never be repealed in our lifetime, unworthy of protest?
Look at the comments on this thread, how many people favored this bill? Few, most conservatives on this thread are against the bill because they, at least on this issue, are not confused between conservatism and Trumpism. But note carefully, Congressman Massie did not criticize the president personally, rather he criticized Democrats and the outrageous provisions of the bill. It was Pres. Trump who criticized Massie personally. Why?
Is it not fair to ask whether Trump vigorously fought the Democrats hard enough against fiscal insanity? Is it not fair to ask whether Sec. Mnuchin, a transplant from Goldman Sachs, is the proper negotiator to play hardball with the Democrats? Did Mnuchin cave because the president wanted him to cave? Did the president humiliate Massie publicly in order to cover himself and his own profligacy and pusillanimity when he went along with Democrats on this outrageous and dangerous legislation? How better to cover one's tracks than to change the subject? Change the subject by calling a courageous conservative a "grandstander."
You seem to sidestep all of these issues because you think, "entire society is faced with an existential crisis from the nearly complete shutdown of the pre-eminent economy in the world" and, presumably, the crisis justifies the means. But later you say, "This situation is both unprecedented and terminal unless corrected by emergency means...and even then you are only buying time."
These are difficult issues, complex problems with implications for the economy that none of us can say with honesty that we comprehend. Why is it proper for a congressman to object, to express a different honestly held viewpoint? Why is it improper for a congressman who was never asked to come aboard on the takeoff in crafting this legislation to say he will not be part of the landing? This is a deal put together by a Goldman Sachs partner, Nancy Pelosi, Chucky Schumer, and, God help us, Mitch McConnell in secret. Who among these was representing your interests? I say representative Massie represented all our interests, he did so publicly, he did so at great personal cost, he did so honorably.
Why did Donald Trump lash out against him? To save a few hours, Nancy Pelosi had cost the country a week without much comment from the president? Why did this single conservative congressman draw perhaps more flak from the president than the real authors of this situation? Or is the president himself and author of this fiasco? Is this not another example in Washington, and too often on these threads, of the sin being not the sin itself but to expose the sin? To expose that hypocrisy, is that not what Congressman Massie has done? He has committed a grievous Washington sin. So far as I have the power, I forgive him.
In this affair who is the true conservative?
