Posted on 09/17/2015 2:34:35 PM PDT by VinL
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) is pressing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to reveal his “strategy for success” as he risks a government shutdown in an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood.
In a letter to Cruz on Thursday, Ayotte demanded to know why the firebrand Texas senator – and presidential candidate – is so strongly pushing legislation that the party can't pass.
“It is abundantly clear that we lack the votes in the Senate to redirect these funds [from Planned Parenthood,” Ayotte, one of four female Republicans in the Senate, wrote in the letter.
Ayotte makes clear that she opposes a government shutdown – ”particularly when it appears there is no chance of achieving a successful result.”
Two years after Cruz took a stand that resulted in a government shutdown, Ayotte said she is again asking him to reveal his hand about what he hopes to achieve.
“[I] would appreciate you sharing your strategy for success with all of us before any damaging government shutdown becomes imminent,” she wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by the New Hampshire news station WMUR.
Dozens of Republicans in Congress have promised to defund Planned Parenthood at all costs in the wake of this summer’s controversy over fetal tissue donations. But GOP leaders have maintained that they are strongly opposed to any effort linking them to a dysfunctional government.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has strongly condemned Cruz’s efforts, which he warned would cause chaos in the chamber. Similarly, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has told members in private meetings this week that the GOP would take the blame for any fallout.
attempt to defund Planned Parenthood does not equal government shutdown. Nobody is saying anything about government shutdown but the GOP establishment.
The reason to pass the bill, using the nuclear option if needed is to put the legislators on record of being for or against the butchering of babies for spare parts. If Obama vetoes the bill let it be on the record and on his immortal soul.
This sounds like the asinine question they used to ask Reagan about his end game vis-à-vis the cold war. Cruz’s answer should be the same as Reagan’s as well.
“The end game is we win, they lose”.
Ayotte—if you go nuclear, all you need is 51 votes to pass anything.
You know, like defunding Planned Parenthood.
Another useless GOP maroon.
I am so sick of this government. Cruz is only trying to stop giving our money to these, these, creatures at PP. They should be arrested and tried for Crimes Against Humanity followed by a prompt hanging. What they are doing is beyond barbaric - I can’t even up it in strong and graphic enough words.
The platform of the GOP-
We will not shut down the government for anything or any reason.
IN making this their platform, the GOP no longer has to take action on anything else.
Ayotte is IDIOT in some as yet undiscovered language!
I’ll say what needs to be said about Kelly Ayotte: Instead of asking A Proven Conservative what his end game is, how about you explain when you are going to act and vote like the Conservative you claimed you were when you ran for this office?
Kelly Ayotte is a post mental pause Ignorant Bitch that accepted the position of attack dog against Conservatives in the Senate so she could sit at the Leaders table.
FUKA!
Ayotte to Cruz: “How do you intend to lose on the shutdown?”
I could easily live without the Doe x 2, batfe, labor, commerce, tsa, transportation and others for the next 1.5 yr.
...and people thought Ayotte was ‘pro-life’...LOL! I have yet to meet a pro-life woman in soviet Red Hampshire...other than my wife, of course.
“And that folks is WHY a WOMAN should not be POTUS!!!”
“Fiorina, every man’s ex wife” LOL!
HT Salamander
But it would be nice to see a supposed "Tea Party" senator (like the cowardly Rubio, Paul, Toomey, and others) actually say, "Ok, we only have 55 votes (or whatever it is). I'm going to personally do my best and commit to turn ONE Dem Senator so we can get to 67." Can you imagine how much we could get if EVERY GOP Senator put that much pressure on the Dems? Whether it's in-state favors, chairmanship deals, whatever.
It would even be worthwhile for every GOP senator to sign a pledge saying if the veto override passes, they will all pledge not to run again next term. Now, that would certainly hurt the 1/3 of them who will be up in 2016, but how many Dems do you think would sign on if the GOP took that radical of a step?
Ya know, this is what ticks me off about people who watched that debate last night and thought Carly was so great. She is an establishment candidate. She is a McCain buddy.
Cruz and Trump are trying to end this log jam that the GOPe has over the party.
Nothing will change until the GOPe are discredited and wiped out.
Ayotte is GOPe- a big RINO.
Get with the program people. Don’t buy a slick faux conservative GOPe. You want this to end. Stick to being tough?
She set the land speed record for a tea party candidate’s capitulation.
These RINOs are detestable.
Kelly Ayotte can KMA!
You know, we didn’t elect these pieces of crap to do their job only if they had a majority, or only if there was a republican president. It sickens me to hear the likes of the worthless ayotte take someone to task that’s willing to FIGHT on behalf of those that elected him, not to mention fight on behalf of the unborn.
I can’t stand these losers.
Both parties should be far more worried about what will happen to them after Revolution 2 than a little so-called shutdown.
It is part of a spending bill and isn’t even subject to Filibuster. They can pass it with 51 votes. The are simply cowards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.