Posted on 03/26/2017 4:50:39 PM PDT by Mariner
WASHINGTON - Republicans exulted in November when they won the White House and both congressional chambers, promising aggressive moves on health care, taxes and immigration.
But a spectacular stumble on the first agenda item amid intra-party squabbles begs the question of whether the party will be able to get anything done if it can’t deliver on a promise it has made for nearly a decade.
“We were a 10-year opposition party, where being against things was easy to do,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, faced with the biggest loss of his career. “And now in three months’ time we tried to go to a governing party. We will get there, but we weren’t there today".
Ryan got his job after House Speaker John Boehner stepped down, often pressed by a raucous conservative wing to take a harder line. But though conservative members groused about Ryan’s handling of the legislation – saying he had boxed out various factions, many expressed confidence Friday that he’d retain his seat – for practical reasons, as well as political.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Well, President Reagan was the first President I could vote for at 18, so I’ll give you that. (I’m 56) I was off to the Army soon thereafter, so didn’t spend a lot of time watching political antics as a youngster.
I saved THAT particular hellish frustration for later in life. ;)
So, since President Reagan? Nope. No outstanding leadership from the GOPe that I observed then, but can plainly see the lack thereof now, in hindsight.
“If this was the start of the new normal and they prove incapable of accomplishing anything together, then they may be handing the country back to the leftists on a silver platter before long”
This is the precise function of the GOP and the only thing that they ever achieve.
They mind the shop while the Demonrats are in disfavor just long enough to piss off everyone enough by not doing anything that they give the country back to the Demonrats.
They really didn’t.
I don’t think that the GOP changed the country in any significant lasting way or passed any item of their platform into law.
You broke the code.
This has been the Bush family playbook since 1988.
“they are better than commie rats. Barely”
That is the most generous thing that can be said of them.
But the idea they can set and advance a cohesive and coherent agenda is ludicrous on its face.
Was that comment about the GOP circa 1981-1985?
They passed innumerable conservative bills in that time, and budgets too.
I don’t know.
Maybe. I was 10-14 at that time, so clearly I was no expert in politics at that time.
However, I cannot recall any point in my lifetime where the GOP has shown itself to be a force to be reckoned with.
They do not inspire fear in their opponents. I don’t even think they have opponents, because in order to actually have an opponent, one must first oppose, and they don’t.
They are just f***in’ pitiful.
I’m not even sure why they exist.
Fake news. Check back in 12 months. Trump’s just cutting his teeth. He will force the GOP to govern.
We absolutely need to demand a clean repeal vote! Let’s get everyone on record and see where we stand.
Yeah right...he was over-ridden ONCE for the most easy to sell and popular bill if I recall correctly.
The main point remains...Obamacare is a much bigger crap sandwich since it has mandates, Trillion dollar taxes, and government dictated insurance coverages. RINO Ryan’s bill at least eliminated those 3 horrible items. And it was not the final phase, 2 more were to follow. With phase 1 dead, #2 & #3 are dead as well.
*** “I did NOT vote to replace Obamacare. I voted to REPEAL Obamacare” ***
DITTO and Bump
You and about 10% of the public, maybe the same in Congress. So tell us, how do you replace Medicaid and Medicare? That's a real question, not rhetorical. I want to see your answer.
Agree.
*** “I’ve not seen Republicans ‘govern’ in my lifetime. Why would they start now?” ***
The Primaries are going to be interesting, in the future I see lots of pictures of the GOPe wide eyed looking over their shoulders.
Our Local critters got the msg the old fashioned way and are back to doing whatever occupation they had prior to their dalliance into Politics.
YMMV but you just might appreciate what what I posted here.
Ryan’s version actually made the mandate worse.She
“They are just f***in’ pitiful.”
Aye, they are that.
But it was not always so.
Start reading at this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt_Gingrich#In_Congress
Edify thyself.
With leadership in the House, we could be proud of this party again.
The Senate is, and has always been, a lost cause. I believe it was the 17th Amendment that screwed that up.
I agree it’s not over, but unless our guys figure out how to lead it may well not matter
I want President Trump in there for 8 years (if he can stand it) but we won’t have that chance if these guys can’t get their act together. Maybe what they need is a day out rowing. Everybody get into a boat, grab an oar, and see how long it takes to figure out how to move the boat.
The we can teach them how to row in a strait course with minimal effort.
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