Althouse: "Republicans are confronting an insurrection on the right that is angry enough to imperil their grip on Congress..."

September 28, 2017

"Republicans are confronting an insurrection on the right that is angry enough to imperil their grip on Congress..."

"... and senior party strategists have concluded that the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way it detested President Barack Obama.... Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s former chief strategist and a vehement antagonist of the party establishment, said on Tuesday night that he intends to target Republican senators in Mississippi, Arizona and Nevada for defeat. And that rebellion could spread.... After leaving the White House last month, Mr. Bannon returned to his perch at Breitbart News, and has been using the hard-right website and his close ties to the Mercer family, New York-based conservative donors, to create a new, insurgent power base...."

From "Roy Moore’s Alabama Victory Sets Off Talk of a G.O.P. Insurrection" (NYT).

89 comments:

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...: It's not "hardright"

The fascist left is so far left, they must identify anyone to their right as 'hard"

The normals, the deplorables, the hard working, the patriotic - they are all "hard right" according to corrupt Hillary apologists.; 9/28/17, 9:06 AM
Rae said...: All the Republican "leadership" does anymore is theater. They make a big production of trying to repeal Obamacare, tax reform, whatever...but they don't intend to actually change anything.

Then they come to the base and say "We tried! But we need more seats in congress!"

Well, Mitt Romney still owes me.; 9/28/17, 9:14 AM
Expat(ish) said...: I gave Moore $25 of my hard earned post-tax dollars because he clearly hates the GOPe leadership and called them, and I quote, "a bunch of liars."

Will he get absorbed by the borg like many Tea Partiers? Maybe, but I figure it's like antibiotics - you gotta take the pills for a long time before you kill the disease.

-XC

PS - plus he wears a leather vest for official photographs, and that just says family to me.; 9/28/17, 9:15 AM
campy said...: Disarray is always descending on the GOP, but it usually seems to land on the Dems.; 9/28/17, 9:16 AM
Michael said...: Don't get your hopes up, Timesmen. On TV this would be "wish-casting."; 9/28/17, 9:20 AM
MadisonMan said...: Meanwhile, the geriatric Democrats file their papers, for the 100th time, to run for re-election (My fat fingers typed that as ruin for re-election first!)

What a choice.; 9/28/17, 9:20 AM
zipity said...: Huh. That's a real head-scratcher that one.

Conservative Republicans are finally fed up with voting for "Republicans" who really only pay lip service to their constituents concerns enough to get a place at the trough to get rich and powerful.

Didn't see that one coming....; 9/28/17, 9:22 AM
Mattman26 said...: I understand the journalistic imperative of portraying anything going on in the Republican party as a disaster for the party (as in this example) or a disaster for the country.

Each major party (probably every major party in every democracy) lives with the push and pull between the more hard-core "base" and the less hard-core "establishment." Nothing new here. Sun came up in the east this morning.

Was Moore's victory a "base" victory over the "establishment?" Sure. Might it embolden others? Sure. Might that imperil GOP congressional majorities? I suppose, but I don't know how likely that is, and I don't imagine this NYT writer does either.

I guess at bottom this is a message of: "GOP, it's your friends from the Times calling. As you know, we're always looking out for your best interests. You'd better stay away from those fringey guys and keep electing people who don't accomplish anything they say they will. Wishing you all the best."; 9/28/17, 9:23 AM
mike said...: God speed, Sir Bannon.; 9/28/17, 9:23 AM
Expat(ish) said...: Also, I know the crazy things he's done, but in a body that contains Ellison, Waters, et. al. I figure there is room for Moore crazy.

I also understand that Moore is not up on the DC lingo. So what? I believe a moderately intelligent person can come up to speed on the essentials in a few weeks. The details that the salons seem to thrive on aren't helping craft compromise or excellent legislation - let's try some high level management!

-XC; 9/28/17, 9:24 AM
GRW3 said...: This is what I expected as a result of their failure to get things done. The media was saying their failure to get things done could result in them losing the majority. Really? By my thoughts a Republican congress that does nothing is better than a Democratic one that does something. No, I thought what would happen is the 'normals' would start primarying the statists in the Republican primaries. This is a preview. Don't be surprised if there are 'normal' attacks on selected Demo districts too.; 9/28/17, 9:26 AM
Gahrie said...: and senior party strategists have concluded that the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way it detested President Barack Obama

Not quite. We may loathe them as much but not the same way.

We hated Obama for what he did.

We hate the Republican Establishment for what they haven't done.; 9/28/17, 9:28 AM
Mattman26 said...: Wait! If "the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way it detested President Barack Obama," doesn't that mean that the loathing of Obama wasn't racist?

Does not compute.; 9/28/17, 9:42 AM
rcocean said...: Party "strategists" - LOL. You mean the same clowns that Lost in 2012 and 2008, thought Trump was going to lose, and constantly demand we nominate people like Collins, Muroskowski, Flake, McCain, and Paul Ryan.

Look, its no use electing R's if these R's are going to act like D's. If we had 52 R's that thought like McCain and Collins, what difference would it make?

And the NYT always plays the same tune. Nominating Conservatives is always either "crazy" or "Stupid".; 9/28/17, 9:43 AM
Bob Boyd said...: Alabama voters, dissatisfied, want to send someone else to Washington as their representative.
Isn't that how it's supposed to work?
It's not a scary mutiny. It's democracy.; 9/28/17, 9:43 AM
TRISTRAM said...: the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way leaders in Washington detested the conservative base

FTFT.; 9/28/17, 9:44 AM
Derek Kite said...: It is so nice to see that someone talks to Senior Republican Party Strategists, even if it only their wives and the NYT.

Everyone else has the itch to boil tar and pluck chickens.; 9/28/17, 9:45 AM
rcocean said...: 90% of the NYT and WaPo articles on the Trump White House or Republicans wouldn't be written if they had to name their "anon" sources.

Some how I get the feeling that if they'd name their sources we'd find out it was the same 12 RINO's getting quoted over and over again.; 9/28/17, 9:47 AM
tim in vermont said...: If they had been paying attention, Eric Cantor was the first solid blow landed against these guys who are detested by the right and despised by the left.; 9/28/17, 9:47 AM
Michael K said...: It's interesting to watch what is happening today and then, in the evening, read Pat Buchanan's book about "Nixon's White House Wars" and to see how close we came with Agnew and Buchanan to what we see today with Trump.

Agnew loved tweaking the Media much as Trump does now. The public responded and resulted in Nixon's 49 state landslide in 1972.

The problem was that Agnew and Nixon were both vulnerable in a way that Trump is not.

Agnew had taken some penny ante bribes that Lyndon Johnson would have rejected at too small for his trouble.

Johnson was saved from the Bobby Baker scandal, which was cresting in November 1963, by the assassination of Kennedy.

It was far beyond anything that Agnew did but fate determined the outcome.

Nixon was undone by underlings but was also too concerned with foreign affairs and turned domestic matter to lefties like Finch and Moynihan.

So 40 years passed and we have another chance. The Deep State is even more powerful today but there is a chance that we missed in 1972.; 9/28/17, 9:48 AM
rcocean said...: Peeps need to realize that Strange was not some great popular figure in Ala. and he was appointed to Senate under shady circumstances by a corrupt Gov.; 9/28/17, 9:49 AM
LYNNDH said...: What campy said.
Although we and several neighbor I discuss things with are none too pleased with "our" Senator, Cory Gardner. As always just have to see what plays out.; 9/28/17, 9:49 AM
tim in vermont said...: I really wish he hadn't brandished the gun. It's so collectivist.; 9/28/17, 9:49 AM
wendybar said...: We are done with them. They lie and lie and lie to us time after time. For Example...John McCain RAN on repealing Obamacare over and over again...He lied. I no longer believe them. I believe the people who do what they say they are going to do....even as the Republicans bash them for not going along to get along. We need term limits and we need to kick out ALL of the Establishment who have lied to us long enough. They aren't any better than the liars on the left.; 9/28/17, 9:50 AM
mockturtle said...: GRW3 asserts: By my thoughts a Republican congress that does nothing is better than a Democratic one that does something.

This is not the case when eight years of 'doing something' by the Dems requires undoing. The GOP Congress has been pathetic. Maintaining their seats and their power is all they care about. Actually 'doing something' could jeopardize both.; 9/28/17, 9:51 AM
Annie said...: The 'insurrection' in the republican party predates Trump. Have you heard of the Tea Party?

The anger grew even more when we watched the establishment do or say nothing about it's being targeted and other abuses by the obama administration. It smacked of being complicit. Not to mention the occasional flashes of contempt shown the base - this 'hobbit' is looking at you John McCain.; 9/28/17, 9:51 AM
wildswan said...: If we allow a Democratic Congress to get elected it will impeach Trump at once. So there's that. But ... really ... the Republicans have such a do-nothing Congress, it's embarrassing. We could have something worse - a do-something Democratic Congress. But fear of a Democratic Congress can't be used to stifle reform of the do-nothing Republicans or we'll just have rino kingdom.; 9/28/17, 9:54 AM
rcocean said...: "Johnson was saved from the Bobby Baker scandal, which was cresting in November 1963, by the assassination of Kennedy."

Its amazing how powerful the MSM was back then. They'd bury the Baker scandal or JFK's womanizing and pill popping - for the good of the Party. But the Republicans were fair game. That's one reason Nixon was so mad at the Press, he knew the D's were getting away with murder while he couldn't jaywalk without nation-wide press.; 9/28/17, 9:55 AM
Kevin said...: The New and Improved NYT! Each Article With Even MORE Wishful Thinking!; 9/28/17, 9:55 AM
bgates said...: senior party strategists have concluded that the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington

I bet you could get widespread assent among the base to the notion that the base doesn't loathe its leaders, that leadership defined to include Sens Mike Lee and Ted Cruz and the Freedom Caucus. The party leadership is another matter entirely.

Can't get anything by those senior party strategists, though. Here we are just three years after a House Majority Leader lost a primary election, nine years after the beginning of the TEA party, and twelve years after the Porkbusters, and already those characters are noticing signs of discontent among the citizenry.; 9/28/17, 9:55 AM
Static Ping said...: As other wiser persons have noted, first the Republican Party got the Tea Party. They were polite but insisted on conservative principals. The party didn't like it, and the Tea Party was destroyed. Now the Republican Party got Trump, the not so polite populist sent the drain the swamp. The Republican Party would like nothing better to either destroy him or co-opt him. They do not want to find out what comes after Trump. It will not be pleasant.

The Republicans ran for multiple elections on the repeal of Obamacare but insisted they needed control of both Congress and the Presidency, but when the time came they not only failed to do so but also appeared to have had no plan to ever do so. However, when Trump pulls the blatantly illegal DREAMers executive order, the Republicans race up to the microphone to declare how they are going to go to extraordinary efforts to restore this priority of the Democratic Party. It's a wonder that the base would hate its own leaders when its own leaders seem to be playing for the other team....; 9/28/17, 9:56 AM
David said...: They wish.

It might be true.

But the Democrats are a mess too.; 9/28/17, 9:59 AM
rcocean said...: "We are done with them. They lie and lie and lie to us time after time."

Exactly. Except for Collins, all the Senators who voted to keep Obamacare, voted AGAINST it in 2015 and then ran on repealing it.

And McCain lied in 2008 and 2010 about not supporting Amnesty. Rubio and Flake both declared they were against Amnesty, and then changed to supporting it once they got elected.

But some R voters love being lied to.; 9/28/17, 9:59 AM
Annie said...: Primary all the dinosaurs.; 9/28/17, 9:59 AM
Professional lady said...: I think the description of what's been happening is "bait and switch."; 9/28/17, 10:01 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: Chaos!; 9/28/17, 10:02 AM
mccullough said...: I guess the argument in favor of the GOP is that they won't pass more bad major legislation. They seemed to learn their lesson from the W years. They are conserving Obamacare but not adding to it.; 9/28/17, 10:03 AM
Michael K said...: That's one reason Nixon was so mad at the Press, he knew the D's were getting away with murder while he couldn't jaywalk without nation-wide press.

They hated him for Alger Hiss and Helen Gahagan Douglas, who was Lyndon Johnson's mistress while in Washington. She was "The Pink Lady" when Nixon ran against her for the Senate.

Nixon also craved the approval of the NY Times and had been poor, like Johnson.

On November 11, 1963, Kennedy told his secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, that they planned to drop Johnson as VP in 1964.

Fate determined the rest. Johnson was powerless until, after the assassination.

I can't recommend the Caro biography highly enough. I have it on audio in the car. My wife wants me to play it all over again when we drive to California next month.

Also the Buchanan book is terrific. Now reading it the second time.; 9/28/17, 10:15 AM
Comanche Voter said...: There is a lot to loathe--on both sides of the aisle in Congress; and in most regulatory agencies--and in the town's leading newspaper, not to mention the NYT. What's a fellow to do? Well down in Alabama they vote "No" and "Hell No". And there is more to come from other states.; 9/28/17, 10:20 AM
mockturtle said...: Primary all the dinosaurs.

Yes, Annie, and just replacing them is enough. It's not really that important who replaces them on the ticket. The point is that the dinosaurs are entrenched and they need to be un-entrenched.; 9/28/17, 10:20 AM
Curious George said...: "I guess the argument in favor of the GOP is that they won't pass more bad major legislation. They seemed to learn their lesson from the W years. They are conserving Obamacare but not adding to it."

Obamacare is a shitburger and is not sustainable for either the insurance companies, the providers, the insured, or the government. It's got to go.; 9/28/17, 10:35 AM
Ray - SoCal said...: Trump is fighting the culture wars and winning. He destroying a lot of Overton windows that the left used to limit what was permissible to discuss. And the MSM is taking a huge hit to their credibility. And YouTube / video is making it easy to watch McCain 6 or so times say he is anted to repeal Obamacare. It's impossible to memory hole stuff as used to be done by the MSM. This is a lot of the reason their credibility has taken such a hit. And Breitbart and Drudge are going Toe to toe with the MSM. Voting fraud is being revealed (NH senator, republican, may have lost due to it - wow!).

My guess is the above will lead to a lot more conservative leaning candidates. The question will they be electable that can win, or flawed candidates that will lose.; 9/28/17, 10:35 AM
James K said...: The point is that the dinosaurs are entrenched and they need to be un-entrenched.

The problem is that most of the RINO senators are not up for reelection. Corker can be replaced, but otherwise the best bet is to knock off a few Democrats (lots are running for reelection, something like 25 of the 33) so that Murkowski and her ilk can't flip the vote.; 9/28/17, 10:59 AM
Michael K said...: Corker can be replaced,

Peyton Manning may run. He would probably be a shoo-in.; 9/28/17, 11:21 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: For well over a decade, have voted Libertarian at every ballot point where there is a Libertarian candidate.* The Dems of late have run on a far left platform which they do their best to enact. Repubs of late have run on a left of center platform which they do their best to ignore.

*This part of Texas, for State and County offices, often there is only a Dem candidate; a second candidate where present is as likely to be Libertarian as Republican.; 9/28/17, 11:23 AM
Big Mike said...: I think that the TEA partiers have gotten more sophisticated. Roy Moore is okay in a state where winning the GOP primary is tantamount to winning the election. But no more Christine O'Donnell or Todd Akin in blue or purple states. Smarmy Tim Kaine needs to go, and I think he will after his Antifa son got caught.

Once the CEOs started backing Democrats bigly, and Democrats decided they could win without white gentiles (goyim), the path forward was to focus on jobs and the general economy. The owner of a small business that wants to expand but can't because of Obamacare and other regulatory obstacles also votes. The people he wants to hire but can't vote too.; 9/28/17, 11:41 AM
Yancey Ward said...: When any meaningful tax reform fails to pass, the writing on the wall will be readable to any with a political IQ above 85.; 9/28/17, 11:54 AM
Brookzene said...: All that anger. All that self-importance. All that victimization. A fail.; 9/28/17, 11:58 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: "Was Moore's victory a "base" victory over the "establishment?" Sure. Might it embolden others? Sure. Might that imperil GOP congressional majorities? I suppose, but I don't know how likely that is, and I don't imagine this NYT writer does either."

The worry is that the Republicans will again shoot themselves in their feet again by nominating weak candidates nominated by the more radical side of the party, and then lose to the vulnerable Dem incumbent running for reelection. We all probably remember what happened with Sharon Angle and Todd Aiken. The Dems are at their most vulnerable this coming cycle in the Senate - they have over half their seats up for reelection, and a bunch of those are in Trump states. (Sen Tester has been running ads here in MT since at least June). Best chance in the next half decade to get a big enough majority in the Senate that they Democrats can't slow the Republicans down. And the Reps could blow it with nominating too many Sharon Angles (whom I voted for) and Todd Aikens.

I don't see the Republican majority in the House being overly vulnerable this coming election. Not that many swing districts in play. And the Trump revolution is still pretty new. I was surprised here that the MT special election wasn't closer, given the amount spent by the Democrats, and that the Dem governor had just been reelected. I expect that Trump will be able to excite his base next year just fine. And who wants to see a geriatric harpy with dementia on the evening news as Speaker? Or giving the rest of their geriatric leadership power again? I am thinking of such stalwarts as Conyers, Jackson Lee, and Waters, pretty well guaranteed their old committee chairs if the Dems retake the House. Heck, running against Pelosi alone is probably worth at least a dozen seats for the Republicans (in the MT special election, the ad that made the Dems squeal the loudest was the one with Quist and Pelosi, suggesting that he would vote as she told him to). Of course, if Pelosi, Conyers, etc, all retired, then maybe. Otherwise, I don't see them with much of a chance.; 9/28/17, 12:00 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: I should add that the Republicans should have the edge in the next redistricting. The demographic movement has been more Blue to Red over the last most of a decade. Republicans control the bulk of the state legislatures and governorships, and, interestingly, some of the ones they don't have have supposedly non political commissions to do their redistricting. Plus, the Republicans will tokenly have executive control of the Decennial Census for only the second time since Nixon. Do they have to count illegals? Maybe not. And if they don't have to, Democratic CA takes a big hit in House seats. How hard do they have to look for non responders? How much can they guess? All things that are under control of the Census Bureau.; 9/28/17, 12:12 PM
Todd said...: Brookzene said...
All that anger. All that self-importance. All that victimization. A fail.

9/28/17, 11:58 AM

LOL!

Hasn't that been the Democrat platform for at least the last 10 years? Seriously, other than "We will stick it [taxes] to the man." and "Here, more free stuff.", what has the Democratic platform been? They are all about "poor little you [the voter], you need us to help you because you can't do it yourself." You are nothing without Government. At least [on paper] the Republicans are for individual responsibility and that Government is more often the problem than the solution.; 9/28/17, 12:12 PM
Ralph L said...: On November 11, 1963, Kennedy told his secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, that they planned to drop Johnson as VP in 1964.
Fate determined the rest

My dad's first cousin was overheard saying in public--in Dallas, right afterwards--that she knew something would happen if Lyndon ever got JFK down to Texas. She was investigated by the USSS.; 9/28/17, 12:15 PM
Sam L. said...: They got that right! Unfortunately, I have no GOPers to vote for, or against.; 9/28/17, 12:15 PM
Gahrie said...: All that anger. All that self-importance. All that victimization. A fail.

So you've finally realized the futility of Antifa and the BLM?; 9/28/17, 12:16 PM
Ralph L said...: How much can they guess?
Clinton tried to use statistical extrapolation in 2000, but the Repub House shot it down. It is in the Constitution.; 9/28/17, 12:17 PM
Ralph L said...: The Democrats have kept our district maps here in NC in the courts since early this decade.; 9/28/17, 12:20 PM
Seeing Red said...: Now?

I've hated them for awhile. Are they woke?

I think it's better late than never.; 9/28/17, 12:21 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Republicans are confronting an insurrection on the right.

No. Republicans are confronting a betrayal at the top.; 9/28/17, 12:22 PM
Titus said...: More Roy Moores! God will choose the right republicans to lead this country to victory!

Go God!; 9/28/17, 12:26 PM
Brookzene said...: So you've finally realized the futility of Antifa and the BLM?

The discussions of how much you all have in common will be interesting for you I'm sure.; 9/28/17, 12:29 PM
BJM said...: The silent majority is woke.; 9/28/17, 12:32 PM
Greg Hlatky said...: What is that disgusting stench? Oh, it's an HR asshole.; 9/28/17, 12:34 PM
CWJ said...: "The discussions of how much you all have in common will be interesting for you I'm sure."

Such as?; 9/28/17, 1:04 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: "Clinton tried to use statistical extrapolation in 2000, but the Repub House shot it down. It is in the Constitution"

Been trying that for decades. Remember Harvard Law trained Rep Patsy Schroeder (yes, the one who wore the bunny outfit on the Great Wall of China) pushing this about the time that I worked as a programmer for the 1980 Decennial Census. Their argument has long been that lower income and homeless, who are more likely to vote Democratic, are more likely to be missed. Which is why billions are now spent on trying to eak out every last person. And why, under Obama the last time around, there was an excess amount of curbstoning, where the Census takers would guess at demographics when they couldn't find the actual people they thought were there. Didn't help that the Census Bureau worked closely with, and recruited from, Dem affiliated community organizing groups. So, while they couldn't officially extrapolate population counts, as the Dems so desperately want to do, they could, and very likely did, bias the counts by incentivizing over counting in lower income communities.

The problem with extrapolations is that they would be ultimately controlled by the political operatives running the bureau, through the Dem leaning govt workers implementing such. Census has some of the best statisticians in the country, but they are govt workers, with all their biases. The thing that makes this so dangerous is that Census counts determine Congressional redistricting, and that also affects the Electoral College. So, a party having control over the Census could very easily, by controlling the extrapolations, almost permantly give their party an edge in both House and Presidential elections.; 9/28/17, 1:51 PM
Brookzene said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/28/17, 1:53 PM
Brookzene said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/28/17, 2:17 PM
Brookzene said...: Such as?

The shared anger, self-importance, victimization, hubris. Self-absorption.; 9/28/17, 2:24 PM
Michael K said...: "that she knew something would happen if Lyndon ever got JFK down to Texas. She was investigated by the USSS."

I don't think Johnson had anything to do with it. The problem, as well described by Caro, was that Lyndon, in being so marginalized by the Kennedys, had lost all his influence in Texas. Kennedy was quite worried about re-election in 1964 and was reaching out to Connolly, who had been an ally of Johnson since the 1930s and was now Governor of Texas where he was the one in control of the machine. They had a meeting with Connolly in which Johnson was not even informed. Connolly met with him later and apologized, saying he had anticipated that Johnson would be at the meeting.

That was the reason why Connolly was in the car with Kennedy.

Johnson was really in trouble until the assassination swept them all away in sentiment.

He was a disaster as president which surprised a lot of people.; 9/28/17, 2:37 PM
Michael K said...: "The shared anger, self-importance, victimization, hubris. Self-absorption."

You mean like Hillary ?; 9/28/17, 2:38 PM
rcocean said...: "He was a disaster as president which surprised a lot of people."

People didn't realize what a liar LBJ was. He was another one of those DC Pols that tell people whatever they want to hear, and then do the exact opposite when they get elected.

In 1964 he posed as the peace candidate on Vietnam and a moderate conservative on fiscal/social issues.; 9/28/17, 2:48 PM
Brookzene said...: You mean like Hillary ?

Those are traits shared with many but I don't know why that should bring you any comfort.; 9/28/17, 2:52 PM
Brookzene said...: I would say you are the exemplars now, however, as you once were with more positive traits.; 9/28/17, 2:54 PM
Gahrie said...: I would say you are the exemplars now, however, as you once were with more positive traits.

Yeah, 'cause a bunch of Rightwingers are out there trying to prevent the Left from talking through violence and threats.; 9/28/17, 3:51 PM
Krumhorn said...: I lived in Florida when Charlie Crist was running in the primary. His TV ads were explicit. He was, they reported, by far the most conservative person in the field. He had ton of money to repeat that lie every half hour until he was elected. At which point, he was completely indistinguishable from (take your pick) any leftie. And then he switched parties in the next cycle.

I've been around for awhile, so I'm somewhat chagrined to say that was the first time I was aware of having been lied to my face by a politician. The Congressional Repulsivans have been make a great show of pretending to repeal Obamacare knowing that Dear Leader would veto. Now that they have the actual opportunity to do so, they are revealed as the lying sacks of smelly crap that was Crist.

It's hard to imagine how they will retain their majority when voters like me just stay home and drink a beer. I supported McCain (having been a naval aviator in the Marine Corps, I had an affinity for him at the time....long gone) and that pussy-hatted Romney. Trump has been marginally effective, but he, at least, has tried to keep his word. The rest of the establishment femme beta cukservatives can rot in hell for the lying beta cuks they are.

I hope I've left no doubt about my view.

- Krumhorn.; 9/28/17, 3:54 PM
Brookzene said...: Yeah, 'cause a bunch of Rightwingers are out there trying to prevent the Left from talking through violence and threats.

You know, that's not really the problem. But when you're feeling self-righteous and defensive, you make your rationalizations. Hardly unheard of.; 9/28/17, 4:11 PM
Balfegor said...: "... and senior party strategists have concluded that the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way it detested President Barack Obama....

These senior party strategists are, um, kind of slow, aren't they? If the conservative base were in any way satisfied with the leadership of the party, wouldn't they, you know, have voted for a candidate other than Trump? There were plenty of candidates who were well-qualified according to the usual criteria. And if the professional political classes (and the professional classes generally) had not suffered a total collapse of any semblance of authority, do you really think the voting public would have chosen Trump for President?

The people at the top -- the politicians, the civil service, the media -- still need to realise that they have to earn back the trust of the public. They can't just assume it, and pat themselves on the back for being so wonderful, the way they have been doing for a generation. I would have thought Trump would be the wake-up call, but evidently not. I suppose they've all successfully talked themselves into believing that they can just keep on doing exactly what they've been doing because they are practically perfect in every way. If you're good at talking and nothing else, you can reframe any problem into someone else's fault. Even if other people are not persuaded.; 9/28/17, 4:30 PM
The Godfather said...: I share the anger and disappointment of many commenters at the failure of the Republicans, now in control of both houses of Congress as well as the Presidency to repeal (and, OK, replace) Obamacare. They promised that if only we gave them the power .... The SONS OF BITCHES!

[Deep breath]

But the fact is that of the 8 now-Republican Senate seats up in 2018 NONE of the incumbents voted against Repeal and Replace (I'm not counting McCain), but ALL 25 incumbent Democrats who are up in 2018 did vote to retain Obamacare. If we want to change the Senate, the way to do it is to defeat Democrat Senators, not scare Republican Senators. If Republicans pick up 4 or more Senate seats (and that's possible), even Mitch McConnell would be able to pass legislation.; 9/28/17, 4:58 PM
Birkel said...: Brookzene's "no true problem" argument is precious.

One wonders if she went to Scotland what she might find.; 9/28/17, 5:22 PM
Birkel said...: The Godfather,
Maybe Lucy won't move that football, right?

The number of Republicans who had process issues would grow. Or they wouldn't break a filibuster.; 9/28/17, 5:25 PM
Paul said...: "... and senior party strategists have concluded that the conservative base now loathes its leaders in Washington the same way it detested President Barack Obama.'

And one wonders why? The Republican party IS known as the stupid party, and not without reason.; 9/28/17, 5:48 PM
Tom_Ohio said...: The only words needed for the comment are : "it's about time"
The Establishment was hoping the older members of the Tea Party would die off and it would be back to business as usual. But I think our Tea Party eldest are hanging on out of spite and doing ever increasing damage to the brand that is "the Republican Establishment"; 9/28/17, 5:48 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Eh. Republicans have dealing with a nascent revolution since Goldwater. It is a standard media storyline. It just so happens that stopped clocks and all.; 9/28/17, 6:12 PM
Gahrie said...: wait wait wait....wait....it's not my fault....... The democrats filibustered..... We need more Senators...the media was mean to us.... my dog ate the repeal bill....it's Trump's fault.....McCain sold us out..... There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T OUR FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!

Vote Republican 2018; 9/28/17, 8:11 PM
mockturtle said...: wait wait wait....wait....it's not my fault....... The democrats filibustered..... We need more Senators...the media was mean to us.... my dog ate the repeal bill....it's Trump's fault.....McCain sold us out..... There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T OUR FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!

:-D; 9/28/17, 8:20 PM
Gahrie said...: GOP Establishment #1: Hey, quit your blubberin'. Actually doing what you promised is hard!

GOP Establishment #2: Republican voters, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes! You fucked up... you trusted us! Hey, make the best of it! Maybe you can help.

Republican voter: [crying] That's easy for you to say! What am I going to tell myself in the mirror?

GOP Establishment #2: I'll tell you what. We'll send you an e-mail that tells you that you did a great job voting Republican, but you didn't donate enough money and this year we didn't have the votes. Send us more money. GOP Establishment #1 will use it to hire consultants and raise more even more money. We'll spent all of that money on consultants and commercials in the next election cycle.

Republican voter: Will that work?

Republican establishment #2: Hey, it's gotta work better than actually doing something.

Republican Establishment #3: [Sending a fundraising e-mail to millions] My advice to you is to donate money heavily.

Republican Establishment #2: Better listen to him, Republican voter, he's an expert

Republican Establishment #1: [mixing a cocktail] There you go now, just leave everything to the Republican Establishment.; 9/29/17, 12:48 AM
Todd said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/29/17, 8:11 AM
Todd said...: Brookzene said...

Yeah, 'cause a bunch of Rightwingers are out there trying to prevent the Left from talking through violence and threats.

You know, that's not really the problem. But when you're feeling self-righteous and defensive, you make your rationalizations. Hardly unheard of.

9/28/17, 4:11 PM

How dense (or I suppose partisan) are you? Really?

You are equating a bunch of conservatives kvetching on a web site with a bunch of liberals beating up innocents due to disagreeing with their non-violent speech. Sorry but YES that is really the problem.

The fact that you don't see that demonstrates a very special kind of stupid.; 9/29/17, 8:13 AM
RichAndSceptical said...: Lately Trump has proven to be pretty savvy. I think this is working to plan. Trump and Bannon have a secret plan that shields Trump from the wrath of the Republican establishment while Bannon knocks off key establishment Senators.; 9/29/17, 6:20 PM
Narayanan said...: I am trying to understand the filibuster ... Is there a time clock to call a vote? How does that square with no time limit on a senator holding the floor without breaking wind or water? Does he run out the clock? If it is enough to merely threaten to filibuster, does that mean Senate can have multiple clocks?; 9/30/17, 1:34 PM