Author Topic: Republican purists could cost Senate and threaten the nation’s future  (Read 746 times)

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Offline Formerly Once-Ler

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Thomas Sowell commentary:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2014/03/18/republican-purists-could-cost-senate-and-threaten-the-nations-future.html

At a time when polls show public opinion turning against the Democrats, some Republicans seem to be turning against each other. Even with the prospect of winning control of the Senate this fall, some Republicans are busy manufacturing ammunition for their own circular firing squad.

A Republican faction’s demonization of their own Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is a classic example. If you listen to some of those who consider themselves the only true conservatives, you would never guess that McConnell received a lifetime 90 percent ranking by the American Conservative Union.

Ann Coulter, whose conservative credentials nobody has ever challenged, pointed out in a recent column that McConnell not only has led the fight for conservative principles repeatedly, but has been to the right of Ted Cruz on immigration issues.

Someone once said that, in a war, truth is the first casualty. That seems to be the case for some in this internal war among Republicans.

Why should those of us who are not Republicans be concerned about any of this?

Fortunately or unfortunately, we have a two-party system in this country. And — very unfortunately — we are at a crucial point in the history of America, and perhaps approaching a point of no return.

The unfolding disaster of Obamacare is only the most visible symptom of a far-deeper danger from a lawless administration in Washington that unilaterally changes laws passed by Congress.

President Barack Obama has nearly three more years to continue doing irreparable damage to the fundamental basis of American government and Americans’ freedom.

Only Republican control of the Senate can rein in the lawless Obama administration, which can otherwise load up the federal courts with lawless judges, who will be dismantling the rule of law and destroying the rights of the people, for decades after Obama himself is long gone from the White House.

Once that happens, even a future Republican majority, led by people with the kind of ideological purity that the Republican dissidents want, cannot undo the damage.

The Senate’s power to confirm or not confirm presidential nominees to the federal courts is the only thing that can prevent Obama from leaving that kind of toxic legacy in the federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

Only Republican control of both houses of Congress can repeal, or even seriously revise, Obamacare. And only Republican control of both houses of Congress plus the White House can begin to reverse the many lawless, reckless and dangerous policies of the Obama administration, at home and overseas.

This year’s elections and the 2016 presidential election may be among the most important elections in the history of this country, and can determine what kind of country this will be for years — and even generations — to come.

Those Republicans who seem ready to jeopardize their own party’s chances of winning these two crucial elections by following a rule-or-ruin fight against fellow Republicans may claim to be following their ideals. But headstrong self-righteousness is not idealism, and it is seldom a way to advance any cause.

Politics, like war, is a question of power. If you don’t have power, you can make fiery speeches or even conduct attention-getting filibusters, but that does not fundamentally change anything. And it has accomplished nothing in this case.

No doubt there can be legitimate differences of opinion about tactics and strategy on particular issues. But, if you don’t have power, these are just empty clashes over debating points.

Certainly, there has been much for which the Republican leadership has deserved to be criticized over the years, and this column has made such criticisms for decades.

But, when the question is whether Mitch McConnell is preferable to Harry Reid as Majority Leader in the Senate, that is not even a close call.

If the rule-or-ruin faction among Republicans ends up giving the Democrats another Senate majority under Nevada Democrat Reid, not only the Republican Party but the entire nation, and generations yet unborn, will end up paying the price.

Offline Gazoo

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But, when the question is whether Mitch McConnell is preferable to Harry Reid as Majority Leader in the Senate, that is not even a close call.

I usually agree with Sowell. But this statement is stretching it a bit I don't care who you are. The article reads like they got the power-because they say they have the power- so stfu. Never once mentioning that McConnell could retire/lose his primary and the majority rank and file system would not be touched. It would be another established republican. So what is the big deal? There has been talk of Paul Ryan being allotted to be future speaker but he has relinquished it to Cantor. With this: Ryan will be given a chairmanship role.

Saying that McConnell is a 90% conservative and all will be lost if he is stopped in a primary is very desperate and pretentious. McConnell's tea party opponent does better at beating the democrat. It seems McConnell and the established republicans are freaking out their power is not etched in gold and most of them need to retire.

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Mitch McConnell trails Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes by 4 percentage points in this year's U.S. Senate race, 46-42, according to the latest Bluegrass Poll of registered statewide voters.

And, according to the poll, McConnell's biggest problem may be himself - only 27 percent of Kentuckians hold a favorable opinion of the five-term incumbent, while 50 percent said they had an unfavorable view. And only 43 percent of conservatives, who McConnell is courting heavily, said they had a favorable opinion of him.


http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140206/NEWS010605/302030108/Mitch-McConnell-trails-Alison-Lundergan-Grimes-Bluegrass-Poll-46-42

Remember Obama's WAR ON COAL.

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Sixty-three percent (63%) of Kentucky voters prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes over a more active government with more services and higher taxes. Just 23% favor a larger government instead. There’s more support for smaller government in Kentucky than there is among voters nationally.

There are no UPDATED polls out since December.

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Kentucky will be home to one of the most important races in the country this election cycle as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is up for re-election for his sixth term. In a new Rasmussen poll released on Monday, McConnell runs dead even with his Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes with each getting 42%. The big news is that his Republican primary challenger Matt Bevin actually leads Grimes by six points.



http://redknucklepolitics.com/2014-us-senate-race-in-kentucky-update-matt-bevin-leads-grimes-in-new-poll/
« Last Edit: March 19, 2014, 09:32:48 am by Gazoo »
"The Tea Party has a right to feel cheated.

When does the Republican Party, put in the majority by the Tea Party, plan to honor its commitment to halt the growth of the Federal monolith and bring the budget back into balance"?

Offline Formerly Once-Ler

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How do I know Bevin and Grimes are not the same person?  Has anyone ever seen them both in the same room?

Offline Gazoo

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"The Tea Party has a right to feel cheated.

When does the Republican Party, put in the majority by the Tea Party, plan to honor its commitment to halt the growth of the Federal monolith and bring the budget back into balance"?

Oceander

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Since I don't - and I mean it - know anything much here, what are the pros and cons of Mr. Bevin?