The Conservative Movement Needs a Real Leader: Ben Sasse Fits the Bill

[corbe]

The Conservative Movement Needs a Real Leader: Ben Sasse Fits the Bill

Posted at 7:20 am on May 21, 2017 by Jay Caruso

It’s ironic to think with Republicans holding the presidency as well as control of the House and Senate the conservative movement would still be in need of a national leader. The election of Donald Trump effectively made him the head of the Republican Party. For conservatives who accept the reality of the Trump presidency but who reject him as a conservative leader, people like Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell haven’t exactly been inspiring.

There is one person who balances the task of delivering to conservatives intellectual leadership, without making it all about himself and that is Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse.

Sasse has only been in office since 2015, but in the two years he’s served, he’s maintained a steady and measured voice that speaks well for conservative leadership. Sasse doesn’t rail about “the establishment” or spend the bulk of his time attacking other politicians, be it Democrats or Republicans. He understands his role as part of the legislative branch of government in acting as a check against the executive and the judiciary without seeking to undermine them.

Sasse recognizes the anger of the American people and why they looked to Donald Trump. In March 2016, in an interview on Morning Joe, he said, “The Republican Party has been vacuous for a really long time.” Sasse also recognized that a leader like Trump would ultimately be dangerous for the Republican Party because, like so many others, he recognizes Trump is not a conservative or even much of a Republican, but rather an opportunist. “The Republican party doesn’t have any identity,” Sasse says. “Trump could attack it because it was rotten. The Republican party leadership isn’t about anything big.”

Donald Trump realized Sasse might be a thorn in his side when in early in 2016, he tweeted the following about Sasse:

Donald J. Trump
✔  ‎@realDonaldTrump 

.@BenSasse looks more like a gym rat than a U.S. Senator. How the hell did he ever get elected? @greta

7:15 PM - 29 Jan 2016

Very mature.

That said, Sasse is not reflexively anti-Trump (neither are the bulk of those who made up the NeverTrump movement despite the mewling of so many) so much as he wants the President held to account when it is necessary and given support when necessary. Sasse voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch and, unless I am mistaken, voted for every one of Trump’s cabinet appointments.

<..snip..>

http://www.redstate.com/jaycaruso/2017/05/21/the-conservative-movement-needs-a-real-leader-ben-sasse-fits-the-bill/

[corbe]

   I agree Mr. Caruso that Sen. Sasse is a good Man but there is nothing wrong with the current leader of the 'Conservative Movement' or what's left of it, and he has the added benefit of being battle tested.

[Cripplecreek]

Conservatives don't need A leader, conservatives need leadership.

There is plenty of room for Cruz, Sasse, Lee and others.

[geronl]

We do not need a leader, we aren't the ones who need led. We need conservatism.

[Frank Cannon]

Don't think I'll be lead by a punk ass drug dealer type dude....

[Cripplecreek]

We do not need a leader, we aren't the ones who need led. We need conservatism.

Remember how the tea party started by rejecting politicians as speakers at events?

[EasyAce]

Don't think I'll be lead by a punk ass drug dealer type dude....

Considering such Senate floor statements as this from Mr. Sasse in December . . .

First, we have taken an oath to defend the Constitution, and the Constitution invests the legislature with
the legislative powers.

Second, the Founders’ design of checks and balances actually was and is a good idea. They were struggling to
preserve the freedom of the individual and especially of the vulnerable against the powerful—against those who
could afford to hire the well-connected lobbyists. The Founders were equally afraid of the unchecked consolidation
of power in a king or in the passions of a mob. They understood that human nature means that those in power
will almost always try to grab more power, and that base reality hasn’t changed over the last 230 years.

Third, under the system that is now emerging, the public is growing more and more frustrated. They think that
most of us will be reelected no matter what, and they think that the executive agencies that daily substitute rulemaking
for legislating will promulgate whatever rules they want, no matter what, and that the people have no control.
(Emphasis added.)

. . . it seems the punk-ass drug-dealer type is clearly more presidential material than the past four presidents
we've had to put up with including the incumbent.

[Hondo69]