The GOP leadership in Congress made their main priority the removal of the provision preventing the US from exporting oil (plus of course a nod to the fear of shutting down the government - a fear of the Democrat loving media). The removal of the export ban is a good thing - we all see that was a ridiculous restriction that hamstrings the energy sector of the economy. It also has two other features - it is something that will please and loosen the wallets of their donors (it lines their pockets personally) and it is not amongst the highest priorities of the common voter. The third thing about it is also important: the Democrats will howl and yell to assuage their environmental support, but they really don't give a crap because it won't cost them anything - please don't throw me in the briar bush!
So the congressional republicans got something for their money-men (not a bad thing but not something that their base would consider worth everything else - including making the security and immigration problems worse). The Democrats got their priorities pushed further down the road - and we all know what their priorities do to the country. And much of the reason for this imbalance is the fear of the Democrat media machine.
I suggest that if the Republicans really want something different - maybe they don't, maybe they are very comfortable with this - they find a leader that can turn the Democrat media machine on its head.
I posted a long time ago that the GOP was working to become European conservatives. That is to say, liberals, but they will bill themselves as more efficient liberals. The GOP wants big government too, they just promise to manage it better.
Conservatives? Democrats hate us. The media paints us as mouth breathing, inbred, gun toting, bible clutching morons. Republicans want to cut ties with us. Republicans want a base that consists of left leaning moderates. The GOP is sure conservatives are dying off, and they want to sever any connection with us.
That's where we stand.
