The Briefing Room
General Category => Politics/Government => Topic started by: Atomic Cow on December 14, 2013, 10:46:50 pm
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Democrats are gleefully using House Speaker John Boehner's own words in an effort to garner donations for mid-term elections next year.
21st Century Democrats, which bills itself as "building a progressive majority from the grassroots up since 1985," uses Boehner's proverbial public spanking of tea party opponents of the Congressional budget proposal to take back control of the House.
"Even Speaker Boehner can't hide his disdain for the outside conservative tea party groups," the email reads.
"He actually said that these groups are 'pushing our members in places they don't want to be, and frankly I think they've lost all credibility.' And that's from Speaker Boehner," executive director Jennifer Petty wrote in an email addressed to its members.
Petty added, "These groups controlling the GOP actually opposed the budget deal before it was even released. That's how knee-jerk and out of touch they are."
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/democrats-use-boehner-fundraising/2013/12/12/id/541568
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(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t413/winthroproberts/94bbf067-70e7-4f75-b313-7935b2d49dae_zpsb15b744f.png) (http://s1058.photobucket.com/user/winthroproberts/media/94bbf067-70e7-4f75-b313-7935b2d49dae_zpsb15b744f.png.html)
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"Even Speaker Boehner can't hide his disdain for the outside conservative tea party groups," the email reads.
I can point to 16 years of posts in FR alone where conservatives have done far more than show "disdain" for the GOP.
So if there is in fact a "civil war" in the GOP, outside conservative groups have been taking pot shots at the GOP for many years.
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outside conservative groups have been taking pot shots at the GOP for many years.
And would you now please show us the ads where Democrats used the criticisms of these groups against fellow Republicans?
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I can point to 16 years of posts in FR alone where conservatives have done far more than show "disdain" for the GOP.
So if there is in fact a "civil war" in the GOP, outside conservative groups have been taking pot shots at the GOP for many years.
There is this more or less permanent faction, always criticizing the GOP, announcing they have left the party, and won't vote at all unless they get their way. (Their way is the furthest right)
They always believe they are part of an almost unlimited sized group of voters, ready to give big wins to just the right type of candidate. (The candidate furthest to the right)
And of course they are perpetual victims, so they whine about that, too.
Fad followers too. Tea Party for one, "libertarian conservative" for another (although they are NOT libertarian in the slightest)
If I was a squad leader with some of them under my direction, I'd be watchful they didn't turn back to base camp to shoot our side.
Every patrol, they need to be told "our side has the red shirts, the enemy has the blue shirts." "Do NOT shoot red shirts, got that?"
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There is this more or less permanent faction, always criticizing the GOP, announcing they have left the party, and won't vote at all unless they get their way. (Their way is the furthest right)
They always believe they are part of an almost unlimited sized group of voters, ready to give big wins to just the right type of candidate. (The candidate furthest to the right)
And of course they are perpetual victims, so they whine about that, too.
Fad followers too. Tea Party for one, "libertarian conservative" for another (although they are NOT libertarian in the slightest)
If I was a squad leader with some of them under my direction, I'd be watchful they didn't turn back to base camp to shoot our side.
Every patrol, they need to be told "our side has the red shirts, the enemy has the blue shirts." "Do NOT shoot red shirts, got that?"
I coined the term "The Unappeaseables" at FR in 1999 to describe this very same phenomenon when the move was on to make sure George W. Bush never got the nomination in 2000.
Nothing is new under the sun.
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outside conservative groups have been taking pot shots at the GOP for many years.
And would you now please show us the ads where Democrats used the criticisms of these groups against fellow Republicans?
You may have missed all those comments from the POTUS, Democrats in general and the MSM discussing the "extreme right wing faction of the GOP" in speeches and political remarks.
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"Unappeasables" in general, are not well schooled in statistics, probability, negotiating, teamwork, strategy and tactics, planning & prioritizing, etc.
They seem drawn to most unlikely scenarios, and opposed to the likely ones. Hence during the 2012 primary season, they exhausted, in serial fashion, every alternative to Romney. Usually they do NOT bring much money with them.
When the GOP lost in 2006 and then 2008 it was widely recognized the brand needed a new image. Avoiding the reputation for shutting down the government was just one idea. But unappeasables seem to be constitutionally incapable of grasping such matters.
"When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging." Goes right over the heads of unappeasables.
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"Unappeasables" in general, are not well schooled in statistics, probability, negotiating, teamwork, strategy and tactics, planning & prioritizing, etc.
They seem drawn to most unlikely scenarios, and opposed to the likely ones. Hence during the 2012 primary season, they exhausted, in serial fashion, every alternative to Romney. Usually they do NOT bring much money with them.
When the GOP lost in 2006 and then 2008 it was widely recognized the brand needed a new image. Avoiding the reputation for shutting down the government was just one idea. But unappeasables seem to be constitutionally incapable of grasping such matters.
"When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging." Goes right over the heads of unappeasables.
"Appeasement" is what GOP leaders are best at. That's why they lose - ALWAYS. They lose because they believe in NOTHING BUT GETTING ELECTED. They negotiate with people who want to destroy them, and think it's responsible and patriotic. It's not - it's idiotic, and it's killing the country by degrees. Modern left-wing Democrats do not negotiate in good faith - they buy time with which to implement their plans, and they do so in the knowledge that their adversaries do not understand that they mean to win at all costs. And then crush the opposition. And oh yeah - that's coming.
Democrats want THIS MUCH more government power and control. GOP Progressives will settle for (this much) more - and call it a victory. That's why they lose, and always will lose. They accept the Progressive "ratchet", where government always grows and its power always expands - only more slowly, and more incrementally - while we in the middle class get crushed.
And that is why I am no longer a Republican. GOP elites gleefully accept a 2% increase in the size of the Department of Energy (which creates no energy) and Education (which is destroying our educational system) in place of 6% increases as desired by Democrats when REAL CONSERVATIVES would be demanding, as a starting point for any negotiations that the damned things ought to be abolished - and make the case to the general public as best they can.
But don't worry - the Democrats will be back next year, demanding more increases in funding, and Crying Eyes Boehner will be happy to go along to get along. Screw that. I'm done. I want my country back. Unprincipled assholes like McCain, Boehner and McConnell will NEVER make that happen. But they'd sure make great corporate lobbyists. And that's the highest goal of most Washington Republicans now, isn't it? Screw them. They're destroying this country as surely as are Democrats, by choosing not to fight the statist, collectivist disease that infects us, but by trying to slow its progression, as though that will change the ultimate outcome.
It won't. I know what will. You won't like it. But it's going to happen and you'd best be prepared for it, because absent a political party willing to fight for freedom, and present a party willing to crush it, the options are quickly diminishing.
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"Appeasement" is what GOP leaders are best at. That's why they lose - ALWAYS. They lose because they believe in NOTHING BUT GETTING ELECTED. They negotiate with people who want to destroy them, and think it's responsible and patriotic. It's not - it's idiotic, and it's killing the country by degrees. Modern left-wing Democrats do not negotiate in good faith - they buy time with which to implement their plans, and they do so in the knowledge that their adversaries do not understand that they mean to win at all costs. And then crush the opposition. And oh yeah - that's coming.
Democrats want THIS MUCH more government power and control. GOP Progressives will settle for (this much) more - and call it a victory. That's why they lose, and always will lose. They accept the Progressive "ratchet", where government always grows and its power always expands - only more slowly, and more incrementally - while we in the middle class get crushed.
And that is why I am no longer a Republican. GOP elites gleefully accept a 2% increase in the size of the Department of Energy (which creates no energy) and Education (which is destroying our educational system) in place of 6% increases as desired by Democrats when REAL CONSERVATIVES would be demanding, as a starting point for any negotiations that the damned things ought to be abolished - and make the case to the general public as best they can.
But don't worry - the Democrats will be back next year, demanding more increases in funding, and Crying Eyes Boehner will be happy to go along to get along. Screw that. I'm done. I want my country back. Unprincipled assholes like McCain, Boehner and McConnell will NEVER make that happen. But they'd sure make great corporate lobbyists. And that's the highest goal of most Washington Republicans now, isn't it? Screw them. They're destroying this country as surely as are Democrats, by choosing not to fight the statist, collectivist disease that infects us, but by trying to slow its progression, as though that will change the ultimate outcome.
It won't. I know what will. You won't like it. But it's going to happen and you'd best be prepared for it, because absent a political party willing to fight for freedom, and present a party willing to crush it, the options are quickly diminishing.
Excellent post!
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"Appeasement" is what GOP leaders are best at. That's why they lose - ALWAYS. They lose because they believe in NOTHING BUT GETTING ELECTED. They negotiate with people who want to destroy them, and think it's responsible and patriotic. It's not - it's idiotic, and it's killing the country by degrees. Modern left-wing Democrats do not negotiate in good faith - they buy time with which to implement their plans, and they do so in the knowledge that their adversaries do not understand that they mean to win at all costs. And then crush the opposition. And oh yeah - that's coming.
Democrats want THIS MUCH more government power and control. GOP Progressives will settle for (this much) more - and call it a victory. That's why they lose, and always will lose. They accept the Progressive "ratchet", where government always grows and its power always expands - only more slowly, and more incrementally - while we in the middle class get crushed.
And that is why I am no longer a Republican. GOP elites gleefully accept a 2% increase in the size of the Department of Energy (which creates no energy) and Education (which is destroying our educational system) in place of 6% increases as desired by Democrats when REAL CONSERVATIVES would be demanding, as a starting point for any negotiations that the damned things ought to be abolished - and make the case to the general public as best they can.
But don't worry - the Democrats will be back next year, demanding more increases in funding, and Crying Eyes Boehner will be happy to go along to get along. Screw that. I'm done. I want my country back. Unprincipled assholes like McCain, Boehner and McConnell will NEVER make that happen. But they'd sure make great corporate lobbyists. And that's the highest goal of most Washington Republicans now, isn't it? Screw them. They're destroying this country as surely as are Democrats, by choosing not to fight the statist, collectivist disease that infects us, but by trying to slow its progression, as though that will change the ultimate outcome.
It won't. I know what will. You won't like it. But it's going to happen and you'd best be prepared for it, because absent a political party willing to fight for freedom, and present a party willing to crush it, the options are quickly diminishing.
This is a very nice post, but it neglects the fact that the American people do NOT want to cut the size of government. If they did, they'd elect politicians who would do it.
No president since Calvin Coolidge has actually CUT the size of government; since then, "cuts" equal "slowing the growth."
In any case, the budget is off the table for the next two years, so it's time to move on to something else where we might actually impact a government program.
Like focusing on the demise of Obamacare.
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This is a very nice post, but it neglects the fact that the American people do NOT want to cut the size of government. If they did, they'd elect politicians who would do it.
Whether or not a majority of Americans wishes to cut the size, scope and reach of government, it must be done if we are to maintain our God-given freedom. I happen to believe (with significant polling evidence in support of the proposition) that a majority does recognize the danger and does wish to reduce government.
The great problem is that at present they do not have a major political party committed to that proposition. That's why the Tea Party - disorganized, diffuse and sometimes incoherent as it has been - has attracted so many followers. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Obamacare would in fact be a great place to start making the case to stem the tide of extra-Constitutional government power. But I don't hear GOP leaders making it. What I hear instead is anger at a public for daring to be angry at a permanent political class whose members only pretend to care about what is happening to America, when all they truly care about is protecting their prerogatives and perquisites.
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(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t413/winthroproberts/94bbf067-70e7-4f75-b313-7935b2d49dae_zpsb15b744f.png) (http://s1058.photobucket.com/user/winthroproberts/media/94bbf067-70e7-4f75-b313-7935b2d49dae_zpsb15b744f.png.html)
Exactly
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Whether or not a majority of Americans wishes to cut the size, scope and reach of government, it must be done if we are to maintain our God-given freedom. I happen to believe (with significant polling evidence in support of the proposition) that a majority does recognize the danger and does wish to reduce government.
The great problem is that at present they do not have a major political party committed to that proposition. That's why the Tea Party - disorganized, diffuse and sometimes incoherent as it has been - has attracted so many followers. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Obamacare would in fact be a great place to start making the case to stem the tide of extra-Constitutional government power. But I don't hear GOP leaders making it. What I hear instead is anger at a public for daring to be angry at a permanent political class whose members only pretend to care about what is happening to America, when all they truly care about is protecting their prerogatives and perquisites.
There is also another problem, that involves even those people who recognize that we have a problem: too many people who are otherwise in favor of cutting the size of government and government spending do not want spending on their own pet subjects cut. The practical effect of this is that no government spending gets cut even if 100% of the people involved want to cut government spending because each single government program has sufficient supporters who do not want it cut.
In other words it's not sufficient to convince people that government spending must be reduced, they must be convinced that spending on their own favored issues must be cut as well. Until and unless enough people have been convinced that their spending must be cut as well, government spending will never be cut (and may, in fact, continue to grow).
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There is also another problem, that involves even those people who recognize that we have a problem: too many people who are otherwise in favor of cutting the size of government and government spending do not want spending on their own pet subjects cut. The practical effect of this is that no government spending gets cut even if 100% of the people involved want to cut government spending because each single government program has sufficient supporters who do not want it cut.
In other words it's not sufficient to convince people that government spending must be reduced, they must be convinced that spending on their own favored issues must be cut as well. Until and unless enough people have been convinced that their spending must be cut as well, government spending will never be cut (and may, in fact, continue to grow).
It's crack cocaine to crack addicts.
You know that it's bad for you, but you're afraid of what you're going to feel like without it.
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It's crack cocaine to crack addicts.
You know that it's bad for you, but you're afraid of what you're going to feel like without it.
I don't think there's even that much awareness of the inconsistency. A more apt comparison would be a crack addict who believed that crack cocaine was a serious threat to the American people and should be prohibited, but who also believed - sincerely - that his crack use was a good thing and that he, personally, should not be subjected to the penalties for smoking crack that he would otherwise inflict on every other crack smoker in the country.