Politics The Elephant in the room...The GOP today

I hear some Dems may have fucked with the primary Cantor lost in,
because in Virginia anyone can vote in a primary.
Meaning an organized "get out the vote" effort to mess up Cantor's day...and vote for his opponent instead.

So he may have been hit on both sides, Right & Left...enough to make a big difference.
This is being claimed by Cantor's pollster.

And if it did...oh well, live by the sword, die by the sword.
If the rules say you can do it...I think Cantor was familiar with that technique in Congress.

 

Cantor didn't need to move right. He needed to get real.

I believe you are correct @StreetPattern , the pollster is mostly just in CYA mode...and if any Dems did vote like that, it was small potatoes.

I think the article sums up what was really wrong...Cantor was the equivalent of Al Gore in personality, he was a Wonk.
He forgot how to speak TWO languages...which is needed these days in Fed govt politics.
Wonk inside the beltway, casual outside. (Biden is a good example of the 2nd, although he gets in trouble with the 1st - basically the opposite)

He was a stiff, it was about posturing his agenda inside the beltway...forgetting not just just be present in his locale, but "connecting" too.
I saw his posters and otherwise as I traveled through the VA countryside...I noted them, but they weren't noticeable.
But then again, I didn't see ANY of his opponent's...so what does that say to you??
Is it name recognition? Or that he didn't put out his effort that way...

I think what made the difference was Cantor went through the paces, the standard process...but he didn't connect or listen.
The other guy, sounds like he drove to "get out the vote", get his supporters to the stations...and inspire other angry voters to vote against Cantor.

That's just my take...it could be many factors, all of the above.
The real interesting thing now to me, is the cascading impact...not just direct, but for the whole national environ.
Chaos Theory in action.

 

Sorry, I have to call "bullshit" here...not on the author, but on the GOP.
The author gets it spot on.
The president (any of them) are doing more because the Congress is not doing it's job. (with the GOP not compromising)
And it's not going to get any better.

Frankly, I don't even think they're doing the lawsuit to win...just to stall and prevent Obama from doing anything during it.
So not "only" will Congress be stagnant...but they will prevent even the Executive Office and underlying departments from acting.

And their "excuse" of Obama overstepping his powers is serious bullshit too
...because it's shown that he's done WAY less "executive actions" than other presidents.
Less vetos...less executive orders...and so on.

It's the ultimate game play in their War of Attrition.
This is just a continuation of their tantrum.

I wonder if this is not only a way to get their way...and shut Obama down, (get Obama!!)
but also to undermine the Federal Government as a whole, keeping with their "govt is evil" theme???
Stupid is as stupid does.
Definition of insanity right here.

The only problem is the American public is not paying attention to the details...or blame everyone for their frustrations.
And the GOP base is a lot more active then anything the Dems are putting out.
Voters don't vote the "instigators" out, they just vote to what they hear in ads in their local areas.
It's only going to get worse.

 

As a followup...the legal experts are already throwing their hat in on the legitimacy of this move.

There's another reason...this would upset the distinction and balance of the separation of powers in the Constitution.
If you allow this precident, you'd end up constantly have one branch deciding on suits from another branch over another.
Not just Congress vs. President (legislative vs. executive), but vice versa...(executive against legislative)
Or even worse...parts of each, going after another.

The US Constitution strictly states how one can supersede or check the other.
This would effectively be M.A.D.
One nuke triggers following nukes...to political Armageddon or nothing left to work on or move forward.

The exaggeration that the GOP is saying vs. Obama is obnoxious..."King-like authority"???
This is why I do NOT like the current GOP. (despite my centrist values or beliefs which includes some Right principles)
They are disgusting.
There is nothing they will not say or do to get what they want...other than what they CYA for. (so no publically open "N" words thrown out...yet)

You want my vote...make me respect you again.
Unlike other American voters...I see what you did there. (I see it again & again...)
And it is disturbing.

STOP being the screaming logjam that prevents the US from doing things.
Compromise is not weakness.
It is human...and how humans work with other humans.
If even just TWO people in a relationship, who love each other, have to communicate and compromise...what makes you think you're different???

Right now, all you're doing is constantly sticking a gun in the face of that opposite you.
Saying, give me what I want...or else.

Thank God, the GOP is a piss-poor shot.
And shoot themselves in the foot quite often.
(they're like fucking "Muerte" in Undercover Blues )

 

Can the G.O.P. Be a Party of Ideas?

This article is quite interesting...
And actually, if the GOP can pull this off...and are discussing it sincerely, then it will be their saving grace and make them interesting again.

But right now, I think they created a Frankenstein in the Tea Party and their base...unintended consequences, they've lost control.
The inmates are ruling the asylum at the moment...and are voting for more chaos and anarchy based off of their old spin, memes and talking points.
They created the mindset and mantras...and now they're getting backlash from it...from their own masses.

 

Sorry, I just had to post it...although it is a good analogy of some attitudes in the party at the moment.
(** I've heard it with my own ears...honestly)

What are people's real agendas??

 

Ok, I agree with this...it is setting a precedent that won't ever stop.
Mixing up the separation of powers/branches...Executive, Legislative and Judicial.

It would be effectively shutting down the Executive branch...not just Obama's, but every other president following. (no matter what party)
And it would have Legislative asking Judicial to question everything...and set standard.

Even more so, SCOTUS would be at constant work on what is basically politics...not evaluating Constitutional level legal cases.
They've got more than enough to keep themselves occupied now.

The GOP is going overboard and potentially damaging the government structure of the U.S.
(which is why it's in this thread...)
It this just "gotcha"? Or a way for the ultra-libertarian ideology to finally destroy the Federal govt??

 

When Glenn Beck becomes the voice of compassion and moderation...there's something not so hot going on.
Geez

WWJD? (and I'm Jewish...)

 

Actually I agree with Rand Paul in this topic. (no guarantee on others...)

The US needs to pull back on it's involvement in other countries...in the matter of continuing subsidies and military intervention.
Sure we can deal with a shorter-term crisis, but having to have lengthy unending sorties and supporting governments is too much.
And it seems that Obama is following this path, restraint. (What a concept) Using alternative methods of solution. And they seem to work too.

Here you see the neo-cons and hawks wanting to jump into everything.
God knows how many wars and military actions we'd be in if McCain had won. (he insists on attacking everything)
And we've seen what Cheney's policies have done.

I don't mind using force, I don't mind using the US military or strength.
But we can't be everywhere and everytime and forever...we are not God. (or at least playing Civilization)
And there is some responsibility for countries to support themselves and others to assist too more often.

Problem is, this is done on the backs of American taxpayers...where we could use the money elsewhere for our benefit or not take it in the first place.
Ironic, that the people who constantly harp that we are big government, that we have too many taxes, that we have too big a deficit
are the SAME that are insisting that Americans spend TRILLIONS on intervention everywhere. (literal and with no exaggerations, Trillions in total)

This shit ain't cheap.
We've got better things to do.

 

As opposed to who else do they have??
At least he'd be able to harness the Libertarian side of American, which actually straddles both Dems & GOP and Independents.

Romney again?? Jeb Bush? Rubio? Christie?
All of these have serious weaknesses.

In truth, I think they're scared of him because they think they couldn't control him
and he might upset the very lucrative military-industrial complex...and other Federal boondoggles.

I'm not joking when I say, living in the Greater DC Metro Area, "The money doesn't fall far from the well..."

He'd tear up all the contracts...and there's a side to me that likes that idea. (even though there'd be repercussions, even on my industry & career)

 

It might not be as bad as some are making it out to be: Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Ethics of a Rape Defense - Forbes