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Re: Current Events Thread
The big problem here is that Republicans still in power are still very reluctant to speak out or act in any capacity that might draw Trump's ire. Even after he's clearly lost the election, they are still quite afraid and intimidate by him. United States senators are very afraid of Trump.
I've been reading and hearing for years that in private, both current and former Republican leadership despise Trump. Then why do they go along with it? James...you yourself continue to denounce the 'team mentality' when it comes to politics. There is no finer example of teamsmanship as a president who demands total obedience.
If Republicans don't start standing up to him, he will always be in the background.
All during the past four years, I kept hearing this 'hold you nose' and vote for him mentality. From what I gather now, it's at best about 50-50 between the nose holders and the die hard Trumpers.
Donald Trump's actions during the past 4 years have murked the waters of democracy.
This year started with an impeachment trial in the Senate at which Republican senators had already made up their minds. Maybe impeachment wasn't the right answer, but it was an opportunity to stand up to Trump even once. The Republicans in congress have been virtually absent from their responsibilities because they were more worried about re-election than they were about looking complacent to Trump. They traded that all in because they wanted to take credit for his tax cuts and his alleged stock market success.
When faced with a supreme court nominee just days before the election, they hurried it through while the economy rotted and Co-Vid was in the midst of a massive increase in cases. In addition, they went back on a precedent that they had created just 4 years ago. This is yet another act of complacency by a supposed equal branch of government.
For me, the United States Senate has been a feckless body since the Republicans took it back in 2014. Not only creating ridiculous precedents that were so transparently partisan, but also its inactivity in anything pragmatic or productive. The single and sole mission was not only to obstruct Obama at every turn during his final 2 years in office, but to do its best to destroy anything he'd ever done.
In 2016, when they won all 3 branches of government, that behaved as though they had a mandate despite holding the slimmest of margins in the Senate and winning the electoral college by what amounted a few thousand votes in select swing states. Now the destruction of all things could truly commence. Except, it didn't...because when you win elections by slim margins and behave like you have a mandate, it'll catch up with you.
They truly believe health care is something only certain people should have access to now despite the Bush Medicaid part D and other Republican accomplishments in the past on healthcare that targeted very select voters. But...they couldn't even do that. They couldn't repeal Obamacare after 8 years of tantrums and obstruction.
In 2018 they gained a negligible number of seats in the Senate more due to a favorable map than anything. Somehow when they Democrats obtained control of the House, it meant that the Senate had to go back to its obstructive ways outside of the few items that the Senate had exclusively power to handle. Even while holding 2 of the 3 branches of government, they mostly did nothing from 2018 until the 2020 election cycle outside of an emergency Co-Vid economic relief bill and adding more supreme court justices to the bench.
I believe they've created a new unintentional precedent. They've allowed the executive branch to absorb an enormous amount of power. Trump was unchecked at every turn by the Senate. Sure...the supreme court weighed in many times against Trump. But many heads rolled in various government agencies and bodies that were meant designed to prevent a demagogue like Trump from doing whatever the hell he wanted.
I'm not sure anyone ever specifically taught me this...but I always thought growing up that the Senate had the second most powerful legislative and governing power. Maybe it was just because of the nice round number of 100. When I read a book about the Nixon impeachment process, I learned of the deliberations that took place there and the seriousness with which the Senate handled that situation. I already read of the grand bargain between Tipper Gore and the Reagan administration brokered within the Senate.
Right now...I can't think of a more feckless body of the US government. A mostly stagnant anchor in the ground that says my way or the highway. The last 4 years have really been about that...no comprise, no real dialogue. It's Trump's way or we're just not gonna do it. The Senate had to wilt away for Trump to be emboldened. That's exactly what happened in my opinion.
Re: Current Events Thread
Holy shit...
Lin Wood is telling Republicans in Georgia to not support the republican candidates in the Senate runoff because they didn't help Trump.
It's now official...they are eating their own. They're gonna play high stakes poker and risk losing control of the Senate over Trumpism.
When do the mature, responsible Republicans jump in and say enough is enough? Why fall on your sword and do potentially irreparable and irreversible damage to your party for the sake of Trump, Giuliani, and their gang of incompetents?
It's just mind boggling at this point.
Edit
Trump Jr. is now disavowing the comment on Twitter.....
I’m seeing a lot of talk from people that are supposed to be on our side telling GOP voters not to go out & vote for u/KLoeffler
and u/PerdueSenate
. That is NONSENSE. IGNORE those people. We need ALL of our people coming out to vote for Kelly & David. #MAGA #GASENIn other words, Trump's son is now in a Twitter war with his Daddy's lawyer.
God these people are pathetic. Historians are going to have a field day studying these imbeciles and how they pulled in millions of supporters.
I knew if by now nothing substantial had changed in the stances of many current Republicans in power and staying in power that we would get to this point very soon. The very self-centered nature of all of this makes it seems like it would almost certainly severely fracture...I just don't see any serious signs of it yet...Twitter makes me wanna pull my eyes out and throw them at the wall.
Re: Current Events Thread
The only republican I've seen go up against Trump consistently since day one is Kasich...who will more than likely be in Biden's cabinet in some capacity.
I think people are missing the boat on Kasich. He could be the bridge that can bring the sane Republicans together with the less conspiracy minded elements of Trump supporters in a post Trump presidency world.
Someone has to fill that vacuum or the party is going to fracture into several movements. This would move moderate Republicans over to the left.
Shit like this needs to be on front street but Trump's refusal to concede and his goon squad having public temper tantrums is controlling the narrative.
This is why the adults at the table need to step in and say enough is enough.
Take Trumpism out of the equation for a minute....
The Republicans did pretty good. Each congressional win was either a woman or a minority. That is unprecedented. They gained more minority votes this cycle.
They can build on this....or let Trump and his goons burn it to the ground.
I agree about the Senate. It has been paralyzed and the Republicans need to ditch McConnell. That's a good first step. Win or lose the majority...he's got to be demoted.
Re: Current Events Thread
They couldn't repeal Obamacare after 8 years of tantrums and obstruction.
I don't believe they ever wanted to repeal it. They were just blowing smoke up the ass of their base. Had they wanted it repealed, they would've repealed it. The lackluster attempts no more than window dressing.
This is something else I'm sick of....both sides using issues(abortion, guns) to keep their voters in line.
Either do something about it or shut the fuck up.
I've been hearing this abortion crap since I was a teen. Whether they're in the minority or majority, it's never outlawed.
Re: Current Events Thread
mitchejw wrote:Serious procedural question...if a Senate is exactly 50-50...who controls the agenda and how is it decided what is brought to a vote?
Isn't that VP?
I know the VP votes to break ties...but does the VP get to create the agenda too?
Re: Current Events Thread
They couldn't repeal Obamacare after 8 years of tantrums and obstruction.
I don't believe they ever wanted to repeal it. They were just blowing smoke up the ass of their base. Had they wanted it repealed, they would've repealed it. The lackluster attempts no more than window dressing.
This is something else I'm sick of....both sides using issues(abortion, guns) to keep their voters in line.
Either do something about it or shut the fuck up.
I've been hearing this abortion crap since I was a teen. Whether they're in the minority or majority, it's never outlawed.
I've always believed that Republicans participating in the process of creating would've A) made the program better and more solvent and B) created a unified belief that this was actually a good thing.
I've never seen the Dems ever make any progress on guns...have they ever been in a position to do so though? During the first couple of years of Trump's presidency...it seems like there was a school shooting every other week.
Re: Current Events Thread
The only republican I've seen go up against Trump consistently since day one is Kasich...who will more than likely be in Biden's cabinet in some capacity.
I think people are missing the boat on Kasich. He could be the bridge that can bring the sane Republicans together with the less conspiracy minded elements of Trump supporters in a post Trump presidency world.
Someone has to fill that vacuum or the party is going to fracture into several movements. This would move moderate Republicans over to the left.
Shit like this needs to be on front street but Trump's refusal to concede and his goon squad having public temper tantrums is controlling the narrative.
This is why the adults at the table need to step in and say enough is enough.
Take Trumpism out of the equation for a minute....
The Republicans did pretty good. Each congressional win was either a woman or a minority. That is unprecedented. They gained more minority votes this cycle.
They can build on this....or let Trump and his goons burn it to the ground.
I agree about the Senate. It has been paralyzed and the Republicans need to ditch McConnell. That's a good first step. Win or lose the majority...he's got to be demoted.
They'll surely keep McConnell where he is now that Pelosi appears to be staying right where she is...
I've spoken highly of Kasich for 5 years now. Ohio is a good moderate middle of the country state that is a good place to stick a thermometer. My only gripe might be what is a sort of meddling message on abortion.
Re: Current Events Thread
PaSnow wrote:mitchejw wrote:Serious procedural question...if a Senate is exactly 50-50...who controls the agenda and how is it decided what is brought to a vote?
Isn't that VP?
I know the VP votes to break ties...but does the VP get to create the agenda too?
I would think the VPs party elects the Senate Majority Leader as a result, so then the SML sets the agenda etc. I'm sure its happened before. Anyway, I wouldn't anticipate it, isn't it 48-50? I wouldn't expect Dems to win 2 seats out of Georgia. I heard there's like a thing going around trying to get Republicans angry at their GOP state leaders for not siding with trump, so a 'Don't vote for Senate' to put it back in their faces. We'll see if it works but it's a long shot winning 2.
