Comments on: House GOP Leadership Elections

By: jayackroyd

jayackroyd — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:11:31 +0000

Everyone's right. As JNS mantions there's a significant amount of factionalism within the Republican party (and even more withing their professed ideology). But as Steve Benen noted, until the 2008 primary season, such differences made absolutely no difference when it came to governing. Those few instances where there was public dissention were the very few instances where Bush decided to take a pragmatic stand and got his nose bit off by the wingnut brigade.
In each case, the hatred of foreigners was the driving basis behind the dissention
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I'm gonna keep saying that the ability to hold the republicans in a bloc, with a Dem president, no universally recognized party leader, batsh!t crazy senators like Inhofe and Bunning, and a clusterwhatever on pretty much everything else, that Reid will have no problem getting stuff through that he wants to get through. (That last clause for Jane, Christy and their irate FDLers. There's stuff we're gonna want that they won't want.)
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And Reid pulled his punches in the last session. He let them lose all those elections. If Gordon Smith and John Sununu and Norm Coleman and Liddy Dole and even Ted Stevens wanted to wrap their chains around Bush as the water was streaming into his little aluminum rowboat, to the point of not just voting nay but refusing cloture votes, then, hey, 58, 59, 60. We'll take that, said Chucky and Harry.
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My concern is they are not concerned with any policy issue--that all they really want is to control the pork distribution. And that's where WE come in. We need to make stinks when they do bad things.

By: jayackroyd

jayackroyd — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:05:32 +0000

JNS--
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Thanks very much. Makes sense, although I assume there are contingency plans.
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sgw--
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Sorry I missed that. IN meetings today. I think JNS answered your question better than I could have.

By: cincinnatus est exterminata!

cincinnatus est exterminata! — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:42:01 +0000

Did anyone remember that Traitor Joe cut a $250,000 check for the DSCC just a couple months ago?
http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/28/lieberman-to-reid-will-250-million-be-enough-video/
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"Gee, that's a nice gavel....be a shame if anything happened to it."

By: wvng

wvng — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:07:36 +0000

Speaking of decisions the GOP needs to make, I do hope you all read Parker today. The selection of Palin seems to have liberated this woman. Giving Up on God - washingtonpost.com

By: nibblybits

nibblybits — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:21:22 +0000

FlownOver: Don't you mean Hanukkah gift?

By: wvng

wvng — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:16:21 +0000

While The GOP scurries about, the Obama administration is taking shape. Here Steve Clemons interviews Tom Dashle, the nominee for HHS. Talking Points Memo | Daschle on Health Care Reform More on this from Benen - The Daschle news makes me even more encouraged about the prospect of a healthcare package actually passing

By: sqr1

sqr1 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:15:14 +0000

Has America ever been more poorly represented by the total leadership of the House? It would seem hardly possible.

By: wvng

wvng — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:09:26 +0000

kathy, so do I about half the time, just so I can. Like now. Sorry MakeLink didn't work for you, though. Please don't be bitter while you cling.

By: FlownOver

FlownOver — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:06:29 +0000

The GOP's early Christmas gift to a nation weary of partisanship: more Eric Cantor.
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Thanks a pantload, guys.

By: kathy

kathy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:58:43 +0000

wv - haha. but as a matter of fact when I tried to download make link it didn't work for some reason so I'm currently clinging to creating links the old fashioned way