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Big Mac - Sign of New GOP Power Realignment?

Posted by D_E_Liberty 9 years ago to Politics
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Ina rather stunning development House Majority Leader "Big Mac" is withdrawing his name for election of the next Speaker of the House. Mac was considered a shoo-in as the heir apparent to the speaking ship just a week ago. Why the shocking withdrawal? Simple, he didn't have the votes. why didn't he have the votes? Because the self- selected, so called "Freedom Caucus" ( made up mostly of tea party, libertarian leaning, economic conservatives), who agreed to vote as a block, refused to support him. The reason, they see him as a continuation of the previous Speaker, who led a consolatory capitalist Congress, on the major issues the Caucus members were specifically elected to oppose, I.e. De- funding Obamacare, reforming immigration policy, reducing the deficit, etc. But most importantly, the Freedom Caucus maligned the Leadership for "refusing to put up a good fight" in opposition to The Obama "statist" agenda. While they wanted to stack a mountain of reform bills on the Presidents desk for his veto pen, turning him into "President Nyet", the saw their own leaders turn the lower chamber into Chamberlin style institution of capitulation.
They want some in the speakership who will charge the bureaucratic barriers, and burn down the the walls of progressive imprisonment that their leader not only stood by and watched, but even handed them bricks. the amazing thing, is in Congress of more than 400 members, these 40 Reps have made themselves the swing votes, at least with respect to selecting the next speaker. they virtually have the power to elect, or block any nominee they choose, and they are clearly holding out for a young blood, who's vain' run as hot as their own. Daniel Webster has been mentioned, but it not clear whether even he posses the grit the Caucus wants to see in the next speaker.
The interesting, (and more encouraging) take-away is the new found power of the "economic radicals" who some would say are "radicals for economic responsibility" if not radicals for capitalism. Even more striking is the notion that this mini- movement in Congress is actually the tip of the iceberg sized dissatisfaction the GOP rank and file have toward a Congress, and indeed an entire Federal Government who the see not as the solvers of problems but the source of them. they are furious that the GOP majority they sent to Congress has virtually no major achievements to show for their tenure, including zero victories over a President who's policies they abhor. The result? A Presidential primary field lead by the three candidates who have Virtually NO experience as politicians. the kicker is, I doubt many think Trump would be a great, or even competent President ( leader of the free world is not an " on the job" entry level position). But his populist " Congress is Stupid" message resonates perfectly the the sentiments of the GOP faithful who feel the members they elected based on promises of conservative reform have used and abused their trust, and sold them out to the enemy. The political ramifications? GOP and Libertarian voters may see this as a golden opportunity to ADD to that Freedom Caucus... That same rag tag shirt tail that is currently wagging the entire GOP dog.


All Comments

  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Genghis Khan was way ahead of his time. One of my favorites too. First real ruler to have religious tolerance. Also, when he came knocking, he'd ask to surrender first. If yes, he'd leave the administration (nobles) in power. If no, when he did take over, he'd execute them. Khan never took it out on the people though. He realized, they must be content for him to rule effectively.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Strategy is strategy and tactics are tactics. Sun Tzu and Clausewitz and Machiavelli wrote and the world read. The easiest way to destroy the enemy is fragment them into easily controlled groups or better yet let them fragment themselves. Genghis Khan is my real hero of history though. That was his philosophy ... Control then make changes. One of them was guaranteed religious freedom as long as they stayed out of government. The penalty was instant execution.
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  • Posted by DrZarkov99 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Have you read Levin's "Ameritopia?" He does a very good job of organizing his arguments on sound economic principles, but it's his call for ethical behavior as key to the success of any society that has his critics dismissing him as a "religious nut." Adam Smith, on whose shoulders all modern capitalists stand, wrote "The Theory of Moral Sentiments," explaining why moral behavior was vital to capitalism. What's interesting is that Smith's publication cleverly builds up a moral structure without relying on religious justification, even though, as very religious Scottish Presbyterian I'm sure he was tempted to do so.
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Mr. Levin ultimately puts his emphasis on Faith, not reason. But since we are so mired, he'd probably be pretty effective at accomplishing several key strategies-and he does not ignore the economy like many religionists do [edited because I hit enter too quickly LOL]
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  • Posted by johnpe1 9 years ago
    your explanation is fascinating, and the future of this power-grab
    should be interesting. . this "freedom caucus" is about 20 percent
    of the House R membership, and they appear to be the
    only ones determined to change the inside-the-beltway
    elitist behavior of the party. . hide and watch!!! -- j
    .
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  • Posted by 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I am agreement with you Zen, particularly about the leadership. I'll have to decent on the Twain quote... In that I'm an attorney...lol.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Demos are the extremists I agree but then how does one separate the Rinos after all that puppy chow? Answer RINO = Democrat.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I like that. Maybe something mythical: The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog (Monte Python) ,similar to the myth of a GOP that defends liberty. If the band of patriots brings it to life as a fearsome force, we love it and we, the people, give it power enough to restore our liberty; or if the current GOP keeps control, its just a cowering bunny to be harvested and turned into soup.
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Ryan is no Conservative. He voted for both the bank bailouts and TARP. He actually said on the floor of the House that he was voting for TARP to preserve our free Enterprise system. He is a career politician who also lead debate for Patent Reform (deform) and helped the dissent on fully funding the patent office-the only large agency of the US govt that is SELF FUNDED and appropriated more than 1 billion dollars (more now) from its program to fund the general Treasury, ensuring that inventors would have long pend-ency times waiting to take their private property rights. He is a statist through and through, and AS was just a prop he marched on stage with.
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  • Posted by Zenphamy 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    D_E; I think we're on similar pages here. I suspect establishment Repubs have been pulling their hair for the last two months and are yanking big handfuls right now. What I enjoyed yesterday, after McCarthy's announcement was all the 'old liners' throwing hissy fits on the news channels. Their arguments seemed to be all about not being able to get the work (capitulation docket) done without Boehner or McCarthy.

    But I still don't trust any of them. Here's an alleged Mark Twain quote:
    "Samuel Clements supposedly said, “While hanging its lawyers and politicians might not help the country as a whole, it would be a great deal of fun and would do no harm to decent folks.”"
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  • Posted by MinorLiberator 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I agree on all three, most particularly Krauthammer. To which I would add Napolitano (obviously the Judge, not his Lefty relative)...then there's Clint (hey, some political experience, and can certainly hold his own in a Leftie world).

    But if it happens as I say it might in another comment, Paul Ryan would be great.

    Rand Paul, for that matter. Although we'd lose him in the Senate.

    And, probably best but least likely, as long as we are fantasizing: David Kelley.
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  • Posted by $ CBJ 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I think there is also significant "protest voting" among the other 50%. Besides Rand Paul, there is also Cruz and to some extent Rubio in the libertarian-leaning contingent, and (ick!) Santorum and Huckabee in the social-conservative contingent. The most telling indicator of the breadth of this revolt is the very low poll numbers of "establishment" standard-bearers such as Bush and Christie.
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  • Posted by MinorLiberator 9 years ago
    I too like the post. Although I was guilty myself of pointing out perhaps some dirt someone has on McCarthy as the proximate cause, that's starting to sounds like RINO excusifyin' (sorry, I from The D) so as not to acknowledge an actual revolt. I certainly hope, and honestly think, that a revolt is what it is.

    BTW, Paul Ryan has been mentioned in this thread. He definitely is very familiar with Rand, and I'll never forget how he faced down Obama (until I thought "The One" was going to skip his knife and go straight for his gun) with actual facts and figures (and logic) in a hearing. I've seldom seen Obama so proven wrong, and so livid.

    The latest "tea leaves" I read online within the past couple of hours is that Ryan, while truly reluctant, is being reasonably persuaded to take the post, which he would win. I hope so.
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