The Republican 'Freedom Caucus' Is Un-American

[icanthearyou 4,463]

This is a new phenomenon. We're used to seeing the Republicans just go along with the Democrats on everything. Remember Bob Michael who looked in the mirror and saw a loser. Now we're seeing dome Republicans stand up and show a backbone. The left doesn't know how to handle these guys so they lash out and try to browbeat them back into being subservient.

I don't understand this criticism. I see Republicans trying to oppose Democrats and Obama all the time. The problem is, while they have a majority, they don't have a veto proof or filibuster proof majority. If the Dems or the President want something a certain way bad enough, all the opposition in the world won't overcome that. It's like pissing into the wind. It seems to me like Republican voters have an unrealistic understanding of what is possible with the votes they have.

Why don't the republicans work to pass every good bill they can come up with and let the democrats filibuster or let the president veto them. At least then there would be an obvious reason for the stupidity. The republican mentality seems to be "we don't have the votes to do anything, so we won't". They are not trying. They just want to be able to act like they have an excuse. Meanwhile, the government gets bigger and bigger--just like both sides want.

Yes. Who does that benefit? Is that made possible by the ideological/partisan divide?

Obviously, it benefits those governing at the expense of those being governed. Clearly, the perceived (and likely manufactured) ideological and partisan divide makes it easier for the governors to increase their power and wealth. Is that what you are looking for?

Almost exactly. It also benefits those who have the means to purchase what the politicians are selling.

[homersapien 11,380]

This is a new phenomenon. We're used to seeing the Republicans just go along with the Democrats on everything. Remember Bob Michael who looked in the mirror and saw a loser. Now we're seeing dome Republicans stand up and show a backbone. The left doesn't know how to handle these guys so they lash out and try to browbeat them back into being subservient.

I don't understand this criticism. I see Republicans trying to oppose Democrats and Obama all the time. The problem is, while they have a majority, they don't have a veto proof or filibuster proof majority. If the Dems or the President want something a certain way bad enough, all the opposition in the world won't overcome that. It's like pissing into the wind. It seems to me like Republican voters have an unrealistic understanding of what is possible with the votes they have.

Some do. Others are deliberately looking for a way around that "problem". It's a perversion of (our) democratic process.

[Grumps 3,704]

This is a new phenomenon. We're used to seeing the Republicans just go along with the Democrats on everything. Remember Bob Michael who looked in the mirror and saw a loser. Now we're seeing dome Republicans stand up and show a backbone. The left doesn't know how to handle these guys so they lash out and try to browbeat them back into being subservient.

I don't understand this criticism. I see Republicans trying to oppose Democrats and Obama all the time. The problem is, while they have a majority, they don't have a veto proof or filibuster proof majority. If the Dems or the President want something a certain way bad enough, all the opposition in the world won't overcome that. It's like pissing into the wind. It seems to me like Republican voters have an unrealistic understanding of what is possible with the votes they have.

Why don't the republicans work to pass every good bill they can come up with and let the democrats filibuster or let the president veto them. At least then there would be an obvious reason for the stupidity. The republican mentality seems to be "we don't have the votes to do anything, so we won't". They are not trying. They just want to be able to act like they have an excuse. Meanwhile, the government gets bigger and bigger--just like both sides want.

In other words, bring government to a grinding halt to try and prove a point and hope the voters applaud the effort? Screw compromise, just beat your head into a wall you know won't go down just so you hope folks will blame the Dems and Obama for not signing off on it?

If I somehow said that then I misspoke. Even as cynical as I am about the govt, I think that if the republicans actually tried to pass GOOD legislation then good things would happen even if there were filibusters and/or vetoes. What if the veto threat is a bluff? Call the president on it. For example, who is against streamlining the process by which a desirable immigrant becomes a legal citizen? Not the dems and not the republicans. Why not pass a bill to achieve that? That is a simple example. There are MANY things that could be done. And I am all for compromise to get good things done.

[icanthearyou 4,463]

This is a new phenomenon. We're used to seeing the Republicans just go along with the Democrats on everything. Remember Bob Michael who looked in the mirror and saw a loser. Now we're seeing dome Republicans stand up and show a backbone. The left doesn't know how to handle these guys so they lash out and try to browbeat them back into being subservient.

I don't understand this criticism. I see Republicans trying to oppose Democrats and Obama all the time. The problem is, while they have a majority, they don't have a veto proof or filibuster proof majority. If the Dems or the President want something a certain way bad enough, all the opposition in the world won't overcome that. It's like pissing into the wind. It seems to me like Republican voters have an unrealistic understanding of what is possible with the votes they have.

Why don't the republicans work to pass every good bill they can come up with and let the democrats filibuster or let the president veto them. At least then there would be an obvious reason for the stupidity. The republican mentality seems to be "we don't have the votes to do anything, so we won't". They are not trying. They just want to be able to act like they have an excuse. Meanwhile, the government gets bigger and bigger--just like both sides want.

In other words, bring government to a grinding halt to try and prove a point and hope the voters applaud the effort? Screw compromise, just beat your head into a wall you know won't go down just so you hope folks will blame the Dems and Obama for not signing off on it?

If I somehow said that then I misspoke. Even as cynical as I am about the govt, I think that if the republicans actually tried to pass GOOD legislation then good things would happen even if there were filibusters and/or vetoes. What if the veto threat is a bluff? Call the president on it. For example, who is against streamlining the process by which a desirable immigrant becomes a legal citizen? Not the dems and not the republicans. Why not pass a bill to achieve that? That is a simple example. There are MANY things that could be done. And I am all for compromise to get good things done.

Wow! I think you just hit on a very important point. There are areas of agreement but, they are held hostage by politics. BOTH sides play that game, we will "give you" this but, you have to give us that. I think it has gone well beyond a little political "horse trading".

[cooltigger21 0]

My earlier post dealt with the historical context rather than the moment. I understand that there are Republicans now willing to criticize Obama and the Democrats. This wasn't always so. In context of the last 70 years or so this is a relatively new thing.

People gripe about the Republicans but the Democrats are the real partisan ones. They have taken a hard turn to the left. There is no compromise with these people. You give in a little. They will demand more. Government doing something is not necessarily a good thing. We need to adopt the philosophy of no law is better than a bad law.