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The House Republicans need a new leader who will stand tall, stick it to the liberals, and will do what it takes to sacrifice the health of the economy and the people of the USA for its own good.
That's funny. So how is becoming an even smaller minority going to help the GOP stick it to liberals?
As much as I like to go on my anti-Reagan rants, I'll give the Gip his credit: he knew how to run the party. His ideas were terrible, but his politics were brilliant - so brilliant in fact that he brought the 40-year-old New Deal legacy to its demise. We're talking about a guy who became the Republican Roosevelt.
Now the question is how did he do that? He did that by understanding what made the average American tick, and he also did that by accepting differences within his own party. He knew the people who were likely to vote for him. He knew that the moderate conservatives in New Jersey and California might have radically different views than the ragin conservatives of the South and Midwest. But that didn't matter to Reagan or to the pragmatists who ran the GOP at the time. They were interested in finding out how they could find common ground. And what they also found out was that they could occasionally raid Democratic voters, too.
In short, what Reagan's model did was to show how a candidate wins in a two-party system. The Rand Pauls, the Tim DeMints of the world...they might do well in a multi-party system in which they could garner a base of voters and then try to form voting blocs with other parties. Trying that in a two-party system, however, is just running the risk of a united Democratic party coalescing and dominating national politics. If that's what they want, so be it. But as I've said before, look at California right now.
The thing that's so tragically ironic about this is that republicans could probably win election after election if they'd just mellow out a bit. This whole no-retreat, no-surrender, fall-on-our-own-sword approach to politics is just mind boggling. It's not honoring Reagan's legacy. There's a reason Reagan won liberal states in 1984. As America is basically a conservative country, there's no reason they couldn't win in a landslide again with the right candidate (a Chris Christie, for instance). It is the GOP that is standing in its own way. Compromise needs to stop being a dirty word. Reagan and House Dems compromised - a lot. Wasn't always good, but it kept the country functioning at least. And it kept the republican brand popular. That won't be the case if they don't start learning to pick their battles. They've lost this one. The fiscal cliff can either be a gracious defeat, or it can be a rout. Their choice.
Originally Posted by e_coli;27252561
. This whole no-retreat, no-surrender, fall-on-our-own-sword approach to politics is just mind boggling. It's not honoring Reagan's legacy. There's a reason Reagan won liberal states in 1984. As America is basically a conservative country, there's no reason they couldn't win in a landslide again with the right candidate (a Chris Christie, for instance). It is the GOP that is standing in its own way. [B
Compromise needs to stop being a dirty word. Reagan and House Dems compromised - a lot.[/b] Wasn't always good, but it kept the country functioning at least. And it kept the republican brand popular. That won't be the case if they don't start learning to pick their battles. They've lost this one. The fiscal cliff can either be a gracious defeat, or it can be a rout. Their choice.
and the current purist model where moderates pretend to be radical is a L-O-S-E-R, as the old confederacy plus a bunch of mountain states with more wildlife than people are far short of 270.
Reagan ran two very MODERATE campaigns, with two stellar victories to show for it, and mostly, he governed as a moderate, not afraid to raise taxes to avoid deficits, not afraid to partner with a Democrat like Tip O'Neill to seek compromise.
Oh, and that PATCO firing the radical right cheers on was brought about by an angered Reagan who had a deal in place, that was initially accepted, offering ATC's substantial raises over the life of the contract. Their "de facto" wildcat strike changed his MO.
Boehner is working with Obama once again and along with that he is throwing conservative Republicans off certain committees. I wonder how many of you understand that the most heralded removal this week has been the man who should be on the Ag committee because of the district he represents. Tim Huelskamp has failed to work with Boehner and the establishment Republicans so he is out but not one other Kansas congressman representatives represents the number of farmers he does. I am still a constituent of Huelskamp's but after January 3 will become one of a city rep who was backed by unions very hard in NOvember. I didn't vote for him and won't as long as he is a union and establishment tool.
It would be very easy to ease Boehner out of the Chair. All that is needed is for 16 Republicans to not vote for him and he would have only 217 votes. Of course, Democrats knowing he is the best thing the Dems have in the House may vote for him. Of the 75 new (2010) reps in the House there are enough of them who are Tea Party backed and otherwise conservative that Boehner is out if they want him out and I surely do want him out.
And Boehner should work with Obama.....it's called compromise which has been sorely lacking in Washington. If your not a team player then you should be out
You are funny. There is nothing he can do to avoid the fact the cliff imposes tax hikes without any action being required.
In short, the party who wants those hikes holds a loaded gun to the head of the party opposing it.
11/6 had consequences..inescapable ones.
The House is composed of members elected by voters in their respective home districts and accountable to those voters only, so bad press by a national media already viewed by the public as biased and untrustworthy isn't a game changer.
Sure Obama can beat Republicans up in the press, but Bohner has 234 foot soldiers who can take a unified message to the voters.
Concede tax increases on the top 2% and save the fight for real spending cuts.
In Congressional districts that send Republicans to DC, he can win with that.
But this really doesn't matter because Bohner just doesn't inspire people.
I agree. Boehner ought to be telling Obama to "stick it where the sun don't shine" and let the chips fall where they may. But he hasn't the backbone.
This is Obama's mess. He created it, and we shouldn't have anything to do with him.
Here's my two cents: "Shove it up your rosey red (you know what), Obama! You suck, ass hole!"
Obama is the worst president in American history, bar none. He is a Marxist S.O.B.!
And how is cursing and nasty name calling going to help resolve the crisis that is looming?
Smart thinking, Nonsense Guy. Does calling names fix the problems in your little world?
How often do you start off a very important meeting by calling someone an a-hole?
Sure Obama can beat Republicans up in the press, but Bohner has 234 foot soldiers who can take a unified message to the voters..
LOL; he has approximately 149 conventional Repubs, and 85 Tea party, whose appeal is solely within fringe elements.
That is what has brought the GOP to its knees. The prudent move, when the TP organized, would have been to give them no voice collectively, as Perot showed 3rd parties cannot make it. So after a few years of whining, they would have been back in the mainstream GOP fold, and JB would have 234 at his back.
That rift btw, is the reason JB has actually done well with a bad hand. When the max you can get to act collectively is 149 of 435, well, you will get your butt kicked. He has deftly avoided that.
The 149 will NEVER join the 85. Hence, the TP is seeing their power decline.
The House Republicans need a new leader who will stand tall, stick it to the liberals, and will do what it takes to sacrifice the health of the economy and the people of the USA for its own good.
I'm glad you said that bit of sarcasm, because lots of folks who don't want Boehner to work with the president are the same morons who turn around and complain how congress can't work together and can't get anything done. The American people spoke in the election and said Boehner get your --- in gear and work with Obama to get things done. But obstructionist fools still want to keep America stopped in its congressional tracks and don't give a rip about what the election said.
Boehner was hamstrung by these saboteurs during the last 4 years so I say bravo to him for putting boot to obstructionist &$$ and organizing a coalition of Republicans who actually want to get work done for American citizens rather than sitting back, scratching their &$$3$ and griping and obstructing because they don't want any work getting done while Obama is president even if it means stopping America's progress. Boehner is now being a strong leader and he has the election to give him the cover to do so. Good for him not letting fools hamstring him any more.
Obama and Boehner should cut a deal that just enough Republicans in the House and Senate can support to get it across the finish line. The deal should be better for Democrats because we won the elections. We gained House and Senate seats and retained the White House.
Obama could even tell enough Democrats to vote for Boehner as Speaker.
Boehner is working with Obama once again and along with that he is throwing conservative Republicans off certain committees.
So Boehner should be thrown out for having the audacity to appear to be working with the President to avoid the fiscal cliff?,
You'd prefer him to lead a party that wants to continue with the last 4 years plan of obstructionism,filibuster and basically say no to everything mentality,then blame Obama for nothing getting done..
Many of you Repubs learned absolutely nothing in your recent election defeat,keep up the same way of doing things and you'll get the same results in 2016,
Too bad America will also continue to suffer another 4 years under your absurd continuation of hating Obama and the Democrats to the point the repubs will let no meaningful legislation pass and continue to blame everything on Obama.
Have i got it right Roy?
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