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The anti-establishment movement has really developed in earnest since the Democrats passed Obamacare in 2010. It was shortly after this when earmarks were reluctantly banned by Congress. This was when the Tea Party movement began. Then came the mid-term elections of 2010, when the American people threw the Democrats out of the House of Representatives.
In 2014, the Republicans campaigned on the theme that if only we had the Senate, then we would be willing to stand up for what we believe in, which they subsequently failed to do in spectacular fashion. And now moving into the 2016 election, anti-establishment fever has swept the country, with Trump and Cruz dominating the polls on the Republican side, and with the socialist Bernie Sanders showing remarkable support among the Democrat left.
The Republican 'establishment' is currently trying to diminish the huge negative power of being tagged as an "establishment" politician by:
Trying to sell the idea that there is no such thing as the establishment
Trying to expand the boundaries of the establishment out so wide as to render the concept meaningless, and
Trying to brand people who clearly are not associated with the current establishment as if they are.
You will probably start to notice examples of this soon, if you have not already. It makes sense they would try to redefine this concept to their benefit, as they have not given up hope of seeing one of their preferred candidates win the Republican nomination in 2016, and it is clearly going to be difficult for them to do that in this environment as long as their preferred candidates are identified with the loathsome 'establishment' label.
The only people in the establishment that Republican voters need to be concerned about are members of Congress who voted for the $1.8 Trillion federal funding bill which was passed 313-113 and 73-25 on December 18, 2015. Here are the lists of how all members of the House and Senate voted on this:
All Republicans who campaigned as conservatives and against the high profile measures contained in this legislation are liars, cowards and betrayers of the interests of their constituents who they were elected to serve. If they had any honor, these people would resign their positions at once. Since those resignations do not appear to be forthcoming, these despicable traitors should be primaried and sent home, just like Eric Cantor.
Democrats appear to broadly embrace the Washington DC political establishment, as their support of the candidacy of Hillary Clinton demonstrates, so none of this appears to apply to them.
OP - Nice to know you are a True Believer in the Myth of the Right. Unfortunately the real constituents of the Republicans are the financiers, big business and speculators that own the party. Please note these same groups rent the Democrats. They are running scared now that Jeb Bush is a non-starter for the republicans and the Hillary is no longer a certainty for the Democrats.
Most of the basic tenants of your Faith are just that; assumptions that are not necessarily real. I strongly disagree with both the Republican and the Democratic establishment. I have had to deal with self serving powerful people all my life to my great frustration and annoyance.
The result is I am enjoying the current primary contests. The Republican powers that be are getting hammered by The Donald whose primary sin is he cannot be bought by the establishment. He is most likely to be the Republican candidate. The Democratic establishment was blindsided by the emergence of Bernie Sanders who also cannot be bought by that establishment. It is still as contest on the Democratic side but, if the Black and Brown people realize that the Hillary only offers more of the same suppression and second class citizenship, they will nominate Senator Sanders.
If the general election pits a Republican rebel and a Democratic rebel against each other all of America will benefit no matter who wins.
The anti-establishment movement has really developed in earnest since the Democrats passed Obamacare in 2010. It was shortly after this when earmarks were reluctantly banned by Congress. This was when the Tea Party movement began. Then came the mid-term elections of 2010, when the American people threw the Democrats out of the House of Representatives.
In 2014, the Republicans campaigned on the theme that if only we had the Senate, then we would be willing to stand up for what we believe in, which they subsequently failed to do in spectacular fashion. And now moving into the 2016 election, anti-establishment fever has swept the country, with Trump and Cruz dominating the polls on the Republican side, and with the socialist Bernie Sanders showing remarkable support among the Democrat left.
I mostly agree with this analysis.
I'm just baffled at how Cruz gets cast as "anti-establishment." I guess if you repeat something enough times it becomes true?
I'm just baffled at how Cruz gets cast as "anti-establishment." I guess if you repeat something enough times it becomes true?
Because of his televised opposition to the establishment on the floor of the US Senate, among other places, consistently and constantly, seemingly every chance he got.
Also, due to the intense opposition that these establishment Republicans consistently demonstrate towards him.
Because of his televised opposition to the establishment on the floor of the US Senate
Like what?
The guy is a Harvard and Yale-educated corporate lawyer who worked on the George W. Bush campaign. His wife works for Goldman Sachs and the Council for Foreign Relations. Just because he occasionally disagrees with the GOP party line does not make him "anti-establishment."
The current crop of Republican Fools on the Hill are the "Establishment." Sadly, people who call themselves Conservatives while still supporting them need to be reminded (or missed the fact) that Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan just helped confirm a friggin communist to a federal judgeship.
And some wonder why many Conservative Trump supporters have lost faith in those who espouse those principles while they're running.
Conservatives while still supporting them need to be reminded (or missed the fact) that Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan just helped confirm a friggin communist to a federal judgeship.
Citation please.
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