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The Circular Firing Squad
Author: BobR
Date: 08/02/2013 12:10:39
Anyone who remembers the Republican party of the "aughts" - that is, the years GW Bush was president - remembers a party that marched in lockstep. They were disciplined, on message, and formidable. Even now, they tend to vote unanimously, even when it's against something they used to support (just because President Obama supports it). After a few bad election cycles, however, the cracks are showing, and self-preservation and grandstanding are replacing the loyalty they once had.
Take a look at the Transportation bill (also known as the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development bill, or "THUD". I am not kidding). The Ryan plan was to make deep cuts to spending, but some Republicans are balking, and the Paul Ryan (R-WI) accolytes are not happy:
Ouch. There are plenty more examples of this sort of thing. "Morning Joe" viewers know that Joe Scarborough is a Republican, although generally a more moderate one who doesn't tolerate the extreme stupidity some members of his party display. He recently lambasted Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX):
Of course, everyone remembers House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) saying Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was "dead wrong" for suggesting the U.S. boycott the Olympics in Russia because they wouldn't extradite NSA leaker Snowden. A better reason to boycott is Russia's threat to enforce their anti-gay laws on athletes. I suppose that means no men's figure skating (I kid! I kid!)
Boehner has also criticized Rep. Peter King (R-NY) for his comments about Mexican children being used as drug mules:
Peter King has criticized Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), saying he is reminiscent of "Hitler Appeasers":
Of course, everyone is familiar with the ongoing feud between Rand Paul and Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ). Originally, Paul tried to withhold Hurricane Sandy relief, which didn't endear him to the governor. Christie has criticized Paul's libertarian anti-military position. Paul responded by saying "They’re precisely the same people who are unwilling to cut the spending, and their `Gimme, gimme, gimme – give me all my Sandy money now". Christie retorted that NJ pays more in taxes than they get back in government spending, and Kentucky gets more in government spending than they pay in taxes (which is true), effectively making Kentucky a welfare state. Paul cried uncle, and invited Christie to a beer summit, which Christie has declined.
Christie has also criticized John Boehner in the past for delaying Hurricane Sandy relief:
And that brings us full circle: Boehner criticizes King, who criticizes Paul, who criticizes Christie, who criticizes Boehner. It is literally a circular firing squad.
Fire away.
Take a look at the Transportation bill (also known as the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development bill, or "THUD". I am not kidding). The Ryan plan was to make deep cuts to spending, but some Republicans are balking, and the Paul Ryan (R-WI) accolytes are not happy:
Long-running Republican tensions over the Ryan budget’s deep spending cuts boiled over Wednesday as the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee accused his party of being unable to support them.
In a blistering statement, Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said he was “extremely disappointed” with his leadership’s decision to pull the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) spending bill from the floor.
Leadership said they simply ran out of time — but Rogers charged that wasn’t the real reason.
He hinted that a vote on the measure was scrapped because leaders didn’t have the votes to support the deep cuts he was directed to write, and accused Republicans of effectively abandoning House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget.
Ouch. There are plenty more examples of this sort of thing. "Morning Joe" viewers know that Joe Scarborough is a Republican, although generally a more moderate one who doesn't tolerate the extreme stupidity some members of his party display. He recently lambasted Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX):
"Have you seen what Ted Cruz is doing? Ted Cruz is attacking anybody who’s not willing to shut down the government over Obamacare. He’s lambasting fellow conservatives like Tom Coburn — Tom Coburn! — and saying that he serves in the 'surrender caucus'. I need to be very careful about what I’m going to say here, Ted Cruz comes in obviously so completely ignorant about the war that Tom Coburn has been fighting for twenty years, and to say something like this about Tom Coburn — Ted Cruz, he is a total train wreck."
Of course, everyone remembers House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) saying Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was "dead wrong" for suggesting the U.S. boycott the Olympics in Russia because they wouldn't extradite NSA leaker Snowden. A better reason to boycott is Russia's threat to enforce their anti-gay laws on athletes. I suppose that means no men's figure skating (I kid! I kid!)
Boehner has also criticized Rep. Peter King (R-NY) for his comments about Mexican children being used as drug mules:
“I want to be clear: There’s no place in this debate for hateful or ignorant comments from elected officials,” Boehner said. “Earlier this week, Rep. Steve King made comments that I think were deeply offensive and wrong. What he said does not reflect the values of the American people or the Republican Party, and we all need to do our work in an open, constructive and respectful way. As I’ve said many times, we can disagree without being disagreeable.”
In an interview with Newsmax, King depicted as criminal drug runners the immigrant children that both Democrats and many Republicans want to legalize.
Peter King has criticized Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), saying he is reminiscent of "Hitler Appeasers":
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, King compared Paul to those who advocated a policy of appeasement towards Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
"He talks about us wanting to start wars and somehow people enjoy war and he talks about how we want to bomb everything," he said. "Is that what he thinks our military does?"
"What this reminds me of, someone like Senator Paul and others in that isolationist wing," King continued, "you know the Republicans had this debate back in the 1930s when you had the isolationists and the Charles Lindberghs saying we should appease Hitler, then the Democrats had it in the 1960s when the anti-war movement blamed America first and in both cases it hurt the party for years, each party was hurt for years."
Of course, everyone is familiar with the ongoing feud between Rand Paul and Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ). Originally, Paul tried to withhold Hurricane Sandy relief, which didn't endear him to the governor. Christie has criticized Paul's libertarian anti-military position. Paul responded by saying "They’re precisely the same people who are unwilling to cut the spending, and their `Gimme, gimme, gimme – give me all my Sandy money now". Christie retorted that NJ pays more in taxes than they get back in government spending, and Kentucky gets more in government spending than they pay in taxes (which is true), effectively making Kentucky a welfare state. Paul cried uncle, and invited Christie to a beer summit, which Christie has declined.
Christie has also criticized John Boehner in the past for delaying Hurricane Sandy relief:
In a State House news conference, Christie blasted Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio for delaying a vote on a $60 billion aid package for Superstorm Sandy recovery.
"Do your job and come through for the people of this country," Christie pointedly said about Boehner.
[...]
The bill "could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority," Christie said.
[...]
"There is no reason for me at the moment to believe anything they tell me because they've been telling me stuff for weeks and they haven't delivered," Christie said.
And that brings us full circle: Boehner criticizes King, who criticizes Paul, who criticizes Christie, who criticizes Boehner. It is literally a circular firing squad.
Fire away.
