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Egos And Infighting: The GOP’s Biggest Opponent In November
Townhall.com ^ | June 29, 2014 | Derek Hunter

Posted on 06/29/2014 5:58:45 AM PDT by Kaslin

Stars are aligning for a big Republican victory this November – solidifying and expanding the GOP’s majority in the House and perhaps gaining one in the Senate. This is a best-case scenario, and any majority in the Senate would be a slim one. But the importance of removing Harry Reid as majority leader cannot be overstated. That’s why Democrats will pull every dirty trick in their deep bag to hold the Senate, and sadly many Republicans will help them in that quest.

President Obama will have two years left to wreak havoc on the country after the next election, but he can only throw stones into the river of time, not permanently change its flow. The ripples from his stones will have consequences, but they will be nothing compared to the lasting damage he can do with more Supreme Court appointments. Obamacare, oppressive EPA regulations, executive orders, all of it can be changed or repealed, but not with a more activist progressive Supreme Court.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 81 and suffering from pancreatic cancer. So far, she’s resisted progressives’ calls for her to retire so the president can replace her with a younger reliable vote, but no one knows if that will continue. Justice Anthony Kennedy is the key swing vote on the court right now. He’s 77 and in seemingly good health. But he’s also an unreliable vote for the Constitution. If they, or any of the other justices could be replaced by a younger, unchecked Obama appointee, the chances they’d bastardize the court’s rulings to permanently enshrine unconstitutional unilateral presidential actions rises exponentially.

Harry Reid spared SCOTUS nominees when he changed the Senate filibuster rules, but he could close that loop quickly. The Supreme Court is key and it’s their goal. Pack it with progressives, particularly young ones with decades to serve, and it’s game over.

That’s what’s at stake.

With the ability to “fundamentally transform” the country on the line, you’d think Republicans could keep their eyes on the goal and put aside egos and petty in-fighting. Contentious primaries – even over-the-top nasty ones – are an unfortunate reality in politics. But once the winner is declared, the runners shouldn’t fight on the podium.

The cause of liberty is bigger than any one candidate, no matter what. In Mississippi, Thad Cochran won the Republican primary. Would it be better if hadn’t? Absolutely. But wishes don’t win elections, votes do, and he got more. Chris McDaniel is understandably upset, but he lost. How he lost can and should be studied. It should not be the basis for a fight that can’t be won that puts the general election at risk.

When Eric Cantor lost he was, understandably, upset. What he didn’t do was cry foul, threaten to sue and undercut the validity of David Brat’s victory in an attempt to harm his chances in the general election. For all his faults, and Cantor has many, he’s gotten out of the way.

It’s the lesson of Ronald Reagan in 1976, and it’s a lesson McDaniel should emulate.

Reagan mounted an insurgent campaign to win the nomination away from President Ford. He came close, but he lost. Reagan could have withheld support, could have raised holy hell, but he didn’t. He tried, he lost, he accepted it. He moved on and won the nomination and the presidency four years later.

Reagan’s smart, unemotional reaction to the disappointing events of 1976 advanced the cause of conservatism when he easily could have gone the other way.

The unselfishness exhibited by Reagan is a rare commodity in the time of Kardashians. And, unfortunately, the Republican Party is not immune to the viral entitlement strain worming its way through the culture nowadays. And the selfie-virus, if not held in check, will be what turns probable victory into certain defeat come November.

You may not like the candidate who won a particularly primary. You may even hate them. But they’re infinitely better than any Democrat, particularly in the Senate, because any Democrat in the Senate will vote to retain Harry Reid as majority leader. And Harry Reid as majority leader means unfettered access to lifetime judicial appointments for activist progressive judges, up to and including the Supreme Court. If the courts are lost for a generation, no election will matter.

The internal fighting, jockeying for position and ideological purges are all necessary, and I’m down for every bit of it…just not until progressivism is vanquished. The Tea Party and the establishment both need to heed this concept or risk neither getting what they want (which, by the way, has significant overlap).

The future prospects of individual liberty hinge on whether the various factions of the Republican/conservative/libertarian movements can keep their circular firing squad powder dry long enough to win an election that couldn’t be better situated to be a tap-in putt. Between now and November we need to hope they have something in their bag other than a wedge.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 2014elections; dingyharryreid; elections; scotus; senate; thadcochran
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To: Black Agnes

As the underling of John McCain, Graham has been effective at undermining the conservative agenda and backing the leftist agenda. Cochran, while offensive, is less effective. His philosophy is pork, with no agenda other than that.

So Cochran is a benign tumor, Graham a malignant one. Taking him out also significantly weakens John McCain.


41 posted on 06/29/2014 8:33:30 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Well, I can’t imagine that Cochran would want or need my ‘racist’ vote at this point.

I hope he can make it up elsewhere.


42 posted on 06/29/2014 8:34:53 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: Black Agnes

Yeah, but which third party? Because there are so many third parties around we have to decide on one and then support it. Otherwise its a waste of time


43 posted on 06/29/2014 8:37:42 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

Cite where I mentioned third party.

Thx!


44 posted on 06/29/2014 8:38:27 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: mrsmith

Jolly was an aide to the former moderate GOP congressman and a lobbyist, a believer in the pork barrel political tradition.

Jolly’s campaign alluded to the former pork barrel congressman with Jolly calling himself a “Bill Young Conservative” or in other words a “pork barrel conservative”.


45 posted on 06/29/2014 8:43:15 AM PDT by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: Kaslin

BTW, have you actually listened to any of the phone calls in question?

I defy you to do so and conclude anything other than we have a uniparty. The call I got made it clear that Cochran would be working WITH Obama.

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2014/06/22/thad-cochran-desperation-update-listen-to-robocall-from-pro-cochran-pac-desperately-asking-democrats-to-vote-in-mississippi-primary/


46 posted on 06/29/2014 8:47:01 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: Kaslin
When Eric Cantor lost he was, understandably, upset. What he didn’t do was cry foul, threaten to sue and undercut the validity of David Brat’s victory in an attempt to harm his chances in the general election. For all his faults, and Cantor has many, he’s gotten out of the way.

That's because Beat wasn't elected by Democrat vote fraud. That this author can't see the difference disqualifies him from serious consideration on this subject.

47 posted on 06/29/2014 8:50:05 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg ("Compromise" means you've already decided you lost.)
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To: Colonel_Flagg

Beat = Brat. Sigh.


48 posted on 06/29/2014 8:50:21 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg ("Compromise" means you've already decided you lost.)
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To: Kaslin

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/06/25/MS-Radio-Ad-Tea-Party-Will-Take-Away-Food-Stamps

This is another good ad too. Listen to this one and tell me Cochran will do anything to slow down Obama or the growth of government...


49 posted on 06/29/2014 8:53:00 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: McGavin999

I have been a reliable republican voter for as far back as I can remember, I have held my nose and voted for some I detested, but no more, not now that I know what they really think of me. “

The same with me. I have a bi-racial family and those posters really lost me as a GOP supporter.

In the last few days I have sent lots of emails telling various GOP entities why they will not get money from me and mailed back a written survey that they sent me with appropriate comments about their behavior.

And I have some more written material from them that I will use to make comments and return.


50 posted on 06/29/2014 9:19:24 AM PDT by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
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To: ziravan

Washington insiders lost much more than they gained in MS.”

They do not realize that yet. I do not know how they could be so arrogant, ignorant and blind to their base. Conservatives are not a plantation voting bloc that they can manipulate at will.

We have allowed them to take us for granted for far too long.


51 posted on 06/29/2014 9:23:50 AM PDT by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
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To: Kaslin

another shot up and do as you’re told story from the media once again. No thanks and I will not be voting for Brown in New Hampshire this year


52 posted on 06/29/2014 9:29:46 AM PDT by CapnJack
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To: Nextrush
The Republicans may win by default because of Obama’s unpopularity

That is what they are counting on. The GOPe can run their establishment candidates because they almost don't need the conservative base to win.

53 posted on 06/29/2014 9:39:48 AM PDT by webheart (We are all pretty much living in a fiction.)
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To: Kaslin
The cause of liberty is bigger than any one candidate, no matter what.

Which means it's also bigger than any political party.....no matter what.

Remember Mississippi!

54 posted on 06/29/2014 9:43:28 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I am a Person as created by the Laws of Nature, not a person as created by the laws of Man)
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To: angry elephant
Conservatives are not a plantation voting bloc that they can manipulate at will.

However, it does explain why so many GOP-e Republicans want to extend amnesty to illegal aliens, doesn't it?

They'd prefer "a better class of electorate". I.e., less attentive, more malleable.

55 posted on 06/29/2014 10:13:25 AM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parThe whole affair remains a fascinating storyade.)
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To: okie01

Conservatives are not a plantation voting bloc that they can manipulate at will.
However, it does explain why so many GOP-e Republicans want to extend amnesty to illegal aliens, doesn’t it?

They’d prefer “a better class of electorate”. I.e., less attentive, more malleable.”

But they will not get the illegals to vote for them, unless it is some of the Chinese coming into the country illegally.

And from running a business for more years than I care to mention, it is far easier to keep existing clients than to gain new ones.


56 posted on 06/29/2014 10:19:20 AM PDT by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
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To: angry elephant

Back at the beginning of JFK’s presidency Kennedy would pay lip service to “civil rights” but would not push a bill because he was beholden to the segregationist Democrats.

It took protests like those led by Martin Luther King in Birmingham in the spring of 1963 to change JFK’s mind and to change the Democrat Party from being a segregationist party.

If the Republican Party is to be changed, it would take something more than electoral activity at this point.

The other option is the third party movement something to consider as well.


57 posted on 06/29/2014 10:22:08 AM PDT by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: angry elephant
And from running a business for more years than I care to mention, it is far easier to keep existing clients than to gain new ones.

In this case, it is the GOP-e who earns the "Dreamers" title.

58 posted on 06/29/2014 10:23:33 AM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parThe whole affair remains a fascinating storyade.)
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To: webheart
Re: “The Republicans may win by default because of Obama’s unpopularity.”

Yes - that is what the GOP elite is counting on.

But, the polling for the Senate races says otherwise.

We will gain 3 Democrat seats for certain.

Beyond that, the Democrat candidate leads in every other close Senate race, except for Louisiana, where the Republican holds a slight lead that is within the margin of error.

Also, in Georgia, a Republican seat, the Democrat holds a small lead over the expected Republican nominee.

After months and months of bad news for Democrats, these pathetic poll numbers are the best the GOP elite can produce?

One thing for certain:

When we fail to take the Senate, when we fail to increase our seats in the House, Conservatives will be blamed!

59 posted on 06/29/2014 12:49:20 PM PDT by zeestephen
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To: Kaslin
ARE YOU FOR REAL!!!! Well here`s a big news flash: Not everyone is a Democ-Rat or Republi-Crat. I know, that may come as a shock other guys like you.
60 posted on 06/29/2014 5:32:51 PM PDT by nomad
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