The Maverick shoots down any chance of Obamacare repeal
Time to burn the Republican Party down, or a 2010-style Tea Party insurrection?
Overnight the Senate failed to pass a so-called “skinny” repeal of Obamacare, when three Republican Senators (Collins, Murkowski and McCain) voted against the measure.
Whether the “skinny” repeal was an actual repeal was doubtful. As unveiled late last night, it removed the mandate, the medical device tax, and defunded Planned Parenthood, but it was something of a charade. Several Senators voted for it only after Paul Ryan gave some assurance that the Senate bill could be subject to a conference with the House, and would not be passed by the House as is.
But passing the “skinny” repeal kept hope alive that there might emerge some meaningful form of Obamacare repeal. The defeat of the bill killed any form of Obamacare repeal for the foreseeable future.
Collins and Murkowski always were expected to vote No, but McCain was the surprise. Even though Murkowski and McCain* had voted in 2015 for full, clean repeal of Obamacare, they didn’t have the guts to put their votes where their mouths had been just a couple of years ago.
How times change: McCain's first ad in his 2016 reelection bid said he was "leading the fight to stop Obamacare." https://t.co/jakxAQbXpN
— Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) July 28, 2017
It became clear to people watching the proceedings live that something was up as McCain laughed it up with Collins, Murkowski and Democrats:
I’m reading through my TL, reliving the McCain saga as it happened in real time. I’m up to him, Collins, and Murky laughing before the vote.
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) July 28, 2017
This video shows the timeline of the vote, and McCain huddling with Democrats and even hugging Dianne Feinstein before his vote:
Here is video of McCain casting his No vote:
WATCH: Senator John McCain casts 'no' vote on 'skinny' repeal with a thumbs down https://t.co/MgnBZDIUOk pic.twitter.com/e5UAQtQg6L
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 28, 2017
McCain’s explanation is that he voted No because it wasn’t a full “repeal and replace.” But of course, he killed any chance of that emerging from conference:
Skinny repeal fell short because it fell short of our promise to repeal & replace Obamacare w/ meaningful reform https://t.co/tZISIvccOO
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) July 28, 2017
For his part, Trump was restrained in his reaction (at least as of this writing). He repeated the claim that he’ll just let Obamacare fail, then pick up the pieces. But I suspect he still holds out hope that something can be done in Congress this year:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/890820505330212864
This was a failure for Mitch McConnell, who gave a good floor speech after the vote about the betrayal of Republican voters, but then switched to asking Democrats for their ideas. Their ideas, of course, are to keep and expand Obamacare.:
Ted Cruz is right, this was a betrayal:
SEN. TED CRUZ: Many Americans will feel betrayed by politicians who promised to repeal Obamacare but failed to deliver pic.twitter.com/dXOXpNBSmK
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 28, 2017
Democrats and the media are celebrating McCain:
I think the natural inclination of the Republican electorate should be to burn the party down. That certainly was my first reaction.
But I think what is more needed is a 2010-style Tea Party insurrection.
[Featured Image via Mike DeBonis Twitter]
[This post was updated multiple times][*This post originally indicated Collins voted for the 2015 repeal, but Neoneocon called my attention to an article at The Hill indicating Collins voted No on that vote.”]
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Comments
IMO, the fact that not a single Republican voted for Ocare no longer matters.
They all own it (both parties), from now on.
McCain is mentally incompetent with his brain cancer?????
Can we get McCain’s 1 vote thrown out?
RINOs consistently run about 5% of the elected GOP senators, and that is what we have here. If there were even 55 or so, much of this would not be happening. The good news is that IF we go into the 2018 elections with Tea Party zeal, we should easily get there. The bad news is that the Usual Suspects are already talking about throwing in the towel. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I begin to think we really are the Stupid Party.
Not stupid… just compromised with shills who run for office as Republicans … in name only. In the best light; opportunist.
“RINOs consistently run about 5% of the elected GOP senators”
A very, very low estimate at less than 3 senators as rino’s.
Had McCain not voted “no”, others would have.
“But I think what is more needed is a 2010-style Tea Party insurrection.”
Every election, Prof. EVERY. ONE.
Yeah sure. That will last about as long as Trump endorses his first Tea Party primary challenger. You “I’m with her! “NeverTrumpers will never ever be on the right side of any game changing campaign. It’s always all about you.
Just to provide a reality check…
Did or did not T-rump endorse McAnus…and EVERY incumbent up for re-election.
Yeah. I don’t “feel it”, OccupyWhatever Boi. You’re fantasizing.
Again…
Just to provide a reality check…
You endorsed “McAnus” with your vote
Oh, and you lying sack of excrement, I was NEVER “I’m with her”.
As is VERY well established by about two years of posts.
I just wouldn’t give my vote to either stinking, lying, PATHOLOGICAL Collectivist fraud. Poor lying moron.
That is your only chance, to get new Tea Party senators elected next year and then deal with Obama Care!
And don’t let ANYONE forget how those who voted for keeping Barry Care are traitors!
And don’t stop there either! Keep reminding people of those who may have voted to repeal yesterday where only doing so for cover! Every single traitor needs to be removed from the Senate and replaced with people who actually care about their constituents from the constituencies they were elected from…and not the Washington DC Swamp constituency!
Don’t limit your anger to just the identifiable three. If any of them were up in 2018, the GOPe leadership would’ve found somebody else to take the fall.
Every single Republican up in 2018 except Ted Cruz is a squish, and has a rating on Heritage Action scorecard lower than Jeff Flake, who is only at 67%.
Primary all of them, and if the establishment wins, be prepared to vote 3rd party. If you keep voting for the establishment, you’ll keep getting screwed.
Take it over instead of a third party. Insurrection!
AND let’s not forget the other half of the equation…eliminating Democrats from both Houses, especially since McCain and the others who went back on their word to the US citizens aren’t up for re-election until 2020 or 2022 (other than Heller, I think).
Yes, go more radical and defeat democrats. Maybe, just maybe, going more radical might save some democrats. Remember ‘legitimate rape’ akin and few other fanatical idiots.
Please, please, eat your own.
What exactly is your objection to the phrase “legitimate rape”, or, as your own Whoopie Goldberg put it, “rape rape”? Do you seriously deny that there is a distinction between legitimate rape and various other things we call and treat as rape but aren’t really?
Another trenchant comment, YellowTail.
Keep up the good work.
As cruel as it sounds perhaps the reality is McCain won’t be here in a few months time anyway?
We have just been shown how much damage he can do to the nation in a very short time!
cruel ?
what is cruel is what this RINO is perpetrating on a nation of
United States of America/Population
323.1 million (2016)
“Cruel?” After what he just did to us?
It’s a shame he was able to make it back.
Are you still under the incredibly ignorant delusion that Trump would appoint his replacement?
Simple fact is, the modern Republican party no longer has a purpose since the Cold War ended…well at least THAT cold war. This collapse may well usher in a complete realignment among the voters. I will finally, after much threatening, drop my R registration and go unaffiliated.
The end of the cold war affected Democrats more than the GOP, IMO. They’ve been rudderless since. They went left … and down the rabbit hole. They have no message except divide and give away stuff.. and try to import new voters or rile up the indoctrinated youth vote… and lastly.. commit fraud.
Both parties have struggled since the wall came down. It’s been a steady slide of ambition and vision since. Good times ahead. Lots of clarity this morning.
I agree quite a bit. Years ago I subscribed to National Review as in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They used to offer an edition of any of their magazines, for a fee, as sort of a collector’s favorite. I chose the July 19, 1993 edition. On the cover is the title “The Left’s Last Utopia”- AMERICA. In the foreground is a famous illustration of Lenin in frock coat standing above an American Flag giving a speech to the masses who are waving small American flags.
The Democrat party is the last hope of the Progressive Left and they are going all out by any means necessary to seize America. Against them we have the mincing Republican Party that can’t understand that we are in a war for the soul of America. The Dems have shown their colors with Obama and his apparats. What color is the Republican party besides the color of Vichy Con?
If you live in a state with an open primary process, then sure, go independent.
If you are in a closed primary state, then stay in the Republican party and vote for the people who have shown that they are conservative in name and action. Check out the state and city governments for the good people to move up.
We have knows McCain was a RINO for a very long time. But the voters of Arizona keep sending him back to the Senate.
Collins as an East Coast Republican is the same as a moderate Democrat elsewhere.
Murkowski? The word that best describes her isn’t one I use in public. But I’m thinking it.
And we have John Cornyn to thank for Murkowski we could have had Joe Miller instead of Murkowski but for Cornyn’s interference and get her elected as a write in candidate
“John Wayne” Cornyn is on my spit-list for his next election. I’ll work to get a good conservative nominated and elected.
Arizona is in the same shape as Alaska: there are a lot of voters who wanted to kick the bastards out, but they keep rigging the system.
We have several good Congressmen who could’ve easily beaten McCain in the primaries, but none of them would run because the GOPe threatened them.
In AK, you almost had Murkowski out and then she and the GOPe screwed you by running her as an independent.
These scabs don’t keep getting elected because the people love them, they get elected by limiting voter choice.
Murkowski and Collins should be stripped of their committee positions. In no way should they have any leadership on anything. McConnell, if he’s really a leader, would remove either of these sisters from key committees completely.
I don’t include McCain b/c he now has the cancer card to play, and regardless of his “mavericking”, they should just bide their time and ignore him.
But… we all know… McConnell could have punished the sisters long ago, and did not. The Senate leadership has issues. So does the house. Both could send clear signals for members to fall into line… and yet.. they don’t.
I read somewhere that Collins is considering a run for governor. If so, every vote she takes is positioning herself for that campaign.
McCain is not a RINO. He is a transgendered Republican.. McCain is a Democrat who likes to dress up as a Republican.
I cannot understand why he just did not stay in Arizona to get treatment for his tumor. The vote would have been delayed and the embarrassment avoided. Why travel all this distance to blow everything up?
Easy. This cements his legacy as a champion of the Progressive Left, will get him a nice additional adoring paragraph in the wikipedia entry on Obamacare AND allowed him to stick a thumb in President Trump’s eye one last time.
McCain knows his days are numbered. My guess is that they’re numbered far, far shorter than anybody publicly knows.
If he survives to see next summer, I’ll be surprised. My guess is that by the 2018 midterms, either McCain will resign and allow the appointment of a new Senator, or will be in such sorry shape that he may expire in office.
McCain isn’t going to resign; his ego won’t let him. They’ll have to carry him out of the Senate in a body bag.
Answer: Collins, Murkowski and McCain.
Question: Name three US Senators who deserve to be recalled. Now.
I am now officially ashamed that I voted for him for President.
I’m ready to recall McCain. That was absolute subterfuge. Arizona is a Conservative state. There’s no excuse for this horse shit.
Um, how exactly do you propose to do that?
People who are so ignorant of the US constitution that they think congressmen can be “recalled” shouldn’t comment on US politics.
Hey, no laywer here. Not even a Holiday Inn Express.
(Checks Ballotpedia)
You are correct. In my state (Kansas), we can recall practically every official elected to State office (including State Supreme Court justices), but not Feds such as House or Senate representatives.
Thankfully, all of our House and Senate peeps voted correctly.
If you are a registered Republican, re-register to unaffiliated independent today. After this, here is no reason for delaying. The RINOs just made a major production telling YOU that your vote doesn’t count. SHUT DOWN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! PUT IT OUT OF BUSINESS!
I’m in California and it already is. The only purpose to being a register Republican is to vote in the presidential primary (at the end of the season when the choice is already made) and for the elected officials (Democrats) to know who to safely ignore.
Then you should definitely re-register. You always have 3-4 weeks before a primary to decide whether you want to temporarily be a single-purpose temporary Republican. Re-registration works in both directions and sends a major signal. Throws all of the polling and fund raising research off.
I’ve been registered as “no party” since Nov 2012, aside from a couple of months last summer. Between Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) and the “jungle primaries”, my preferences and my vote is about as useful as “a bucket of warm [spit]”. OTOH, I’m old and pretty set in my ways, so I keep voting (useless though it seems).
I mentioned that when McCain voted YES on the motion to proceed that it was a hollow victory. McCain is just an evil guy. They need more MAGA warriors in Congress. Find them, put them up for nomination and they will sail to victory. Get rid of all the losing neverTrumpers.
I mean we already had a 2010 Tea Party style insurrection in 2016. The winning formula is already spelled out.
One problem, slick: Trump endorsed McCain in 2016. If he kicks out all the RINO supporters, he’ll have to kick himself out.
When the Art. Five convention considers stuff, HIGH on the list should be term limits.
Agree! But if there ever is such a convention, for God’s sake take many thousands of like minded souls to fill the building. Then, and this is no joke, have many thousands of allies armed outside the building just in case. Such an opportunity to open Pandora’s Box might be too tempting for some.
Term limits make no sense. It is pleasant to think of turning the rascals out, but there are always more rascals (see California). Term limits actually tilt the field in favor of the lefties. Government gives them wealth and power and they love it with all their black hearts. They will always have a deep bench. Candidates who are (a) electable, (b) effective, (c) uncorruptible, and (d) unwaveringly opposed to the goals and methods of big government are rare birds, obviously. If we are lucky enough to find any, let’s keep ’em.
Good points.
BURN IT.
Burn it to the ground and then salt the earth.
My advice: President Trump should call a press conference TODAY, take the podium and say the following:
Due to the Republican party individuals that chose to run on the repeal of Obamacare and actively LIE to their voters, I am today calling for the formation of a third party, to field candidates in the 2018 midterm elections. I encourage all voters that voted for me to abandon the Republican Party due to its active lies to the American People, and to support this new party, which we propose to name “_____________.” Let us end this Washington dysfunction once and for all and drain the Swamp of the Establishment that actively decided to lie to their voters and replace it with citizen legislators who will act as their consitituents direct them.
Our battle cry: NOT ONE RED CENT!
7 years a of chest beating vote after vote. So much BS from the republican party. Give us the White House, Senate and the House and Obamacare will be gone! Lie after lie,year after year. So much money raised from flat out lies!
I agree NOT ONE CENT to the RNC, not one cent!
My feeling about what the republicans failed to do last night!
(Warning this you-tube is very explicated-profanity. Don’t watch if offended by profane language.)
“the roof is on fire, we don’t need water, let the mother*ucker burn.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbAqWA-dxvw
Arrived there some decades ago. I only support conservatives, and they have one chance to show who they are. After they turn on me, I turn on them.
I ordinarily would object to that language but in this case I think it’s an appropriate use. We are gone. The US, as we knew her, is gone. The stupid people who want free everything have won. Where is our million people march on D.C.? Why are we not breaking down doors? We gave been complacent too long and it’s gone, gone, gone. I’m so depressed.
JoAnne,
I agree with you 1000%. What has happened to
the United States of America?
The country we once knew is gone! ;(
Surprise, surprise, surprise.
So another ho-hum non-attempt to “repeal/replace” Obamacare by the GOP. Look at who the GOP senators are who voted against this bill. Two won reelection this year and one, Collins, in 14. All are safe until at least 2020. And, all routinely vote with the liberal Dems, on social issues. The rest of the Republican senators can blame the failure of this bill on these three while claiming that they are for repeal and replace. I keep shouting that the Congress is not going to repeal or significantly replace Obamacare.
For those who are vowing a 2010 Tea Party style change in Congress, good luck. I hate to be the one to point this out, but the “Tea Party” Congress has been in effect from 2010 to today and is now the Congress which is doing all in its power to stymie the President’s agenda. Mounting a third party to run for Congressional seats will just allow Democrats to win those seats. So, you have to find and run Republicans to primary out the Republican incumbents. Again, good luck on that. That is going to take a decade. So enjoy the next 10 years. On the plus side, the private healthcare insurance system will crash and burn long before that and the Congress will have to “save” the nation by imposing a single payer, government funded healthcare insurance program. Which is what it has wanted to do all along.
Saddens me that we kept re-electing this guy long past his sell-by date. But we elected Janet governor, so I guess not surprising.
This is a very weird state. Considered ‘ultraconservative’, primarily because of Goldwater & Mecham IMO, we keep electing people like McCain & Grijalva.
To steal a comment I read somewhere, we really do need a second political party.
There are three factions in AZ: the GOPe (McCain), the conservative base (the people who censured McCain), and Democrats.
Grijalva got elected by the Dems who reside in central Phoenix and outside the rest of Maricopa county.
The GOPe is constantly warring with the base, and pulling dirty tricks on them. They have it down to an art.
McCain’s not going to be around much longer, so he doesn’t have to keep up the facade.
All I know is I am not remaining a Republican. This party is little different than the National Socialist Democratic Party, so why be a part of it? It is a shame that this dishonorable man was re-elected. He is every bit as hate filled and driven as Maxine Waters is. I am ashamed of this American government.
I re-registered to Independent (technically No Party Affiliation) about 4 years ago. I hope more registered Republicans do the same. A wave of decreases in Republican registration just might, maybe, if we’re lucky, be noticed, but voting them out appears to be the only strategy worth pursuing. The only thing we can count on the GOPe to do is grow the Federal Government, whether by acquiescence (their preferred method) or overt acts.
Why would having less registered Republicans matter to the Republican Party? In a number of states not having a party affiliation means that you can not vote in the party’s primary. That limits the number of disgruntled party members who might primary out the incumbent. You know who got Trump elected? That’s right, disgruntled Republican Party members.
Like I said, we need a second political party.
You’re leaving out Obama voters who switched over. In some of those Rust-Belt states, they were a BIG factor.
Can you say “cult of personality”…??? I knew you could.
I said this to an earlier post… Our guys won and Obamacare is still in place. Whose the dummy?
Nope he is a full blown Mule in Elephant clothing.
I find it ironic and sad at the same time that McCain represents the very state that had the largest Obamacare premium increase in 2017 – 116%. He just spit in in own constituent’s faces.
We are ALL Charlie Gard now.
The congressional GOP has calculated the political costs of refusing to repeal Obamacare and overwhelmingly found them fully affordable. Due to the way incumbents enjoy built-in electoral advantages, they realize it would take 3-4 two-year election cycles to even begin to impact the percentages of conservative vs. establishment congressional office-holders. The GOP establishment is as much in favor of single-payer as the Democrats, but cannot say so overtly for obvious reasons. Politicians of either party hold more power when the federal government holds more power – this is the collaborative goal of our country’s two political parties. Once the federal government holds control over the entire health insurance industry, they’ll also control the health care delivery system as well, and by extension, a host of secondary and tertiary support industries. Establishment Democrats have convinced establishment GOP-ers of the beauty of such monumental control and they are working together to achieve it.
The Tea Party movement, of which I was a local organizer, helped install a conservative contingent into congress, but to no great avail in the big picture. It is difficult to imagine what sort of new movement is required or how it could be so much more effective than the Tea Party, which, as good and remarkable as it was, did not accomplish nearly enough.
In a nutshell:
Dems to GOP: “We need to find a way to eliminate the voters from our political process so we can plan with certainty of future conditions.”
GOP to Dems: “You know, you’re right. We don’t know why we fought you guys for so long. Let’s do it. First up, single payer…”
“It is difficult to imagine what sort of new movement is required or how it could be so much more effective than the Tea Party, which, as good and remarkable as it was, did not accomplish nearly enough.”
Tea Party is more organized than it has ever been. You don’t think that yesterday supercharged everyone? Trump is out on the hustings again today for the 3rd time in a week while his attack team of KellyAnne, Mooch and Gorka have put Team Trump on offense in a big way. You don’t think that Trump’s base not only more solid than ever but growing? And Lewandowski was also brought back a few weeks ago. His specialty is in-your-face campaigning. Does that look like the Tea Party has run its course?
The GOPe cave on ObamaCare was a dramatic stab in the back of the highest order. Trump now has his hammer for 2018: endorsing primary challengers. Trump, KellyAnne, Mooch, and Gorka are giving the base something to cheer about. You can bet that Lewandowski has been quietly organizing for next year’s assault on the GOPe traitors.
I’m licking my chops for next year. I think it’s going to be an epic primary season where the Democrats can only sit on the sideline while watching Trump’s base wipe out the “other Democratic Party” knowing that whoever prevails is going to kick their asses in the main show. It’s going to be AWESOME!
The Trump base, nor Trump, is enough.
I know that Tea party movement members are dying to believe that they are relevant. But, such is not the case. back in 2010, the Tea Party movement was a ground roots movement which was partially responsible for the Republican takeover of the Congress. However, their efforts had little of no effect on how the Congress actually worked. The Congress continued to travel the Establishment path and did nothing of any significance. The biggest problem that the Tea Party Movement faces is identity. Except for the general opposition to the current level of taxation, there is no cohesive position on most other political and social issues.
So, don’t hold your breath for the Tea Party to fundamentally change the face of the Congress. Even if Tea Party candidates are elected, historically, they will fall in line with the Establishment. There is just too much money involved.
My first vote as citizen was for McCain…. So angry at him.
Someone needs to introduce one of a relentless series of bills to cancel Congress’ exemption from RinoCare. Then spread out to the rest of the exemptions. Either everyone participates in this or no one.
Asking members of congress to be forced onto Obamacare would have the same effect as doubling Bill Gates’ phone bill. I’m pretty sure he – and they – could easily absorb whatever came of it, i.e., it wouldn’t budge them one inch politically.
McCain has been a very effective Democrat.
In every state, we need a Tea Party-like insurrection to nominate and elect Republicans who will actually cast conservative votes in Washington.
In the meantime, I have seen a think-tank-generated list of things which can be done administratively, by President Trump and by Secretary Price, to gut Obamacare from within. They need to get going on those items ASAP.
And may I point out that Sen. Cruz was absolutely right when he tried to shut down the government over Obamacare funding a few years ago? He said once the dollars started flowing it would be really hard to repeal. He got it right. I think McCain was one of several senators who called Cruz ugly names for that effort. They were, and are, wrong.
And let us take a moment to remember, as annoyed as we are with Republicans, that not one single Democrat stepped up to vote in favor of anything which would make the monstrous system they imposed on us even a little better. The well-being of constituents is not on their agenda.
We have a lot to thank McCain for: his loss to Obama is what paved the way for Obamacare. His feckless, tepid campaigning cost us all dearly. Now he screwed the country with his vote, clearly the vote that made the difference, just to screw Trump, who he clearly dislikes to the point of doing the Dems footwork with the “golden showers” fakery.
Has he been fitted for his pu$$y hat yet? He should wear it proudly when he gets it.
It’s time to stop looking at subsections of the political field as the ‘enemy’ – GOPe, Democrats, ‘never Trumpers’, RINOs, etc., and begin to look at the entire system as the enemy of the American people. The general ‘right’ has all these subgroups whose political values overlap 90% battling one another over the 10%. The folks in the opposing trenches find this hilariously entertaining.
Currently, voters are leaving the major parties in droves, re-registering as unaffiliated/independent (different states have different labels). The unaffiliated/independent bloc already has a plurality and are closing in on a majority of registered voters nationwide. It is this group which needs to somehow become better allies, coalesce, make plans, and declare war on the status quo in its entirety.
***The GOPe assigned McCain to cast the deciding vote on repeal because his brain tumor diagnosis and prognosis suggests he won’t live long and certainly won’t be running for reelection. He’s a lame duck, like any retiring congress member. They have such members make these unpopular votes because he/she is gone anyway, doesn’t have any reelection worries. It’s a common practice.
There’s a syndrome perhaps you can name (I can’t…names curse) which afflicts older people. It appeared in Goldwater later in life as he began to voice “moderated” positions that conflicted with his earlier ones.
And, no, it isn’t “dementia”. Goldwater was pretty sharp.
“The Maverick?” More like “The Rat.”
McCain is a rat, and McConnnell is an illegitimate GOP Senate leader.
We need to demand McConnell step down – today.
OK. You and I demand McConnell step down. What happens next?
McConnell steps down. Wow! That was easy!
Of course, McConnell will not step down, and even if he did, the GOPe will simply replace him with his equivalent and nothing will change.
Ow, ‘Enry ‘Awkins, I so fear you are dead on.
It goes to my point that getting rid of McConnell, Ryan, etc., is just picking off minor players in a far bigger game. The enemy is the system that produces such weak leaders, not the leaders themselves. Every one of them is readily replaced with the next in line GOPe functionary, a game of Whack-A-Mole one could play for decades and never gain an inch.
Y’all need to make me your king.
Maybe king for a day and we’ll see how it works out!
Imagine if the GOP had 56 senators instead of 52. Would this result still have happened? You can’t put the blame on senators who ran as “moderates”, in left-leaning states, and whose constituents are overwhelmingly telling them they’d better not take away the subsidies and handouts they’ve got used to in the last few years.
To people urging reregistration, what is the purpose? How does it hurt the GOP to have people reregister? All it does is remove you from the primary, so they have less reason to care about your opinions. In states where it doesn’t even do that, then what difference does it make, to anyone, how you’re registered?
(BTW in NY, changes in party affiliation must be filed 25 days before the previous general election. So if I wanted to vote in this year’s D primaries I’d have had to change my registration by Oct-14-2016.
News flash, Milhouse – they already don’t care about our opinions, nor do they care about our votes as indicative of our preferred policies, principles, and directives. To the establishment we have become… cumbersome… in this world.
Well, they DO care about your money and support on the hustings.
They don’t get mine, though individuals with conservative creds DO.
Also, letting them know how you feel is not a Pyrrhic exercise…entirely…
That did it for me. I re-registered as an unaffiliated voter. Not that being a Republican in Silicon Valley does me much good – pretty much everything I vote for loses. Even if something I support wins the courts would change it. The registrar of voters says I have 20 days before an election to change my party so if I really want to vote Republucan I can. I feel this is the only power I have left, and I’m exercising it.
I am just so disgusted.
With the Republican Party as currently constituted the Democrats always win. The country does not have time left to replace the current Republican incumbents. When winning elections has absolutely NO effect on policy, then elections are moot. In the absence of electoral politics, an older form of politics will return. Neither wing of the Uni-Party is going to like it.
Civil disobedience.
Yep. As I’ve often said, a civil disobedience movement, if support sufficiently has always worked in civilized countries. Even in some pretty “civilized” ones.
Nobody could be justified in armed rebellion until that has been exhausted. IMNHO.
This was nothing more than political theater. McCain gave cover for the other republicans that only voted yes because they knew that the fix was in.
That’s why it came down to McCain: he doesn’t have to worry about re-election, his prognosis is that he won’t live to see the next election, let alone having to worry about run again. His being the sacrificial lamb allowed any number of other republicans to be able say “I voted for it” in the next election cycle.
Burn it down.
At long last, Maverick takes one for the team.
As I recall, Obama waived the requirement that Congress must use Obamacare by executive order. Boy, did the GOP love it when Obama ruled by decree when it let them avoid participating in this shit sandwich of a “healthcare” plan. Now let them take a bite of it. Trump can rescind the waiver the same way.
According to the local press there were two insurance companies for 2017 but one sells in all counties except Maricopa and the other sells only in Maricopa, giving all AZ residents exactly one option. I don’t know the situation for 2018 so maybe there’s only one or none depending on what county you’re in. If the situation is the same as 2017 and McCain discovers he has only one option among the two insurers and neither one includes the Mayo clinic in their networks “Maverick” will change his tune.
Also, we’re using the term RINO wrong. Face it. Graham, McCain, McConnell, Ryan et al are the real Republicans. Their highest goal is to be the junior partners in the Democratic-run big government machine.
Recall the Mississippi GOP primary a couple of years back. State Sen. Chris McDaniel beat the epitome of establishment Republicans Thad Cochrane in the first round of the primary but not enough to avoid a run-off.
So what did Mich McConnell-run NRSC do? They hired Democratic political operatives to scare black Democrats to vote in the GOP primary (legal in MS as long as they then didn’t vote in the Democratic primary). They did it by scaring them into thinking a) McDaniel is racist and b) reminding them of all the federal spending Cochrane had brought to the state and that Tea Party conservative McDaniel would threaten.
This is who they really are. They will happily work with the Democrats to defeat a conservative, and the Democrats are only too happy to help because they want nice, pliable Republicans who will always back down because they both hate the GOP base.
So we’re actually the RINOs. We believe in the principles they constantly lie about believing as well. Because that’s what they have to say to get elected. But they believe in big government just as much as the Democrats. The real Republicans are rotten to the core.