Canadian Born Patriot dominates senate in 4th longest filibuster ever!

[rah]

That's what the Republican party is now. They don't care about legislating or governing. They just want idiots to send them money. It's a great racket.

Yes, it's quite embarrassing to myself and other moderate Republicans. IF this keeps up much longer we're going to have to find a new party. I do have faith that this will change (god I really hope so)

[Dinner]

The Republican infighting continues:

According to Politico, the Tiger Beat of the Beltway, GOP Senator John Boozman yelled at Ted Cruz during a closed door meeting and the Republican infighting continues.

"Boozman, an Arkansas Republican elected in 2010, stood up and yelled at Cruz, expressing frustration that his staff was deluged with belligerent phone calls mostly from out-of-state activists attacking the senator over the issue of defunding Obamacare, according to several sources familiar with the exchange. Boozman also slammed Cruz for suggesting Republicans were in favor of the three-year-old law even though all of them opposed it and have repeatedly voted to repeal it.

"Staring at Cruz, Boozman said he hasn’t been bullied since the seventh grade and he wouldn’t be bullied now."

"Several Republicans cheered Boozman and one quipped: “A sleeping bear had been awoken.”

John Boozman thrashes Ted Cruz for Obamacare tactics - POLITICO.com

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

[Dinner]

Less than you sent Babs.

****, son. I didn't even vote for Obama in 2012 so what makes you think I sent him (much less Cruz) any money?

[Ben Kenobi]

Yes, it's quite embarrassing to myself and other moderate Republicans. IF this keeps up much longer we're going to have to find a new party. I do have faith that this will change (god I really hope so)

I now hear all of rah's posts in the voice of John McCain.

[Ben Kenobi]

****, son. I didn't even vote for Obama in 2012 so what makes you think I sent him (much less Cruz) any money?

Babs is a he? I guess that explains quite a few things... Also, still true.

[Sava]

Yes, it's quite embarrassing to myself and other moderate Republicans. IF this keeps up much longer we're going to have to find a new party. I do have faith that this will change (god I really hope so)

This has been an underlying issue since Ross Perot derailed the first Bush admin.

I know that moderate Republicans exist. I feel bad sometimes just railing against Republicans in general. Obviously, not everyone is a horrible anus licker... just the crazies.

[DinoDoc]

You missed this portion, DD. Let me add that back on.

It's irrelevant to the issue: Can the CR actually be used to choke off funding for O'care? The answer is quite literally no. The defunding fight as admirable as it was only served as a distraction from lines of attack the GOP could reasonably win on.

Regarding the Defunding Fight: High Risk, Low Yield by Thomas Sowell

[Ben Kenobi]

Can the CR actually be used to choke off funding for O'care? The answer is quite literally no. The defunding fight as admirable as it was only served as a distraction from lines of attack the GOP could reasonably win on.

Oddly, I'm the one arguing against the all or nothing strategy here. Can it cut off all funding? No. Can it cut off some? Yes. Should it be pursued in exclusion to other strategies? No.

[DinoDoc]

Oddly, I'm the one arguing against the all or nothing strategy here. Can it cut off all funding? No. Can it cut off some? Yes.

According to the CRS it can't even cut off the additional funds requested by the President.

[Ben Kenobi]

According to the CRS it can't even cut off the additional funds requested by the President.

That's not what your source said. Regardless, blaming Cruz for it makes no sense. He wasn't there when it passed. Boehner's done a terrible job as Speaker and Mitt ran an awful campaign, when he wasn't busy backstabbing socons running for the Senate. Think we couldn't use those seats?

[DinoDoc]

That's not what your source said.

From the source: The CRS concludes: “In the event that congressional appropriators do not provide any of [the requested] funds, or in the event of a temporary lapse in discretionary appropriations that results in a government shutdown, it seems likely that the administration will continue to rely on alternative sources of funding to support ACA implementation activities.”

Regardless, blaming Cruz for it makes no sense.

Look I agree with the general thrust of the argument here, that establishment Republicans have been feckless in their opposition to Obamacare and have been acting petty in whining about Ted Cruz. However that doesn't detract from the that doesn't detract the mistake he committed in convincing a base hungry for real leadership and action that defunding the law was even possible. IMO, he and his political fortunes would have been better served in forcing the Establishment leadership to call for a delay in the individual mandate from the outset rather than this attempt at recreating the Battle of Thermopylae.

[Ben Kenobi]

Look I agree with the general thrust of the argument here, that establishment Republicans have been feckless in their opposition to Obamacare and have been acting petty in whining about Ted Cruz. However that doesn't detract from the that doesn't detract the mistake he committed in convincing a base hungry for real leadership and action that defunding the law was even possible. IMO, he and his political fortunes would have been better served in forcing the Establishment leadership to call for a delay in the individual mandate from the outset rather than this attempt at recreating the Battle of Thermopylae.

When the leadership is incompetent you replace the leadership. Simple as that. What makes you think that they'll carry out the current strategy with any degree of success? I don't. People call me a pollyanna, but the truth is that with the incompetent current republican leadership, it doesn't matter what the strategy is other than 'cower and whimper'. That they CAN do.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I know that moderate Republicans exist. I feel bad sometimes just railing against Republicans in general. Obviously, not everyone is a horrible anus licker... just the crazies.

Moderates have been marginalized in the party for at least the last decade (though all this RINO stuff started in the 1st Bush's Presidency - in violation of Reagan's wishes even as the disunity faction was calling his name).

[DinoDoc]

When the leadership is incompetent you replace the leadership. Simple as that. What makes you think that they'll carry out the current strategy with any degree of success?

Seeking to die on a hill you can't claim and have no real hope of even getting close to achieving isn't a sign of tactical or strategic acumen on the part of the Defund movement. Calling people that disagree with this strategy Obamacare supporters as Cruz isn't the way to build a winning coalition. Incompetent leadership should be replaced with something better not with a fanatical zeal to kill a law through the most showy and impractical way possible.

[Ben Kenobi]

Seeking to die on a hill you can't claim and have no real hope of even getting close to achieving isn't a sign of tactical or strategic acumen on the part of the Defund movement. Calling people that disagree with this strategy Obamacare supporters as Cruz isn't the way to build a winning coalition. Incompetent leadership should be replaced with something better not with a fanatical zeal to kill a law through the most showy and impractical way possible.

Sometimes you fight winning battles. Sometimes you fight because there's nothing productive that can be done. I believe Churchill spoke about this - fighting a battle when it can be fought even without success is not a charge against the character of the one fighting. It's a charge against the prior leadership that did not act when success was possible. That's on Boehner and McConnell, not Cruz. If anything, Cruz is one of the few who weren't tainted. Why can't we build a party around him and Rand? They are both young.