Co-Opt This!
Trent Lott is concerned. The former Republican senator worries about the Tea Party candidates, especially if they win.
All of these bumptious new politicians making noise. All of that fractious stubborness. How on earth are these people going to be able to craft a compromise on the Comprehensive Federal Jobs and Employment Act of 2011 or the National Playground Equipment Standards Resource Center Act of 2012 if they're all so...so...Tea Party-ish?
As he puts it in yesterday's Washington Post:
Former Senate majority leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), now a D.C. lobbyist, warned that a robust bloc of rabble-rousers spells further Senate dysfunction. "We don't need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples," Lott said in an interview. "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."
But Lott said he's not expecting a tea-party sweep. "I still have faith in the visceral judgment of the American people," he said.
"We need to co-opt them," said a Washington lobbyist. That quotation, copied el-cheapo style onto a postcard and dropped in the mail to "independents, undecided" would be the best, most efficient direct mail piece the Tea Party could ever imagine.
- Comment (11)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments:
Jun '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
"The visceral judgment of the American people" is not likely to rule in favor of the establishment wing of either party. Lott's position is a fine example of one too identified with the political class; he's clearly wishing he remained among his peers in the Senate. I'm all for proper decorum, but I daresay the Senate could use a few passionate rabble-rousers willing to shatter the club mentality and serve the republic.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
And "further Senate dysfunction" happens to be, at the moment, the only thing preserving life as we know it.
Jun '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Some pols, like Trent Lott, must believe that the Washington Influence Market is the authentic marketplace, where the real work happens, and Main Street is a just a quaint old vestige of the economy, that has to be pandered to, but is rather beside the point.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Trent Lott is the worst kind of politician for conservatives, because he confirms some of the worst conservative stereotypes of our opponents (clueless, backward, vaguely racist, bad hair) even while being, fundamentally, not one of us. (No real conservative would have been as committed as he was to Senatorial process, for example.) Conservatives intuited this, which is why he found himself utterly isolated over the Thurmond birthday party gaffe. That, and his bad hair.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Still, the only thing that would fix this stuff is term limits. Fat chance you get that one into law.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Someone remind me - when Trent Lott left the Senate, I recall news stories reporting that he was going to have to resume some pedestrian, everyday function that the rest of us do without even really thinking. It may have been driving his own car, or something like that. Does anyone remember what it was?
Recalling Lott's foot-in-mouth moment at Strom's birthday party, I really can't wait for Lott to meet soon-to-be Congressman Tim Scott from the South Carolina First. Mr. Scott is an eager Tea Party participant, part of a crop of emerging young Republican leaders in South Carolina, and a black man. Oh, and he just clobbered Strom Thurmond's son in the Republican primary runoff to win the nomination. Something tells me Trent Lott is going to find that Tim Scott will be a tough nut to crack.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Considering his awkward phrasing, I'll bet all the cash I have in my wallet that Trent Lott doesn't know what "visceral" means.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
It's hard to think of a better compliment than being called a "rabble-rouser" by a D.C. lobbyist. The bubble that our congressmen and the lobbyists who love them inhabit is in need of a good rousing... and we're just the rabble to do it!
Lott is just the sort of buffoon "leader" the GOP must be rid of: no principle beyond furthering his own career, and no use for anyone unable (or unwilling) to serve that purpose.
Jun '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Angelo Codevilla has a remarkable article up at the American Spectator called America's Ruling Class - And the Perils of Revolution.
EJHill posted this earlier and I call it to your attention because it relates directly to the current discussion. Something uncanny is happening; our threads are beginning to twist themselves into a rope.
Jun '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Matthew Gilley
Considering his awkward phrasing, I'll bet all the cash I have in my wallet that Trent Lott doesn't know what "visceral" means. · Jul 18 at 11:53am
A quick thesauras check for visceral: intuitive, instinctive, primitive, animal, primeval, ... either he used the wrong word, or he inadvertently used a term describing what how he really views people. As if we are but lowly life forms, unable to think for ourselves, automatically predisposed to vote for our "betters." Which of course, means people like him. Either way, Mr. Lott's bubble isn't quite so big anymore, and with any luck, a lot of congressional "bubbles" will be popped in November.
May '10
Re: Co-Opt This!
Lott is too identified with the standard of Washington existence, OPM for short, or, other people's money!!! I swear I really do want everyone dumped, and the good ones we lose can be hired back, once the message is learned about who employs them, and what their job is.