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Flake’s Unaware He’s In A War
For the past week, everyone I have come in contact with says they are furious. I am furious. Anger over the clearly politically driven power grab and coup attempt hijacking a constitutional process that was about to seat a Conservative appointee on the Supreme Court. Granted, most of my circle are right of center. My monthly cigar group is a seething, frothing group of men of a certain age who are incredulous over the blatantly political, rank accusations. However, what has surprised me are those friends who dislike, even despise President Trump, who are deeply uncomfortable with this sad, disgusting chapter in our country’s political history. They also believe this is a horrific political hit job on a decent man.
I am old enough to remember Obama’s liberal appointees — Justices Kagan and Sotomayer — enjoying their confirmation process with dignity and respect.
I remember Justice Clarence Thomas being branded and still being accused of sexual assault with zero proof.
I remember Chappaquiddick Kennedy making a new verb out of Nominee Bork’s name.
Now, for less than a handful of Republican Senators, namely Flake, Collins, and Murkowski, the committee is jumping through hoops to placate these wavering flowers.
Judicial Committee member Flake just suggested he doesn’t believe these accusers are part of a “left-wing conspiracy.”
This completely ignores Feinstein strategically holding the complaint for 45 days before submitting before the vote.
This completely ignores and defies common sense which would suggest the reported 10 teenage gang rape parties would have been reported or discussed sometime, by some person over the past 35 years.
This completely ignores the messenger is the self-serving, vile porn lawyer, Michael Avenatti who CNN and MSNBC seem to have made a media sensation, but who reminds the rest of us of every insulting joke we ever heard about lawyers.
Avenatti is Saul Goodman without the charm. He is Alex Jones on meth. Shakespeare suggested what to do with lawyers like Avenatti in Henry VI.
Sen. Flake, if you prevent a vote from taking place in the Senate, you will cause the losses of Republican seats across the country. This will allow the growing massive Marxist wave to crash onto our land and the cultural impact will affect our liberty, free speech and freedom for generations. The Left has no desire for justice. They only seek power.
SCOTUS is the city of Verdun in WWI and the Republicans need to fight for every square inch of ground. Sen. Flake, you carry the weight of an entire country’s future in your considered vote.
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But he’s anti-Trump, and that’s all that really matters for the snark-squad.
I dunno. I’m fairly anti-Trump, but I think Flake is well named. I don’t think he will sandbag Kavanaugh, but he’s trying to keep his options open for a possible Dem appointment in the future, maybe even a VP pick if he generates some momentum as a courageous “independent” candidate next year. The last thing sincere NeverTrump folks want is to have our objections linked to squishes like Flake.
Let me amend that – I actually think Flake is more likely than Collins or Murkowski to vote “present” and say these poor women weren’t given a chance to have these charges investigated. I just don’t think he will be successful in the sandbagging.
I think it was Chuck Yeager who explained in his autobiography that when there were young pilots in his cohort who didn’t seem to be made of the right stuff, he didn’t want to have anything to do with them, socially or otherwise. He had sort of a fear of contamination. And those pilots generally washed out by death. He didn’t want any of their stuff to leak over onto him.
I think that’s a fairly common reaction, though not a universal one. People don’t like hanging around losers, for subconscious fear some of it will rub off.
And in the wake of defeat, whether military, political, or commercial, the losers often take to sniping at each other. They don’t like each other.
Watch for it if the Democrats are allowed to win this one.
Do you suppose Avenatti’s latest client used the search term “skeevy” when she looked him up?
We’ve had a mini war going on in this party since November 2016. Only now do we seem to be as one in fighting off these disgusting and unfair allegations against what promises to be a great Supreme Court Justice. If we lose this because of the “Flakes in DC,” Katy, bar the door. We’ll have an all out insurrection resulting in Dem control for a number of years. I hate to say it, but that’s the way I see it.
Why go out and vote when they’re just going to screw you anyway.
I know I’m disheartened. No matter the result.
Then vote simply to keep from giving the Democrats more power at the moment. Then vote in the primaries to kick people out.
Flake isn’t the only one. What about Podhoretz, Goldberg, French, Rothman, Kristall and Sasse? Or am I being am I being to “Tribal”.
Someone needs to sit down with Flake and tell him – very directly – that if he votes against Kavanaugh to make points with the Democrats (to get business connections or for future political moves), that he’s going to make enemies of the entire Republican party. No appointments, no political connections or sweetheart deals for whatever company board he’s sitting on. No invitations to parties. No post offices named after him. Nothing.
Appeal to his wallet and threaten his ego. That’ll do it.
‘Will no one rid me of this turd?’
With some commenters on Ricochet everything works it’s way back to “Trump is bad” no matter how convoluted the route.
Everyone mentioned (minus Kristol) have been excellent on this. Read their Twitter feed or articles. Erik Erickson as well, who has suggested this has brought never trumpers together with the rest of the party.
Yes you are.
There are three tribes: (1) Trump and his true believers, (2) the Jennifer Rubin’s of the world and (3) the above individuals like me who support Trump when he is right (judges, taxes & regulations) and oppose him when he is wrong (Charlottesville, tariffs & authoritarianism) .
This third group is willing to look at things objectively, and to not be swept up by blind loyalty to or hatred of Trump. I am part of that third group, and I believe there are many more of us. Alienate us at your risk, by demanding loyalty.
One last thing about Jeff Flake. He is a very devout member of the LDS church. (Full disclosure: I am not LDS.) Right now the national statistics are that only 4% of married couples are both virgins on their wedding night. Jeff Flake is the most likely member of the Senate to be part of that select group. If Flake votes against Kavanaugh, it will that he is acting in good faith.
ETTD.
The flakes and squishes need to be shunned and shamed. They are aiding and abetting this circus.
You can’t claim “ETTD” and also claim you are “willing to look at things objectively, and to not be swept up by blind loyalty to or hatred of Trump.”
You just can’t.
Good luck with that. You cannot win without us. 40% will not cut it.
I heard an interesting factoid. If the 2016 was election was held today and every voter would vote exactly as they did in 2016, Trump would lose. Why? Because Trump voters are substantially older than Hillary voters, and have been dying off at a substantially higher rate.
On this. “This” being the operative word. Do they feel similarly threatened by Twitter, Facebook and Google? That poor guy with the Colorado Bakery? Or could they see themselves in a similar situation as Kavanaugh- all the right schools, all the right previous jobs/positions, all the same connections and acquaintances at risk this time but come 2020 back to being NT ?
This meaning the Kavanaugh hit-job. They support Kavanaugh. They, as a group, have been hammering the media and left (irm). Take a moment and read their feeds. I call it like I see it, and right now I’m retweeting these guys.
Except the economy of course, then there’s the record low unemployment, record fossil fuel production, the increase in wages and manufacturing jobs, increased defense spending …. I could go on ….
but wait one more ….
You don’t hear much about ISIS in Syria or Iraq lately …. Trump must have touched them.
You were never with us.
Indeed. Those supposed mighty legions voted en masse for McMuffin and the Hilldebeast.
Flake definitely stated he will not vote “present.” While he wants to stick a thumb in the eyes of AZ voters, who humiliated him, the stench from the left forced him to go to the Senate floor and denounce the character assassination of Kavanaugh. He had to declare he did not believe Kavanaugh is a sexual predator. Between the crazy and Lindsey Graham’s declaration that no votes are affirming Kavanaugh is a sexual predator, Flake is in a box.
Didn’t need ’em in 2016.
Still won.
Don’t need ’em today.
. . .
McMuffin, by the way, is busy cheering on Beto O’Rourke.
Better be sure to do it on the first try, or the Establishment will appeal to Democrats in the run-off. And then blackball anyone who publicly supported or funded the challenger.
I actually agree with you, but things like Mississippi and the war on the Tea Party will make plenty of people view it as a hopeless rigged game. Combine anger with despair and it becomes more likely that one’s emotional limits are reached, canceling out appeals to rational self-interest.
That’s very reassuring. I’m prone to being cynical, but I’m willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt. I’ve interpreted some of Flake’s actions and statements as being a little bit petulant, but I guess that’s within bounds after he lost his seat under these circumstances.
I don’t agree. Some big somebody or group is in back of him or he wouldn’t be this audacious.
He didn’t lose his seat, though. He surrendered it when he decided last year not to seek re-election. Polls showed that he would have faced a very tough primary against Kelli Ward, so instead of facing the embarrassment of losing, he decided to salve his ego, became a moral preener, and pretended that he was resigning because his conscious just wouldn’t allow him to serve in the Senate while Donald Trump was President.
He’s a preening pony. Good riddance.
He said no one NeverTrump could win a Republican primary in this environment. If that’s your definition of preening I’ll accept it. He refused to bend the knee to someone he felt was unfit and unworthy.
“We’re ready for your close-up Miss Flake”
Nobody had to “bend the knee.” That’s just silly talk.
He’s a preening pony.