Nothing They Do Is Serious

 

Jim Geraghty writes about the viability of a third party consisting of has-been Republicans (my words) most of which I agree with. There’s not much hope – or threat. However, this paragraph struck me as interesting:

That said, there has to be a chunk of the American electorate who is either opposed to the Democrats and the Biden agenda, or that is rapidly souring on Biden’s approach to the issues, that likes the traditional Republican stances of pushing for lower taxes and less regulation, support for the Second Amendment, strict constructionist or originalist judges, border fencing and immigration law enforcement, Israel, and law enforcement in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing, and opposition to abortion, woke cancel culture…

I can’t help but laugh at this description of the rationale for this third party, even though it was serious (I think).

Notice how Geraghty – an excellent writer to be sure – phrases his description of the chunk of the electorate who like the traditional Republican in terms of “stances of pushing for…”

Yes,  there are people who like those stances and the “pushing” but seem little concerned with results and accomplishments. Those people would welcome the return of the Tom Ridges, Christine Todd Whitmans, and Bill Welds. Will we get it with these people? Their collective record, along with the other politicians these people have supported, answers a resounding, “No!”

It’s pure fantasy. It’s not even an update on what was being  “fought for” in the 1990s when these people were in office! It’s like going through the Disney ride It’s a Small World After All in a little boat and thinking you just toured the globe and learned all about foreign cultures.

But even on the retail level, the specifics – if you can call them that – are worn-out Republican platitudes.

lower taxes and less regulation

Who among these hundred founding members accomplished these goals to any significant extent?

support for the Second Amendment

Many of these 100 people are extremely squishy on this issue, only slightly better than Democrats, and possibly more damaging because of their perceived sympathies. Democrats always smuggle in their toxins in new legislation introduced by this type of Republican.

strict constructionist or originalist judges

Gotta laugh out loud at that one! Look at how our judges vote, including the Trump-appointed judges, in all fairness. Sadly, Alito and Thomas are the only draft-picks who can play on the field.

border fencing and immigration law enforcement

Notice how this is phrased. Fencing (the word wall too Trumpian for their taste? “Build the damn fence!” – John McCain) and immigration law enforcement – no mention of needed reform or new laws.

Israel

What does this mean exactly? He names a country. Does it mean, for versus against? Not especially enlightening, but I guess it serves the Republican platform of posturing.

opposition to abortion

This has become quite meaningless in politics. More realistic phrasing would be, reduce the increases in Planned Parenthood’s federal subsidies by 10 percent. Again, not especially cogent.

woke cancel culture

The current record of all Republicans on that issue is abysmal, but the anti-trumpers are considerably worse. These people couldn’t be more cowardly when it comes to standing up to the left.

Pure fantasy. But it sells. See you at Disney and don’t forget to mask up!

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  1. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I fully support the Nevers forming their own Donor-Grifter Circle Party.

    • #1
  2. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    There’s more I disagree with in the article. There are snarky portrayals of Trump supporters I’ve learned to scroll over while my eyes roll at the deliberate ignorance, but this also struck me as noteworthy:

    ….the Liz Cheneys of the world – want congressional Republicans to get into a full-fledged battle with Trump and his loyalists in the grassroots of the party, and hope that they emerge victorious after a scrap with a former president who loves to fight, who has no interest in the long-term health of the GOP,

    I’m not sure I have interest in the long-term health of the GOP either.

    Here we need some definitions, and Jim Gehraty doesn’t tell us what his definition of the GOP is.

    Does everyone who reads National Review conceptualize the GOP in the same way? I would hope not, but it looks like it’s moving in a factional direction itself.

    If the GOP moves in the direction Trump took it, policy-wise, then I want it to thrive. Otherwise I hope it implodes quickly and something better replaces it to keep our country from descending into full-on socialism and totalitarianism.

    The broad strokes these people use so often reveal their fundamental flaw. The use of the term “loyalists” , trying to depict this as a fight over personalities and individual leaders rather than the substance and content of the Trump agenda – which I can spell out simply for the politically retarded here – shows them to be trying to avoid that fight. 

    They want to throw the baby (the agenda) out with the bathwater (Trump the person). They want to conflate the two (while insulting us as loyalists and cultists) because they want  the agenda to go away. That looks like the goal.

    • #2
  3. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Franco (View Comment):

    There’s more I disagree with in the article. There are snarky portrayals of Trump supporters I’ve learned to scroll over while my eyes roll at the deliberate ignorance, but this also struck me as noteworthy:

    ….the Liz Cheneys of the world – want congressional Republicans to get into a full-fledged battle with Trump and his loyalists in the grassroots of the party, and hope that they emerge victorious after a scrap with a former president who loves to fight, who has no interest in the long-term health of the GOP,

    I’m not sure I have interest in the long-term health of the GOP either.

    Here we need some definitions, and Jim Gehraty doesn’t tell us what his definition of the GOP is.

    Does everyone who reads National Review conceptualize the GOP in the same way? I would hope not, but it looks like it’s moving in a factional direction itself.

    If the GOP moves in the direction Trump took it, policy-wise, then I want it to thrive. Otherwise I hope it implodes quickly and something better replaces it to keep our country from descending into full-on socialism and totalitarianism.

    The broad strokes these people use so often reveal their fundamental flaw. The use of the term “loyalists” , trying to depict this as a fight over personalities and individual leaders rather than the substance and content of the Trump agenda – which I can spell out simply for the politically retarded here – shows them to be trying to avoid that fight.

    They want to throw the baby (the agenda) out with the bathwater (Trump the person). They want to conflate the two (while insulting us as loyalists and cultists) because they want the agenda to go away. That looks like the goal.

    But Geraghty is a nice guy. As are most of those at National Review: nice guys with nice ideas.

    • #3
  4. Franz Drumlin Inactive
    Franz Drumlin
    @FranzDrumlin

    Franco (View Comment):
    They want to throw the baby (the agenda) out with the bathwater (Trump the person).

    Is this true? Liz Cheney voted more reliably for the Trump ‘Agenda’ (93%) than Elise Stefanik (78%). In the Presidential election she voted for Trump, twice. It was his behavior after the November election and especially his actions on January 6th that roused her opposition to his setting himself up as the Alpha Male of the Republican party. It can be safely said Ron DeSantis embodies much of what could be called the Trump ‘Agenda’ and if he decides to run for president in 2024 I could easily see the ‘nice’ editors of National Review and Commentary supporting his campaign enthusiastically. I read both magazines regularly and from what I can glean they have little problem with the Trump’s policies and those who support them.

    • #4
  5. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I understand Egg McMuffin is pushing for his brand of “Republicans” to exit the GOP and form a third party also.

    And, from the article above:

    People will point out, accurately, that the signers are largely retired and, as far as we know, not intending to run for public office again anytime soon.

    It really is going to be the Grifter-Donor Circle Party. The “Do nothing but fundraise” Party.

    • #5
  6. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):
    Is this true? Liz Cheney voted more reliably for the Trump ‘Agenda’ (93%) than Elise Stefanik (78%). In the Presidential election she voted for Trump, twice. It was his behavior after the November election and especially his actions on January 6th that roused her opposition to his setting himself up as the Alpha Male of the Republican party.

    The January 6th response was idiocy and a red herring. Liz handled it wrong and, instead of learning from it, doubled down on it. Her state is not going to re-elect her because of how she handled all of that. They were mad she followed the insurrection narrative after the “summer of love”. Which is a valid criticism. She should have pushed back, especially since Trump did not do what was claimed.

    She fell in with the left, got burned, and is now trying to salvage what’s left of her future. Being only superficially loyal to her constituents, I’m sure she can shift into new colors like the true political chameleon she is.

    • #6
  7. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    It will be good to clear the dead brush from the floor of the Republican forest . . .

    • #7
  8. Jager Coolidge
    Jager
    @Jager

    Franco:

    However this paragraph struck me as interesting:

    That said, there has to be a chunk of the American electorate who is either opposed to the Democrats and the Biden agenda, or that is rapidly souring on Biden’s approach to the issues, that likes the traditional Republican stances of pushing for lower taxes and less regulation, support for the Second Amendment, strict constructionist or originalist judges, border fencing and immigration law enforcement, Israel, and law enforcement in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing, and opposition to abortion, woke cancel culture…

    I can’t help but laugh at this description of the rationale for this third party, even though it was serious (I think). 

    The chunk of the American electorate who believes the above are called Republican voters. Like 90% of them voted for Trump. They will vote for the next Republican too.  We need 2 parties that say they want the same things?

    The formation of this 3rd party would do one useful thing. It would show these people how small a minority they actually were in the Republican Party. 

    • #8
  9. Franz Drumlin Inactive
    Franz Drumlin
    @FranzDrumlin

    Stina (View Comment):
    She fell in with the left, got burned, and is now trying to salvage what’s left of her future.

    This would make sense if Cheney did a ‘Max Boot’ and announced that she is reconsidering her past conservative views. Until she does so I will assume she holds the same principles now than she did last November when she voted for Trump. 

    • #9
  10. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    • #10
  11. Franz Drumlin Inactive
    Franz Drumlin
    @FranzDrumlin

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    He also lost an election to a potted geranium. What are the odds he will do better in 2024? I say we move on. 

    • #11
  12. Jager Coolidge
    Jager
    @Jager

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    He also lost an election to a potted geranium. What are the odds he will do better in 2024? I say we move on.

    Moving on would be great. The entire point of this post is that there are a group of former Republicans or disgruntled current Republicans looking to continue the Trump fight by forming a 3rd party. They supposedly want all the same things we were getting from Trump but without Trump. 

    As you noted Trump lost, we are currently without Trump. This whole thing is a refusal from these people who don’t like Trump to move on. 

    • #12
  13. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):
    It can be safely said Ron DeSantis embodies much of what could be called the Trump ‘Agenda’ and if he decides to run for president in 2024 I could easily see the ‘nice’ editors of National Review and Commentary supporting his campaign enthusiastically. I read both magazines regularly and from what I can glean they have little problem with the Trump’s policies and those who support them.

    I can easily see them supporting someone else. It will be a big field. 

    I don’t trust National Review or most of their writers. The way J.G. writes about Trumps supporters, emphasizing the fringe and calling the entire faction of tens of millions “loyalists”, is my first clue.  Further, writing   the paragraph quoted in the OP and my first comment, makes it pretty obvious that he’s promoting the narrative that there’s just one direction the GOP should go (Trump doesn’t care about the direction of the GOP – not true, he wants it to go in a certain direction) and the presumption that this group of 100 is interested in achieving the stated policy goals, or giving the benefit of the doubt, capable – which they are definitely not.

    Even if I’m wrong about some of these people and their true goals for the GOP, their tactics and strategy are outdated and have proven ineffective.

    Hence the title. They aren’t serious. They can posture and promise. 

    My other problem is how people like Jim  are so quick to buy into the corporate media narrative. That’s been a big problem. How can we go forward when our pundits are dupes of the opposition?

    • #13
  14. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    DrewInTherapy (View Comment):

    I understand Egg McMuffin is pushing for his brand of “Republicans” to exit the GOP and form a third party also.

    And, from the article above:

    People will point out, accurately, that the signers are largely retired and, as far as we know, not intending to run for public office again anytime soon.

    It really is going to be the Grifter-Donor Circle Party. The “Do nothing but fundraise” Party.

    How many times can you leave the Republican Party?

    My first wife kept threatening to divorce during every vigorous spat. She would take her ring off and throw it somewhere. Then we’d make up and we would search for it and find it. Happened about three times. Once we couldn’t find it and I bought (I know) another one. But I told her if she ever threw it away again I would leave. Six month later she did it again and I was gone in a week. Borderline Personality Disorder is a scourge….

    I’ve been happily remarried for over 25 years.

    • #14
  15. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Jager (View Comment):
    The chunk of the American electorate who believes the above are called Republican voters. Like 90% of them voted for Trump. They will vote for the next Republican too.  We need 2 parties that say they want the same things?

    Good point.

    Operative word = say. The Old Republicans say it but don’t mean it. The new ones – the ones with the stones to push back against lefty narratives, have a much better chance of succeeding.  

     

    • #15
  16. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    Franco (View Comment):

    DrewInTherapy (View Comment):

    I understand Egg McMuffin is pushing for his brand of “Republicans” to exit the GOP and form a third party also.

    And, from the article above:

    People will point out, accurately, that the signers are largely retired and, as far as we know, not intending to run for public office again anytime soon.

    It really is going to be the Grifter-Donor Circle Party. The “Do nothing but fundraise” Party.

    How many times can you leave the Republican Party?

    My first wife kept threatening to divorce during every vigorous spat. She would take her ring off and throw it somewhere. Then we’d make up and we would search for it and find it. Happened about three times. Once we couldn’t find it and I bought (I know) another one. But I told her if she ever threw it away again I would leave. Six month later she did it again and I was gone in a week. Borderline Personality Disorder is a scourge….

    I’ve been happily remarried for over 25 years.

    Yeah, having to share a residence with a Drama Queen is a no-win proposition.  Same for some of these folks in the Republican party.  I saw that one of the figures in the “third party” scenario was Miles Taylor (“Anonymous”) who briefly enjoyed his time in the sun trying to undermine Trump.

    I wonder if it ever crossed his mind to leave Washington, D.C. and try to find a regular job.  Our local DQ has several openings…

    • #16
  17. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    He also lost an election to a potted geranium. What are the odds he will do better in 2024? I say we move on.

    Um, there’s no question he received more votes – by far  – than any other Republican (or Democrat) Presidential candidate ever.

    If you really believe all those votes for Biden were real, it won’t matter who we run, will it? 81 Million votes. Wow!

    • #17
  18. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Jager (View Comment):
    They supposedly want all the same things we were getting from Trump but without Trump. 

    Narrator voice: They don’t really want those things.

    • #18
  19. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Franco (View Comment):
    My other problem is how people like Jim  are so quick to buy into the corporate media narrative.

    He is the corporate media.

    • #19
  20. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    CACrabtree (View Comment):

    I saw that one of the figures in the “third party” scenario was Miles Taylor (“Anonymous”) who briefly enjoyed his time in the sun trying to undermine Trump.

    I wonder if it ever crossed his mind to leave Washington, D.C. and try to find a regular job.

    There’s no graft to be had in that.

    • #20
  21. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Quislings All.  Who’s ready to follow me into the fight? Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

    • #21
  22. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Quislings All. Who’s ready to follow me into the fight? Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

    His fight nickname is Killem Mitt Kindness Romney. Look at that smile!

    • #22
  23. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    FYI,  LincolnProject2.com  is available for registration.

    • #23
  24. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    DrewInTherapy (View Comment):

    CACrabtree (View Comment):

    I saw that one of the figures in the “third party” scenario was Miles Taylor (“Anonymous”) who briefly enjoyed his time in the sun trying to undermine Trump.

    I wonder if it ever crossed his mind to leave Washington, D.C. and try to find a regular job.

    There’s no graft to be had in that.

    Well, there’s embezzlement, but in the private sector you’re more likely to go to jail for it.

    • #24
  25. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    He also lost an election to a potted geranium. What are the odds he will do better in 2024? I say we move on.

    Setting aside the fact that nobody can verify that the other guy actually got more votes, he will be running again in 2024, he’s already having rallies. As others have pointed out he got more votes than any Republican anywhere ever and increased his margins across demographics.  

    But the larger point is that he is one of the only people in the world praising and defending America, and the only prominent politician to have done so in the last four years. He did all of the things in the OP in spite of opposition from both sides of the aisle and is one of the few daily making the case that when a state gives up its sovereignty to a private company or Federal agency, there is no longer a republic. Moving on from all that means moving backward, around 245 years backward. 

    • #25
  26. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    DrewInTherapy (View Comment):

    Jager (View Comment):
    They supposedly want all the same things we were getting from Trump but without Trump.

    Narrator voice: They don’t really want those things.

    I haven’t listened to Rush’s show much since he passed, but happened to tune in one day earlier this week. They were playing a clip of him going on about this very thing and then it hit me. You know how we always say the race hustlers would go bankrupt if they admitted we’ve solved the problem they claim is still with us? Well, it’s the same here. These grifters can’t really have someone like Trump come along and actually show they can be solved! How will we ever be able to raise money? With few exceptions, it’s always been lip service. 

    • #26
  27. MiMac Thatcher
    MiMac
    @MiMac

    Jager (View Comment):

    Franco:

    However this paragraph struck me as interesting:

    That said, there has to be a chunk of the American electorate who is either opposed to the Democrats and the Biden agenda, or that is rapidly souring on Biden’s approach to the issues, that likes the traditional Republican stances of pushing for lower taxes and less regulation, support for the Second Amendment, strict constructionist or originalist judges, border fencing and immigration law enforcement, Israel, and law enforcement in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing, and opposition to abortion, woke cancel culture…

    I can’t help but laugh at this description of the rationale for this third party, even though it was serious (I think).

    The chunk of the American electorate who believes the above are called Republican voters. Like 90% of them voted for Trump. They will vote for the next Republican too. We need 2 parties that say they want the same things?

    The formation of this 3rd party would do one useful thing. It would show these people how small a minority they actually were in the Republican Party.

    The only thing such a 3rd party would accomplish is guaranteeing a Democrat win in the House, Senate & White House races in the near future. They would be able to expand the judiciary with ease and really get their agenda thru. It is essentially Ross Perot 2.0-he gave the election to Bill-remember Bill never got a majority. 

    • #27
  28. DrewInTherapy Member
    DrewInTherapy
    @DrewInWisconsin

    MiMac (View Comment):
    The only thing such a 3rd party would accomplish is guaranteeing a Democrat win in the House, Senate & White House races in the near future.

    I’m not sure they care. They never really want to win anyway.

    • #28
  29. MiMac Thatcher
    MiMac
    @MiMac

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Franz Drumlin (View Comment):

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Seems like there was a guy recently who hit all of these bullet points and more. He was kinda unpolished in his rhetoric though. What was his name again?🤔🤔

    He also lost an election to a potted geranium. What are the odds he will do better in 2024? I say we move on.

    Setting aside the fact that nobody can verify that the other guy actually got more votes, he will be running again in 2024, he’s already having rallies. As others have pointed out he got more votes than any Republican anywhere ever and increased his margins across demographics.

    But the larger point is that he is one of the only people in the world praising and defending America, and the only prominent politician to have done so in the last four years. He did all of the things in the OP in spite of opposition from both sides of the aisle and is one of the few daily making the case that when a state gives up its sovereignty to a private company or Federal agency, there is no longer a republic. Moving on from all that means moving backward, around 245 years backward.

    Lord- I hope you are wrong.If he runs again it will be a mess. By Trump’s own standards he is a “looserrrr”-he lost to a potted plant of a candidate. Liz was right on many of the facts but totally clueless in how to go ahead & fight Biden’s far left agenda-her constant harping about Trump did not serve the party well-she sounded like a MSNBC host. McConnell is handling Trump correctly- respectful but shifting the focus to opposing Biden’s terrible policies-such as paying people not to work-spending TRILLIONs to enrich Democratic intreat groups etc. We need many of Trump’s policies with a better spokesperson. We need his willingness to stand up to the Democrat-media complex but with a less sharp edge-someone who can deflect the left’s nastiness with humor & good cheer- ala Reagan.

    • #29
  30. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    I’m reminded of something I did when I was twelve years old. Sorry if this story is a little personal and sad, but I’m over it. My mother (long gone now) would sometimes get drunk, then angry. She had a pattern of taking whatever thing I was focusing on, or was precious, and breaking it. She did that with my father too who she left.

    She tried to break the Beatles White album, both disks, but only succeeded in bending them to make them useless.
    I had an acoustic guitar which she once tried to take from me, ostensibly to break. Imagine struggling with someone you don’t want to hurt, with a fragile instrument. Somehow I succeeded in getting it away from her, then, in an impulsive move impaled it on my bedpost. It was kind of satisfying. I’m a professional musician now by happenstance. (And yes, a fan of Pete Townsend lol)

    It’s an analogy for my struggle with these Nevers and my precious country and I’m fully capable of going all Pete Townsend at the end of the show. 

    Unfortunately we have more to lose than they do. That’s the dynamic.

    But things won’t end well for them personally, and they should know that.

    • #30
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