Rep. Adam Kinzinger, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach the former president, has organized a political action committee, Country 1st, to wrestle the Republican party from Trump’s grip. To announce the PAC, Kinzinger posted this Facebook video.
In his video, Rep. Kinzinger said, “The narrow path is hard, but it leads to life” a sentence every good Christian — and even the so-so ones — read as “eternal life.”
This is not Kinzinger’s first break with his political fellows. He was originally a darling of the Tea Party but they dropped him because he wasn’t conservative enough. Someone, as Bro. Kinzinger says, needs to tell the truth. So tell the truth: You don’t have to join the thing, but how would YOU rebuild the Party of Lincoln?
I think it would be supre helpful if we could get the money out of politics. Start with ending citizens united. Remove the dark money, the PACs that promote lies and inaccuracies. It's all so bad.☹
A-double-men. But because we rely on politicians to do that, most efforts to limit money in politics fail. Why would someone bite (or legislate against) the hand that feeds them. I'd love to see us revisit Citizens United. The spigot has been left over since the moment that SCOTUS decision was handed down.
Absolutely. It would also give us *things* to agree or disagree with, which is much more productive (and loving) than reducing others to evil or stupidity for having different views. But, the onus is on the Republicans now. They have shown themselves to be people of bad faith when it comes to governing, and like an unfaithful partner, they have to repair the damage by acting in good faith. I am not holding my breath.
Having been guilty of labeling, myself (and having been labeled, though that's not an excuse), I can certainly agree that that gets us nowhere, except one of us gets to go home feeling lousy. I don't imagine anything is going to change quickly, but I take some comfort from people like Rep. Kinzinger who, as a former Tea Party darling, I most likely wouldn't agree with over much, at all.
As a public servant, there should be harsh consequences for not telling the public the truth. Lies and conspiracies are spread by unethical politicians because recently there have been no consequences and only potential upside.
Moderate republicans need to start with themselves and admit they depended on the crazy fringe because it gave them leverage and meant they didn't have to get their hands dirty. Now their rabid dog has broken the leash and is turning on them. McConnell and McCarthy are turning on each other while each of them is trying to protect both of their flanks. They're a couple of naked mush mouths. If reports are to be believed that most republican senators and a sizable number of reps privately despise the cult of t***p and it's leader then it's up to them to go public and stop being Vichy republicans. This is their "I am Spartacus" moment.
I think you're right. It's easy to sit back and watch the crazy so long as you're benefitting from it. But crazy can't be contained or trained and I think we're seeing that. What a great image, that Spartacus moment.
When he first arose as Impeachment & Congresswoman Cheney’s champion in opposition of crazy I was skeptical, both for his apparent allegiance to Trump for the previous four years and for his Tea Party bona fides, but as he’s begun putting his (and other people’s) money where his mouth is I’ve grown more respectful of his position; if he continues to recall his Party’s standard-bearers from Lincoln to TR to Ike (and even, as another poster suggests, Nixon when he wasn’t listening to his demons) before the cynical Trickle-Down/Post-Wallace white male privilege took their bus onstage like Dennis Hopper in “Speed”, perhaps he and AOC can represent the future of the Republican-Democratic balance of power in these United States (noting that this would shift both parties left of their present positions.)
That's the hope, right? And how sad that when we hear a Republican making sense (and standing against the nonsense), we immediately are distrustful. That makes sense. These folks have to earn it, and I actually wish them well.
So the story I was told yesterday... Before Nixon resigned, his next priority area was health care. Seriously. Republicans used to be in favor of government-run medicine. Maybe they thought it would be good for the economy to have people healthy. Maybe they thought it would be good for business to have workers be stronger. But regardless of their motivation, it made me wonder: where have all the Republicans gone? Both left and right are suffocating in our own rhetoric. How do we re-learn the skill of listening?
He doesn't get credit for it, but Richard Nixon also instituted some pretty smart anti-poverty programs (more here: https://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Richard_Nixon_Welfare_+_Poverty.htm). He's remembered for being the turd that he was, but as the Republican standard bearer, he at least appeared to be paying attention to something other than corporations. It's always smart money to look long-term at housing and health care, but we have a significant number of political leaders who can see no farther than the next election, or fundraiser. How do we begin listening...that's a great question. I'm all ears on how to do that (see what I did there?).
I think it would be supre helpful if we could get the money out of politics. Start with ending citizens united. Remove the dark money, the PACs that promote lies and inaccuracies. It's all so bad.☹
A-double-men. But because we rely on politicians to do that, most efforts to limit money in politics fail. Why would someone bite (or legislate against) the hand that feeds them. I'd love to see us revisit Citizens United. The spigot has been left over since the moment that SCOTUS decision was handed down.
I would love to see them become constructive. It would be good to have two parties building a future instead of clinging to the past.
Absolutely. I’d be OK with disagreeing how to get to a goal, so long as we shared a goal, like, for instance, lifting up families.
Absolutely. It would also give us *things* to agree or disagree with, which is much more productive (and loving) than reducing others to evil or stupidity for having different views. But, the onus is on the Republicans now. They have shown themselves to be people of bad faith when it comes to governing, and like an unfaithful partner, they have to repair the damage by acting in good faith. I am not holding my breath.
Having been guilty of labeling, myself (and having been labeled, though that's not an excuse), I can certainly agree that that gets us nowhere, except one of us gets to go home feeling lousy. I don't imagine anything is going to change quickly, but I take some comfort from people like Rep. Kinzinger who, as a former Tea Party darling, I most likely wouldn't agree with over much, at all.
As a public servant, there should be harsh consequences for not telling the public the truth. Lies and conspiracies are spread by unethical politicians because recently there have been no consequences and only potential upside.
And suddenly, a pall falls over all political speech, and candidates are forced to act out what they'd say. It's harder to lie in mime. I think.
Moderate republicans need to start with themselves and admit they depended on the crazy fringe because it gave them leverage and meant they didn't have to get their hands dirty. Now their rabid dog has broken the leash and is turning on them. McConnell and McCarthy are turning on each other while each of them is trying to protect both of their flanks. They're a couple of naked mush mouths. If reports are to be believed that most republican senators and a sizable number of reps privately despise the cult of t***p and it's leader then it's up to them to go public and stop being Vichy republicans. This is their "I am Spartacus" moment.
I think you're right. It's easy to sit back and watch the crazy so long as you're benefitting from it. But crazy can't be contained or trained and I think we're seeing that. What a great image, that Spartacus moment.
When he first arose as Impeachment & Congresswoman Cheney’s champion in opposition of crazy I was skeptical, both for his apparent allegiance to Trump for the previous four years and for his Tea Party bona fides, but as he’s begun putting his (and other people’s) money where his mouth is I’ve grown more respectful of his position; if he continues to recall his Party’s standard-bearers from Lincoln to TR to Ike (and even, as another poster suggests, Nixon when he wasn’t listening to his demons) before the cynical Trickle-Down/Post-Wallace white male privilege took their bus onstage like Dennis Hopper in “Speed”, perhaps he and AOC can represent the future of the Republican-Democratic balance of power in these United States (noting that this would shift both parties left of their present positions.)
That's the hope, right? And how sad that when we hear a Republican making sense (and standing against the nonsense), we immediately are distrustful. That makes sense. These folks have to earn it, and I actually wish them well.
So the story I was told yesterday... Before Nixon resigned, his next priority area was health care. Seriously. Republicans used to be in favor of government-run medicine. Maybe they thought it would be good for the economy to have people healthy. Maybe they thought it would be good for business to have workers be stronger. But regardless of their motivation, it made me wonder: where have all the Republicans gone? Both left and right are suffocating in our own rhetoric. How do we re-learn the skill of listening?
He doesn't get credit for it, but Richard Nixon also instituted some pretty smart anti-poverty programs (more here: https://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Richard_Nixon_Welfare_+_Poverty.htm). He's remembered for being the turd that he was, but as the Republican standard bearer, he at least appeared to be paying attention to something other than corporations. It's always smart money to look long-term at housing and health care, but we have a significant number of political leaders who can see no farther than the next election, or fundraiser. How do we begin listening...that's a great question. I'm all ears on how to do that (see what I did there?).