Senate Republicans: Cheap dates and small men - Jennifer Rubin
By Jennifer Rubin
Opinion writer
March 5 at 11:00 AM
As of this writing only four Senate Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — have agreed to support the resolution ending President Trump’s fraudulent emergency declaration. Tillis and Collins are up for reelection in 2020 in purple states, and Murkowski has been the least sycophantic Republican on major votes (e.g., repeal of Obamacare, confirmation of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh). Only Rand Paul in this group would be described as a solid conservative who has supported Trump regularly on policy but here takes a principled stance based on constitutional principles.
Oh sure, there are many more Republicans harrumphing and mumbling about being “uncomfortable” with a blatant power grab-- including staunch, self-proclaimed constitutional conservatives such as Sens. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Ben E. Sasse (R-Neb.) and moderates such as Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). It remains unclear whether there will be any other votes to defend the Senate’s core legislative function. (The New York Times reported, “Senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Mike Lee of Utah have all voiced concern on the constitutional question, though none of them has explicitly promised to overturn the emergency declaration.”) Now Cruz was just reelected, but with nearly six years before facing the electorate he’s skedaddled whenever reporters pressed him for an answer. In fact, of the six I just listed, only Inhofe and Sasse would possibly be on the ballot in 2020.
It’s possible the fourth “no” vote from Paul will allow others to step forward. I’d like to think every Republican senator I’ve mentioned and more who should know better will follow Paul, but the majority, maybe the overwhelming majority, of Republicans will — as they have on virtually everything else — stick with Trump. Why do Republicans, even ones in safe seats and ones not facing the voters for years, shed any semblance of principle to show mindless fidelity to Trump?
It still amazes some voters. It shouldn’t. These are not political giants; you’ll find no Sen. J. William Fulbright or Hubert H. Humphrey in this crowd. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) died in 2018, the last lawmaker distinguished by his consistent refusal to put party above country and by his contempt for spineless courtiers. The Republicans who populate the Senate cannot imagine losing their perch; they live in fear of becoming politically irrelevant. They fear the wrath of the entire right-wing machine, which includes Trump, Fox News, radio talk show hosts, right-wing billionaire donors, utterly corrupt evangelical conservative leaders and intellectually hypocritical think tankers.
Such lawmakers will do just about anything to stay in the right wing’s good graces, which they perceive as essential to their retention of power. Some like Rubio had brushes with heresy (e.g., on immigration) but now have returned to servility.
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