Perhaps a silly question, but I'll ask it anyway.

[Pacifist Patriot]

Are there any Republican Senators or Representatives who might possibly be persuaded to either change parties or declare Independent?

I realize it sounds hopelessly naive, but I've just been wondering how hard it would be to swing the legislature prior to the mid-term elections. Are there congressmen and congresswomen in the GOP who might be swayed by both a groundswell of constituent pressure and growing concern about the recklessness of the Executive branch to put country over party?

Have serious doubts given my Republican representation is exceptionally to the right and I can't imagine either the Senator or the Representative having the spine to turn their backs on the GOP. I guess I'm just curious if there are any out there who might develop a conscience and a backbone under the right amount of pressure and circumstance.

[Rustyeye77]

1. Collins will make noise...

and then cave as always.

[DetlefK]

2. No. The birth of the Tea Party has lead to a purge that drove the GOP to the extreme right.

There are no moderate republican politicians anymore in the GOP. All moderates have already been driven out and replaced by fanatics.

[el_bryanto]

6. This seems pretty accurate

Even if there were any "moderates" left they have been so cowed by the majority that they are effectively useless.

Bryant

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. That was my assumption. Hoped for better, but feared that.

[wishstar]

3. There is a remote possibility 2 or 3 Senators could go Indie if desperate enough to save the country

Last edited Thu Feb 2, 2017, 05:14 AM - Edit history (1)

If they were totally convinced American democracy in danger of total extinction due to no checks and balances due to extremism of Trump plus most Repubs are caving and not reeling him in, there is a chance. But things would have to reach crisis stage.

Trump critics will probably wait and see because if Trump is too much of a weight on a lot of Repubs, endangering their 2018 election chances, enough Repubs may try to force Trump to resign over impeachable offenses, without any R's having to change party affiliation.

[Blue_true]

12. We can possibly defeat 2 or 3, but we have

As many at risk seats. Our best hope is for such a Trump disaster that republicans are completely exposed in 2018, even then, expect red state voters to stay with republicans (even a glowing red rod shoved up their buttholes would not be enough to make red state voters vote republican). We missed some giant opportunities in 2016.

[Girard442]

4. There was once a Russian combat strategy dubbed "The Golden BB".

When ground troops were under air attack, they would fire their weapons into the air in the general direction the aircraft were coming from. The idea was that an infantryman had pretty much zero chance of actually drawing a bead on an approaching aircraft and hitting it, but put enough metal into the air, chances are not too bad that some aircraft, sometime would fly into a piece of it. In any case, attacking pilots would know they'd be flying into a hail of ground fire.

This should be our strategy. Can we flip a senator or three? Who knows, but if we can fling enough carrots and sticks in their general direction, we probably have a not-too-shabby chance of scoring a hit.

Oh yeah, and one other thing. Taking the fight to the attackers instead of hunkering down in the trenches -- good for morale. Scoring a hit -- even better!

[Blue_true]

14. Even if we flip some republicans, they will be

Bluedogs. Many on DU loath those Democrats, even when we NEED them in red states. If we take seats in red states if Trump and republicans screw up bad, expect the New Democrats to be Heidi Heidkamp or Joe Manchin types, who will have to sometime vote against us to preserve hold on their seats.

[kentuck]

5. Don't put any money on it.

They tend to put Party over Country.

[madokie]

8. There is always HOPE

[Dream Girl]

9. Got that right. There is always hope. This is not the time for defeatism.

We are Davids to heir Goliaths. They have the power of the law, but we have the numbers and the moral high ground and we are smarter. We just need to become more ruthless without going into the dark.

[madokie]

10. You got it

agreed 100%

[surrealAmerican]

11. There are probably more Democrats who could be persuaded to become Republicans.

Flipping representatives is not a "game" we can win.

[herding cats]

13. There's always some chance, but it's extremely slim.

It would have to be a senator in a seat that has potential to flip in 2018, such as Dean Heller-NV. Actually, he's the only one I can think of off the top of my head. The rest will toe the line to further their careers I expect.