Flake: 'I didn't vote for this president last November'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 10/25/17 08:06 AM EDT

Outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said on Wednesday he did not vote for President Trump in the 2016 presidential election, just one day after he ripped the president on the Senate floor and announced he would not be seeking reelection.

"I didn't vote for this president last November," Flake told NBC's Matt Lauer on "The Today Show," adding that he did not vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton either.

"I am a Republican. I am a conservative. I would love to have a Republican president, but not at any cost," he said. Flake would not say whether he thought it would be better if Clinton had become president.

"I can tell you no president, Democrat or Republican in recent memory has exhibited the kind of behavior that this president has," the senator said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/357039-flake-i-didnt-vote-for-this-president-last-november

[efhmc]

1. So before the election, Flake lost his ability to read, hear or see?

But those senses have now returned?

[IronLionZion]

6. In all fairness, he did speak out before the election

and refused to attend the convention. He could have done more, but this should be encouraged so that more will turn against him

[n2doc]

2. But you sure did vote for his appointees, judges and legislation goals, Flake

So, Senator, what real difference is there between you and Trump? You are more genteel and refined when screwing America?

[iemitsu]

3. And to ruin health care and provide tax breaks for the rich.

[dalton99a]

4. Yep.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Yup. A dollar short and a day late, as the expression goes.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Just in: Flake & Corker part of 50 votes killing new rule allowing consumers v banks class actions

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141897044

[LongTomH]

9. I think Flake was trying to reclaim his soul with his resignation and speech -- too late!!!!

He still has a reserved spot in the Eighth Circle of Hell.

[lagomorph777]

12. The iron fist is so much more palatable when wrapped in a velvet glove.

[hatrack]

5. Ah yes, "He's not REALLY a Republican" - it never gets old!

[karynnj]

10. Although he couldn't say it he probably would have prefered that Clinton won.

Why? Think of what that would have really been like.

The Republicans would control both Houses of Congress, which would limit any real progressive or liberal legislation being passed.
- On immigration, Flake was against Trump's actions.
- on the environment and climate change, Flake likely would have had no problem with continuing in the Paris Agreement. Clinton might have had some Republican flack if she wanted to move further than Obama on controlling carbon through executive actions, but it might be that Obama went as far as he could without legislation he could not get.
- On trade, Flake has said he was for the trade agreements - so he likely would have been mo re comfortable on this with Clinton than with Trump.
- On foreign policy, Flake was a relatively reasonable voice on the SFRC. I suspect that both he and Corker who opposed the Iran deal, likely see it as working now and see the major danger of leaving it to our relations with our normal allies.

Where he would differ is on domestic policy. He likely prefered Gosech to Garland .. or any person Clinton wouyld have named. However, on healthcare under Clinton, he might have worked to fix problems rather than destroy not just ACA, but Medicaid and Medicare as Trump wants. Also, he is a true conservative who is not likely to really believe that Trump's mess of a tax policy won't explode the deficit.

On a personal level, Hillary Clinton would never have been the constant embarrassment that Trump is -- and that Flake and Corker actually said he was. Not to mention, even if Clinton somehow lost her mind and values ( yeah - zero probability), it would be more comfortable to be in the OTHER party and state soberly that such behavior was inappropriate.

Additionally, Trump is recreating the Republican party to be even more extreme and to include the Bannon type people. It is sobering that in 2017, Ray Moore can become a Senator. His party is becoming the party of white supremacists. Just as it is for many Jews, this kind of intolerance returning likely is troubling for Mormons, like Flake. Even Catholics are not considered true Christians by the supremacists. They like only white, Protestants -- and they are suspicious even of some mainstream churches.

Imagine if some aberrant person became the Democratic nominee and pushed the party to become something that you (even as a poster, much less an elected official) found abhorrent. Flake, like McCain, is too conservative to be comfortable in the Democratic party and - for all purposes, we are realistically a two party system. I don't know if an independent could win a Senate seat in Arizona. Both Maine and Vermont are much smaller and have traditions that make it possible, though not easy.

Had Hillary Clinton won, he would have been a strong member of the majority party in the Senate. He would be like the Democrats in 2007/2008 -- not getting things in their agenda passed, but stopping other things they consider "bad" from happening. He might still have the RW primary threat - as Ward also challenged McCain, but he would not have a president behind them. Not to mention - just as under Obama - votes would not have the same consequences. How many times did the Republicans vote to repeal ACA in those years? Now, with Trump's slim majority, where only 2 Senators can vote against these bills -- any Republican up for office in a purple state has many tough votes that he will have to make.

[Coventina]

11. "But I will continue to support Trump's agenda"

is what he just said on NPR.

[Hugin]

13. Yup...

'cause that's how they roll.

[turbinetree]

14. Hey Flake, did you and corker, vote for Neal Gorsuch?

Yes you fucking did, and your going around and talking about fucking PRINCIPLES, you spineless POS, you and everyone that voted for this asshole, didn't even read the Constitution when it came to Garland, nope, and now your spineless piece of shit, you confirm this treasonous assholes cabinet and now your trying to confirm the lower court assholes who are unqualified attorneys that he wants to put on the courts.

I just gotta ask, even though you will not come to this site, but are you going to confirm the US Attorneys that this asshole is trying to put in as federal prosecutors office, that he is interviewing to further obstruct the criminality and treason that he happened to be in up to his fucking Orange hair eyeballs with his family and other corrupt assholes, like a sitting Congressman(s) and senators


How Senators Voted on
the Gorsuch Confirmation
By AUDREY CARLSEN and WILSON ANDREWS APRIL 7, 2017

The Senate on Friday confirmed President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Neil M. Gorsuch. The vote comes a day after Democrats filibustered the nomination and Republicans changed the rules of the Senate to proceed to a final vote. RELATED ARTICLE
51 votes will ensure confirmation


https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/07/us/politics/gorsuch-confirmation-vote.html



FUCK YOU ASSHOLE , I mean it FUCK YOU, and then you just eviscerated the SEVENTH AMENDMENT , so that we consumers could have a our day in court, you really are a fucking asshole, and the media is giving the normalization of your republican shit and Corkers--------------------neither one of you and any of your fellow lackeys have no fucking PRINCIPLES to the Constitution or the country its about political power

[louis-t]

15. Soon, the drumpf voters will begin saying they're 'independants' again.

So tiring....

[Bayard]

16. So then who the hell did he vote for?

Or did he just not vote?