No Votes Disguise Yes Sympathies for Some in G.O.P.
Source: New York Times
These are the small but significant number of Republican representatives who, on the recent legislation to head off the broad tax increases and spending cuts mandated by the so-called fiscal cliff, voted no while privately hoping and at times even lobbying in favor of the bills passage, given the potential harmful economic consequences otherwise.
Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, part of the Republican whip team responsible for marshaling support for legislation, said the current makeup of House Republicans could be divided roughly into a third who voted in favor of the bill because they wanted it to pass, a third who voted against the bill because they wanted it to fail, and a third who voted against the bill but had their fingers crossed that it would pass and avert a fiscal and political calamity.
One lawmaker, Mr. Cole said, told him that while he did not want to vote in favor of the bill, he also did not want to amend it and send it back to the Senate where it might die and leave House Republicans blamed for tax increases. So I said, What youre really telling me is that you want it to pass, but you dont want to vote for it,' recalled Mr. Cole, who voted yes.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/us/politics/no-votes-disguise-yes-sympathies-for-some-in-gop.html?hp&_r=0
If a third of the Republican Caucus is afraid to do its job, because of political repercussions, perhaps they should do something to expand their base beyond Tea Party members and survivalists...
marble falls
(57,079 posts)another_liberal
(8,821 posts)The Koch brothers and a handful of other highly conservative billionaires own the GOP. Eventually, they are also going to be the only people who vote for Republican candidates.
pasto76
(1,589 posts)that is some serious bullshit behavior. if they wanted the bill to pass, anybody with integrity would vote for it. All these clowns did is identify themselves as cowards.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)They know what needs to be done, but they also know doing the right thing will put their political careers into jeopardy. Politics for a lot of politicians is a career path rather than a public service.
BumRushDaShow
(128,895 posts)that a Democrat might win if the effort and the funding are there.
EC
(12,287 posts)Are their districts so full of crazies (that they themselves stirred up), that they can't win an election in their district with sane people?
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)A lot of these guys painted themselves into a corner with redistricting and their various propaganda outlets (like Fox News). They ignored long term effects of their actions in order to further their political careers.
Shadowflash
(1,536 posts)judesedit
(4,438 posts)these losers to do the best job they can for this country. Not for themselves and the lobbyists who's pocket they're in. Vote them out of office asap. This is absolutely ridiculous. Now they're trying to come up with every gimmick to rig the vote for themselves in any event. Get rid of the electoral college first. Outlaw gerrymandering.
eggplant
(3,911 posts)Skinner
(63,645 posts)dorkulon
(5,116 posts)Historic NY
(37,449 posts)say what you mean and mean what you say.
CBHagman
(16,984 posts)I really don't think the phenomenon is new, but still, this says something about the 2013 edition of the GOP.
Zoeisright
(8,339 posts)But of course, every repuke is.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Not all that interested in Republicans expanding their base. At least I'm not.
cstanleytech
(26,284 posts)Or atleast I should say that I am not sure if they can do it now when they have pretty much painted themselves into this corner where they have driven away so many moderate and somewhat sane voters from their party by ignoring them to cater to the insane right wing fringe.
mwb970
(11,358 posts)from republican voters to republican politicians.
It reminds me of the way right-wing Obama hatred has migrated from Obama himself to his supporters. I now see just as many wingnut comments attacking (and threatening) Obama voters as I see attacking Obama. So now they are attacking ME!