What hold does Grover Norquist have on Repugs, other than signing a sheet of paper?

[Frustratedlady]

As much flak as they are getting, they still hold the line. Even wealthy contributors can't have that much hold on them, unless they simply have no scruples. There has to be more to sticking with the top 1% and trying to keep from raising taxes on the wealthy.

If I were caught in that trap, I'd throw up my hands in disgust and turn back to the majority when making my decisions. Naw, I wouldn't do that because I never would have been caught in that trap, for one, because I never would have been a Repug representative or senator.

It has to be demeaning to be led by the nose like they are. Boehner has been neutered, for all practical purposes.

[Indydem]

1. He doesn't have any hold.

They believe, deep in their ideological souls, that raising taxes on those who make enough money to pay income taxes is detrimental to the economy.

Just as many on this board believe that raising taxes on the wealthy and redistributing it is the absolute only way to make the economy grow.

The bottom line is that they have fundamentally different beliefs than liberals and progressives. Unlike OUR elected representatives who are all too willing to capitulate to repuke demands, the conservatives in congress actually stand up and refuse to buckle and violate their ideological core beliefs.

In the end, it's actually just sad. They have beliefs and they stick to them, much to the applause of their base. Our reps just collapse a the first sign of a fight,and the repukes win in the end. I secretly wish that our reps were more like them.

[Frustratedlady]

4. Well, I have to agree, although I've been trying not to see it the way you do.

We used to have fighting Dems, but they disappeared when Kennedy became ill. I guess the tigers have all gone to the beyond. I hope they are having better luck in the new "halls" than we are.

There is one other thing in the Dems favor, though. The Republicans seem to be headed to self-destruct.

But then, I dream...

[PatSeg]

7. I share that dream

Any party that tries to cater to the extremists of their party for votes and corporate funding to survive surely will self-destruct. The republican party has not changed its message in decades. I've watched very old campaign speeches and they were saying pretty much the same old tripe - lower taxes, fear, socialism, fear, God, fear, flag, fear............

However, I dream cautiously, as I've seen them recover before.

[PatSeg]

2. They often do look like people who are being

blackmailed or threatened, though I think the mindset has become part of the republican party's standard operating procedures. Stick together no matter what or risk losing all power. You can sometimes see it in their faces as they recite the official talking points, "I really don't believe this, but they make me say it". If any of them has the audacity to stray off message, they could be severely punished and campaign funds withheld.

Or someone is holding their family hostage!

[Auntie Bush]

3. Why don't we withhold funds and primary Dems who go off message?

[PatSeg]

5. I think a lot of Democratic voters do,

but as a party, we don't want insincere, robotic candidates either. Our representatives are suppose to represent the people in their districts or states, not an inflexible party formula. I don't trust Democratic politicians who rattle off party talking points like their republican counterparts.

Meanwhile, if voters withhold funds, then our Democratic politicians will have to rely more on corporate funding and we end up with more republican-light candidates. I don't know what the answer is, but I would like representatives who are sincere (if that's possible). Of course getting corporate money out of politics would be the best solution, but don't see that happening in my lifetime. Still one can hope.

[Sheepshank]

6. The idiots signed a pledge that will make them look like a Romney flip flopper

if they should change their minds. That pledge will be well publisized. In this climate, I'm thinking that is an ugly label to hang on themselves.