I think you’re leaving out something important. Why is it that when Nancy Pelosi had a similar slim majority she could get exactly what the Democrats wanted without mushy compromises? Could it be that Speaker Johnson is (1) incompetent and (2) not particularly principled? It’s worth exploring.
The Republicans actually stand on principles that cut across the underlayment of the entire party. Democrats don't. Someone looking for a 100% vote on just about anything.... those principles are going to haunt the Republicans a lot more than the Democrats. The problem with Massie was a lack of a deep understanding that a 60 percent good bill that has the one part that cuts into his principles is better than the bill going down with 100 percent of your principles every single time. The opposition lives inside that 40% and they will use it.... to destroy us.
If Republicans are not going to pass fiscal reform then they can go beg Democrats for more "status quo" overspending and own their failures without* Massie's vote.
AIPAC et al are blowing $20M primarying Massie. If only they fought that hard against Democrats...
You always make me think, consider, and broaden my understanding. Thank you. I believe in principled conduct. I work very hard to walk my talk. At the same time, that principled stand must be tempered and not enter into scrupulosity. The practical outcome must matter. I can't get everything I want every time. But influencing a situation to create a better outcome must be considered. 100% or nothing, all the time, is not realistic in this world, especially in that swamp of grifters and liars we call Congress. If the conduct that defeats the stated goals is to create an image one can use for fund raising, that is not a principled stand. It's just another grift. The overall result must matter or, as your article shows, the outcome contains far more damage than the original action so strongly resisted.
Any Republican who sides with Democrats Ro Khanna and Ilhan Omar, is NOT about America but about playing dirty political games. Massie lacks moral character and uses his position for personal power.
Exactly. Does everyone think the men in the constitutional convention got their own personal representation of what American government would look like. Hell no. There was brutal compromise. They knew if they didn't give up on some of their "principles" they would be back under a king. Massie quoted the founders often but skipped right over this glaring fact.
Massie remains a problem for now and will no longer be a problem soon enough. What does this thread have to do with the negligence of the Senate in which a few senators are obstacles to righting the role of government? Massie remains an obstacle who is out of touch with his voters.
Ah, “boomer.” You reveal yourself. Unable to simply make an argument but having the need to denigrate someone who has a different opinion through what you believe is a slur reveals your immaturity. Massie is someone who functionally gave the radical Left the ability to control legislation and forward the graft and corruption of the socialist revolution that Obama and Biden’s handlers are continuing to foster. BTW, boomers are not offended by youngsters who think their world view is superior, telling us we’re old. We were young once and ignorant, too. It’s only by growing older that we learn what only time can teach, that we learn how foolish we were in our youth. I wish you many years of learning.
Bravo on this post, Alex! It’s about time the details of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, be exposed. He is a poser appearing as though he is s sophisticated intellectual who considers all sides of an argument, but he is nothing short of an anti-Israel isolationist. How dumb can a person get to claim that Trump is starting forever wars, when the mullahs and Iman of Iran have been threatening death to Israel and Death to America for decades. Massie is actually attempting to destroy AIPAC which is an assault on our first amendment right of free speech.
Please explain to me how destroying AIPAC is an assault on our first amendment right of free speech. You do understand that AIPAC is funded by Zionists and the Israeli government and their contributions are to ensure that any complaints about Israel are censored and to provide our tax money to give the Israelis a better standard of living than we have, don't you?
AIPAC is a political entity whereby Americans can donate money in an effort to support pro Israel candidates and to lobby for advocacy, much like the American Coalition for Ukraine. For Massie to claim that AIPAC is an Israeli entity is a lie. Sending money to US political organization allows them to speak for those who donate to achieve political goals. They raise awareness through lobby efforts.
I watched a video interview with Cynthia West. She has credibility and integrity. Massie pursued her in what appeared to be an extremely aggressive manner when he first started contacting her. She broke off the relationship with Massie and when she filed a complaint with an ethics division of the government, he did offer her $5,000. She was also fired from the job he got for her. She was later offered $60,000 to withdraw her complaint, and they wanted her to sign an NDA. She refused to withdraw her complaint and nothing has been done with it.
Cynthia West is running for the School Board in Okaloosa Florida. Her communications director previously worked for Americans For Prosperity, which has also donated to her campaign. AFP is leading the campaign against Thomas Massie. Not so sure about the credibility and definately don't see any integrity. What I do see is an "October Surprise" attempt as a last ditch effort to defeat Massie.
Credibility and integrity, both a personal opinion verses documented facts. We'll believe what we believe. Have a good day and thanks for the discorse.
This was something that started off very reasonable, and made me reconsider Massie, but then you recirculated the bogus smear story the Democrats paid for.
Are we reasonably expected to believe Massie’s actions have led to unintentional consequences, ie that he actually opposed that bill, or any other that passed with concessions?
I think you’re leaving out something important. Why is it that when Nancy Pelosi had a similar slim majority she could get exactly what the Democrats wanted without mushy compromises? Could it be that Speaker Johnson is (1) incompetent and (2) not particularly principled? It’s worth exploring.
Because Pelosi ruled with a steel fist for funding anyone out of line. Dems stick together no matter the bill because they choose power over all else.
Absolutely. If Republicans did that we might get some decent laws for a change.
Government isn’t supposed to be about power. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The uniparty is broken governance.
The Republicans actually stand on principles that cut across the underlayment of the entire party. Democrats don't. Someone looking for a 100% vote on just about anything.... those principles are going to haunt the Republicans a lot more than the Democrats. The problem with Massie was a lack of a deep understanding that a 60 percent good bill that has the one part that cuts into his principles is better than the bill going down with 100 percent of your principles every single time. The opposition lives inside that 40% and they will use it.... to destroy us.
No just Johnson but largely the herd of cats a/k/a the Republican Party.
Republicans aren’t an opposition party. Neither are Democrats. Many of both parties get campaign funding from the same sources.
If Republicans are not going to pass fiscal reform then they can go beg Democrats for more "status quo" overspending and own their failures without* Massie's vote.
AIPAC et al are blowing $20M primarying Massie. If only they fought that hard against Democrats...
You always make me think, consider, and broaden my understanding. Thank you. I believe in principled conduct. I work very hard to walk my talk. At the same time, that principled stand must be tempered and not enter into scrupulosity. The practical outcome must matter. I can't get everything I want every time. But influencing a situation to create a better outcome must be considered. 100% or nothing, all the time, is not realistic in this world, especially in that swamp of grifters and liars we call Congress. If the conduct that defeats the stated goals is to create an image one can use for fund raising, that is not a principled stand. It's just another grift. The overall result must matter or, as your article shows, the outcome contains far more damage than the original action so strongly resisted.
Any Republican who sides with Democrats Ro Khanna and Ilhan Omar, is NOT about America but about playing dirty political games. Massie lacks moral character and uses his position for personal power.
Exactly. Does everyone think the men in the constitutional convention got their own personal representation of what American government would look like. Hell no. There was brutal compromise. They knew if they didn't give up on some of their "principles" they would be back under a king. Massie quoted the founders often but skipped right over this glaring fact.
GOP Senate just took their vacation without funding ICE.
But Massie's the problem. /s
Massie remains a problem for now and will no longer be a problem soon enough. What does this thread have to do with the negligence of the Senate in which a few senators are obstacles to righting the role of government? Massie remains an obstacle who is out of touch with his voters.
Massie increased his support by 20%, all with the under 65 crowd. It's Trump and AIPAC that are out of touch with the voter base, boomer.
Ah, “boomer.” You reveal yourself. Unable to simply make an argument but having the need to denigrate someone who has a different opinion through what you believe is a slur reveals your immaturity. Massie is someone who functionally gave the radical Left the ability to control legislation and forward the graft and corruption of the socialist revolution that Obama and Biden’s handlers are continuing to foster. BTW, boomers are not offended by youngsters who think their world view is superior, telling us we’re old. We were young once and ignorant, too. It’s only by growing older that we learn what only time can teach, that we learn how foolish we were in our youth. I wish you many years of learning.
Has anyone seen Massie and Tlaib in the same place at the same time? They vote in lockstep.
I generally appreciate your content, but you are way off base on Massie - one of the few fighting forever war.
Bravo on this post, Alex! It’s about time the details of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, be exposed. He is a poser appearing as though he is s sophisticated intellectual who considers all sides of an argument, but he is nothing short of an anti-Israel isolationist. How dumb can a person get to claim that Trump is starting forever wars, when the mullahs and Iman of Iran have been threatening death to Israel and Death to America for decades. Massie is actually attempting to destroy AIPAC which is an assault on our first amendment right of free speech.
Please explain to me how destroying AIPAC is an assault on our first amendment right of free speech. You do understand that AIPAC is funded by Zionists and the Israeli government and their contributions are to ensure that any complaints about Israel are censored and to provide our tax money to give the Israelis a better standard of living than we have, don't you?
AIPAC is a political entity whereby Americans can donate money in an effort to support pro Israel candidates and to lobby for advocacy, much like the American Coalition for Ukraine. For Massie to claim that AIPAC is an Israeli entity is a lie. Sending money to US political organization allows them to speak for those who donate to achieve political goals. They raise awareness through lobby efforts.
Another antisemite rears his ugly head. Good to know what you are.
Speaker Johnson is the worst in the history of the House.
I thought Paul Ryan was terrible. Johnson just isn't as obvious.
I watched a video interview with Cynthia West. She has credibility and integrity. Massie pursued her in what appeared to be an extremely aggressive manner when he first started contacting her. She broke off the relationship with Massie and when she filed a complaint with an ethics division of the government, he did offer her $5,000. She was also fired from the job he got for her. She was later offered $60,000 to withdraw her complaint, and they wanted her to sign an NDA. She refused to withdraw her complaint and nothing has been done with it.
Cynthia West is running for the School Board in Okaloosa Florida. Her communications director previously worked for Americans For Prosperity, which has also donated to her campaign. AFP is leading the campaign against Thomas Massie. Not so sure about the credibility and definately don't see any integrity. What I do see is an "October Surprise" attempt as a last ditch effort to defeat Massie.
Did you see the interview?
Credibility and integrity, both a personal opinion verses documented facts. We'll believe what we believe. Have a good day and thanks for the discorse.
As rational adults, we can always agree to disagree. And a good day to you, too.
This was something that started off very reasonable, and made me reconsider Massie, but then you recirculated the bogus smear story the Democrats paid for.
It’s not bogus. The guy is a skank. He needs to be gone.
And a vicious antisemite surrounding himself with self aggrandizing click bait reprehensible garbage. Needs to go.
Nothing bogus about the story.
https://themassiefiles.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
https://substack.com/@anncoulter/note/p-198157547?r=4m32w&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
And he’s gone. 😃
Kurt- you don’t respond to the argument the author makes. Perhaps you can’t make any coherent counter argument?
“The bill he opposed passed anyway, ..”
Are we reasonably expected to believe Massie’s actions have led to unintentional consequences, ie that he actually opposed that bill, or any other that passed with concessions?
The most normal caucus ever. The GOP is saving the Democrats from honest elections.
The GOP is Grift.
Without the Democrats outrages and atrocities the GOP has no grist for the fundraising grift mill.
True of many, but not all.
Most and enough.
All the Massie haters in the the comments - Senate GOP just took a vacation rather than fund ICE.
I patiently await your darling AIPAC primarying all the RINOs to the same tune of $20M.
What is the problem they’re all democrat scum!!
The incestuous relationship between all of these politicians is what blows my mind.
You made interesting points until it devolved into a personal attack on Massie. Your commentary has been informed and well structured… until now.