Source: Chaos: House Republicans in Complete Disarray, No Easy Fix in Sight – Guy Benson
Guy makes critical errors in your baseline assumption and that leads his analysis astray.
1. I sense a presumption that a government that isn’t doing something is failing. That may be true of many governments, but you are forgetting that the American federal government is designed to make it difficult to get anything done. Federal action is supposed to require strong to overwhelming consensus of the general population and the individual States. Most declared conservatives, and I believe a growing number of others, consider that most successful government the one that doesn’t accomplish much.
2. More important, he is assuming that the hindrance is a “faction.” That is a dangerous error to make. If it were merely a faction, I think it would have already been dealt with internally. A few things to consider.
- It has collected far more than 2 scalps. Cantor and others fell back in the 2014 primaries.
- Many of those who were re-elected did so after facing legitimate challenge within the party.
- Approval within the party is at an all-time low.
- The presidential primary field. It speaks for itself.
This isn’t a faction. It’s a movement. It’s grass roots. It’s wide spread. It’s growing. It has reached critical mass. It began in 2010. It gave the establishment a chance in 2012. It gave it another chance in 2014. It was betrayed subtly in the former and openly in the latter. Now there is a price to be payed as those who made the betrayals are reminded of what the “Party” actually is. You are seeing the effect now in the House because the short election cycle allows the constituents to actively exercise power over the Representatives. We’ve always had the power actually, we just have been to busy to use it. Until now.
It is exactly the same “phenomenon” that is happening in the presidential primary. While it hasn’t happened yet, expect to see the same thing in the Senate. It won’t be a visible do the the (again) design of the Senate to make it more ponderous, but it’s there.
What all this means is that you’re not seeing a “faction.” You’re seeing a government ruling against the will of the people and the checks built into the system kicking into play.
“I will do all I can to be helpful to Jeb’s campaign,” Dole promised.
