I don't see how the repubs solve their internecine battle for control

[cali]

before the next election. and certain things, like Cuccinelli's inevitable defeat are sure to make it even worse. The center of this delightful little war is the House, but the Senate comes into play too, if only because Cruzty the Clown has inspired such anger and bitterness within his compatriots there.

The tea party members of the House don't believe in government. they don't believe in navigating the House or any form of compromise. they hate the body that they are part of and those attitudes make it virtually impossible for them to actually legislate or accomplish anything at all except for obstruction.

Given those facts, how does this war get anything but uglier?

[JaneyVee]

1. This war WILL get uglier. When their conservative base calls Boehner & co.

"Liberals" you know the splintering will turn into a huge crack. And it will cause them to lose many elections. The GOP must claim the middle or die, but their base will only nominate the crazy during primaries.

[cali]

3. it will be interesting to see if that holds up

The base is crazy but will it be expanded, will more repubs turn out? Business interests have said that they plan to actively oppose the crazies and fund other candidates.

this will be something to watch.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. It just gets uglier. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing.

So expect them to start stirring the pot again in January, tantruming & all that once more.

This should divert attention away from any negotiations to end the sequester and onto whatever they're all frothed up about at the time: Immigration, Obamacare (again!), whatever their little bean brains come up with.

As a result, Obama & the Dinos will have something else to occupy them other than giving away SocSec to buy an end to the sequester. Also, a second tantrum ought to refresh everyone's memories about what the Republicans stand for, just in time for the 2014 elections.

Then, with (one hopes) a Dem majority in both houses and maybe something like a return to civilized governance, there will be no need to give away the store in order to get a reasonable budget, including a more progressive tax code and a raised FICA cap to pay for SS into eternity. If the Dems at that point bring up the Chained CPI, they will deserve whatever fate has in store for them.

[geek tragedy]

4. Here's how it ends: the party moves even further

to the right as the party establishment decides to co-opt the nutjobs. They won't even consider moderating until they lose the House.

[cali]

5. I disagree tht the party establisment will go further in co-opting

the nutjobs, not with organizations like the Chamber saying they and other pro-business organizations won't fund them and will work actively against them and not with the recent debacle. There were already apparent fissures before the shut down.

I think it's looking more and more like all out war.

[libdem4life]

6. That's what I thought...same with the Kochs and Wall Street funders...surprised me they came out

right away. They want a political return on their money. The TP cannot survive without their major donor funding, who are saying they will fund non-radical candidates. I thought Jeb Bush's interview was important.

[geek tragedy]

7. The nutjobs are the party at the precinct level.

Sure, Wall Street guys can withhold money, but they don't sign up to be precinct chairs, convention delegates, county leaders etc.

The plutocrat establishment will do as it has always done-- let the extra-chromosome right drive the national conversation right. The Teahadists are unruly oxen pulling their cart.

Boehner's weakness is an act. He's wound up getting the better of Obama every negotiation they've had. What's the aftermath of the latest 'defeat' of the GOP? A budget conference in which Republicans hold all the cards due to the sequester, and chickenshits like Durbin offering up Social Security cuts.