The Koch brothers just took a huge step toward a GOP civil war

[phantom power]

In a way, it seems inevitable that the plutocracy would eventually decide to just cut out the middle-man.

The party started to lose its bearings as long ago, as in the ’90s when it took on the self-righteousness of a religious crusade with its unwillingness to accept the legitimacy of a Democratic president. The undisciplined behavior that characterized that time was sanctioned by Party officials and led by long standing movement figures and conservative media stars. They apparently didn’t realize that they were creating a monster of a grassroots base that would someday call itself the Tea Party. In fact, it seemed to come as complete surprise when the monster turned on them in recent years and took the Party into its own hands. Republicans who had spent half a century deriding their opposition for being “appeasers” suddenly found themselves walking on eggshells, scared to death to cross their own voters who took all their messaging seriously and expected results. Even with a congressional majority, Republican elected leaders found they no longer had the power to negotiate or make a deal on the party’s behalf.

They also did not seem to realize that this monster is extremely wealthy and very, very powerful. And it is taking control

...

Let’s just say that in the Kochs’ minds, taking over the Republican Party and benefitting their massive multinational corporation are the same thing. (If you would like to see what it might mean in practical terms if the Koch party were to politically dominate the nation this Rolling Stone article about their business practices will give you nightmares.) And considering that the Kochs have openly worked at taking over the party since the 1980s, this is not exactly a secret.

But the irony of the Party that fetishizes money now becoming a victim of the 1 percent monster it has coddled, nurtured and enabled is overwhelming. Unfortunately, that particular beast has been unleashed on all of us and it doesn’t seem as though anyone knows how to stop it. The Tea Partyers who come together and vote out a stale incumbent they don’t like in favor of a right wing zealot is not something that’s good for the country, to be sure. But at least it’s democratic, however unpleasant the result. The idea that a vastly wealthy pair of right wing fanatics could literally take over one of the two major American political parties is more than a little disturbing. It’s downright monstrous.

http://www.salon.com/2015/06/12/the_koch_brothers_just_took_a_huge_step_toward_a_gop_civil_war/

[olddots]

1. I don't do prayer

but if it helps the turd maggots to fight amoungst themselves I'm ready to pray.

[LongTomH]

2. Is this the Frankenstein monster in the burning windmill moment for the GOP?

"You have created a monster and it will destroy you!"

[hifiguy]

7. "Ehhh, could be." - Bugs Bunny

I will bring the beer if someone brings the bratwurst. Should be a fun bonfire to watch.

[CJCRANE]

3. The Republicans' dream of small government has come true:

the corporations are so big and the government so small that there's no room for them inside it.

[underpants]

9. Dance for your supper boy

Good point. The money (see my sig line) is so in control the actual representatives hardly matter anymore. We know of industry types taking one for the team and doing their time in Fed Dept's withe the main goal of protecting said industries. The new trend is for lobbyists to take a turn in Capitol Hill offices (huge wage difference) to directly write legislation. Add in gerrymandering cementing districts and the person running no longer matters. Want to be in Congress? Dance for my amusement or we will find someone else to beat you in the primaries.

[Gothmog]

4. This could be fun to watch

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

There are cycles and pendulums galore to set the universe straight.

[hifiguy]

6. Oh, please let this dream/fantasy come true

and I beseech Celestia herself that there be no survivors.

[63splitwindow]

8. Something like this gem from Charlie Keating would be nice along the way...

"Mr. Keating, a 6-foot-5-inch beanpole who walked with a swagger, never minced words about buying political influence. Asked once whether his payments to politicians had worked, he told reporters, “I want to say in the most forceful way I can: I certainly hope so.”"

[hifiguy]

11. He was laughing until he got sent to the happy old Big House.

That put a hitch in his git-along right quick.

[riversedge]

10. hope it is long civil war and they both die out of existence.

[hvn_nbr_2]

12. Republicans seem to enjoy creating monsters that they won't be able to control later. nt