General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWill the centrist Republicans save us from chaos?
So, I've been thinking. For a bill to make it to Trump's desk to sign, it has to pass in both houses of Congress, but the GOP margin in the Senate is a scant 2 votes, 3 if Pence is counted as a tiebreaker. Certainly there 3 Republican senators who aren't fucking crazy enough to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare, which would be bigly unpopular with voters.
Repealing Obamacare seems less likely too. It was easy to vote to repeal it 60 TIMES because they knew Obama would veto it and they didn't have enough votes to override. But now they have Trump to sign off on their stupid ideas and I'm guessing there is a handful of GOP senators who will THINK before they say Aye.
Susan Collins and Mark Kirk are relatively middle of the road. Even Lindsay Graham isn't hair-on-fire nuts like Ted Cruz.
Your thoughts?
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/report-cards/2015/party-senate-republican/ideology
The Polack MSgt
(13,189 posts)I can wish, but I feel that the GOP has shown that no principle is more important than retaining power for themselves
charlyvi
(6,537 posts)for those who don't go along. The question isn't whether there are any centrist Repubs, but whether there are any who are brave.
old guy
(3,283 posts)While what you say makes sense these people are, after all is said and done, Republicans first and forever. I do not believe they are capable of straying from their ideology.
Missn-Hitch
(1,383 posts)President Pence - Yippee!!
0rganism
(23,955 posts)as observed, the parameters are different now that there's a batshit insane president who will gladly sign off on their idiotic legislative antics
so now they actually have to be a little bit more careful to avoid eroding their anti-progressive propaganda's effectiveness -- in short, they have to actually govern now
TexasBushwhacker
(20,196 posts)They don't get to play the obstruction game any more. They have to write and pass the laws and THEY will be held accountable. 2018 is just around the corner. There are plenty of them who were late to endorse Trump. In some cases very late.
moose65
(3,167 posts)He was defeated by Tammy Duckworth. Collins is the only one who can even marginally be labeled a "moderate." Who else do you think of as "centrist"? McCain? Flake?
TexasBushwhacker
(20,196 posts)Any representative from a state that has a lot of retirees, like Arizona and Florida, will have hell to pay if they vote for cuts to Social Security and Medicare. With the Baby Boom generation turning 65 at a rate of 10K PER DAY, we still have a mighty voice and will continue to for another 13 years.
Bills still have to pass both houses to get to Trump's (or Pence's) desk. We don't have to flip the whole Senate, just a handful.