Republicans' Flagging Legislative Agenda

[brothern]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

 

[Grand Mal]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

The Republican Party got so locked in to obstruction, so wired on opposition, that they're incapable of governing. They've got the House, the Senate, the White House, a mostly conservative SCOTUS, and they can't accomplish diddly-squat.
It's an opportunity that doesn't come along very often and they're squandering it. Being the 'un-liberals' doesn't cut it. Not when you're the governing party. If they don't get their crap together, and soon, it might be a generation before they get another chance like this.

 

[Captain Adverse]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

IMO the "Republican's flagging agenda" is entirely their own fault.

Trump is not their "Leader." They made that perfectly clear during the campaign period.

His leadership shouldn't make any difference to their agenda...they are entirely responsible for the success or failure of their legislative goals.

They had eight years to develop their legislative agenda, and they have a person who was willing to write them a blank check with his signature...as long as it makes him look good as President.

My thought's are, much like the Democrats, they are so tied up with their own conflicts of interest they can't cooperate successfully even when they are in control.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

They're afraid.

Trump has confused them, almost everything he does should have him cut off at the knees, instead he has better ratings than they do. They now realize there's no easy way to "repeal and replace" without it looking like Obamacare with different costs. They are, with increasing horror now realize Trump's idea of fair trade is theft by bullying, and "America First" is already alienating every ally you have.

In short, it's dawning on them that Trump cannot be trusted with anything, or anyone he will throw his own CIA under the bus to make Putin like him, be facebook friends.

When the year began it seemed like the 2018 vote would be a piece of cake, now they're wondering if they can hold the solid blue states.

 

[rocket88]

IMO the "Republican's flagging agenda" is entirely their own fault.

Trump is not their "Leader." They made that perfectly clear during the campaign period.

His leadership shouldn't make any difference to their agenda...they are entirely responsible for the success or failure of their legislative goals.

They had eight years to develop their legislative agenda, and they have a person who was willing to write them a blank check with his signature...as long as it makes him look good as President.

My thought's are, much like the Democrats, they are so tied up with their own conflicts of interest they can't cooperate successfully even when they are in control.

Trump is not their leader because he prefers to sit back and let them take the reins. We still have Obamacare because instead of taking the lead, Trump waited for them to come up with something. What happened to his "great plan?" Apparently it was waiting for McConnell and Ryan to do something.

 

[brothern]

IMO the "Republican's flagging agenda" is entirely their own fault. Trump is not their "Leader." They made that perfectly clear during the campaign period. His leadership shouldn't make any difference to their agenda...they are entirely responsible for the success or failure of their legislative goals. They had eight years to develop their legislative agenda, and they have a person who was willing to write them a blank check with his signature...as long as it makes him look good as President.

Except that's not how our system operates effectively. It's the purpose of the single executive to harass the two arms of Congress into working towards a common goal and using the power of the office to push risky votes. Ryan and McConnell are there to lead and protect 350 Republicans, and provide opposition when they disagree with the executive. Having those two guys trying to assume the President's role and set the decisive end goals will result in them going in two separate directions.

My thought's are, much like the Democrats, they are so tied up with their own conflicts of interest they can't cooperate successfully even when they are in control.

That's not what happened in 2009 when the Democrats were in the same situation.

 

[dennis31]

Quite interesting, thank you. Part of the problem is, I think, that there is no genuine GOP agenda. Take the struggle to repeal the ACA, for example - some in the GOP don't like it but they can't articulate why. So, it remains active. The GOP is supposedly the fiscal monitor party, yet now they are attempting a massive plan to increase debt. The real problem is - the fact that the Dems thought of something is not justification to oppose it.

I fear (and i certainly may be wrong) that we're beginning to see fractures like those that doomed the Whigs in 1854.

 

[Lutherf]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

One of the things Democrats, and the left in general, fail to recognize is that Republicans are not a homogeneous party. They don't vote together like the Democrats do. They don't have a common playbook like the Democrats do. Some factions in the Republican party HATE other factions. The establishment branch of the GOP are more likely to side with Democrats than they are anything a Conservative suggests.

 

[CriticalThought]

One of the things Democrats, and the left in general, fail to recognize is that Republicans are not a homogeneous party. They don't vote together like the Democrats do. They don't have a common playbook like the Democrats do. Some factions in the Republican party HATE other factions. The establishment branch of the GOP are more likely to side with Democrats than they are anything a Conservative suggests.

There is one thing that the GOP coalition does agree on 100%. They all hate Hillary Clinton. That is why Trump and Co. still bring her up over a year later. Hillary is the glue that holds the GOP together.

 

[Mycroft]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

Your personal theory is just plain wrong.

The "flagging legislative agenda"...by which, I assume you mean Trump's agenda...is happening because the Congressional GOP have no intention of implementing it. That's it, in a nutshell.

Oh...they talk a good con to make their Republican rank and file THINK they are trying to pass Trump's stuff, but when it comes right down to the vote there's ALWAYS a few Senators to crash the whole thing...and they are doing it deliberately.

btw, the Republican rank and file isn't buying the con. Only the low info folks and the useful idiots do.

 

[brothern]

One of the things Democrats, and the left in general, fail to recognize is that Republicans are not a homogeneous party. They don't vote together like the Democrats do. They don't have a common playbook like the Democrats do. Some factions in the Republican party HATE other factions. The establishment branch of the GOP are more likely to side with Democrats than they are anything a Conservative suggests.

You've completely flipped American history on its head. The Republican Party has maintained an ideological heritage for nearly 120 years. Ronald Reagan's three-legged stool analogy and 'coalition' only exists because the social conservatives left the Democratic party in the 1960s to join the Republican Party. Likewise the "big-tent" terminology was originally invented to describe the Democratic Party.

Republicans have been pro-business, free-market, anti-Communist, anti-collectivist and limited government since President Taft.

The Democratic Party is and has always been a coalition of factions since its revival in the 1930s. The "New Deal Coalition" comprised of labor unions, minorities (Catholics, Jews, and Blacks), intellectuals, southern Whites, farmers, city machines and blue collar workers. You'd absolutely have to be crazy to think that the values and goals of those constituencies even came close to aligning outside of support for New Deal programs.

This later evolved as I mentioned when southern Whites and rural folks left the party over the Civil Rights movement. However today's Democratic party still comprises of identity factions rather than ideological unity. Labor, racial minorities, religious minorities (Jews, atheists, Muslims), LGBT groups, individuals below the poverty line, environmentalists, intellectuals and the youth vote.

 

[brothern]

The "flagging legislative agenda"...by which, I assume you mean Trump's agenda...is happening because the Congressional GOP have no intention of implementing it. That's it, in a nutshell.

No, by agenda, I mean literally any piece of substantial legislation that's not at immediate risk of going up in flames.

We're halfway through to the next Congressional election and nothing has been passed. At all.

 

[MrPeanut]

I'm of the belief that the Republicans in Congress are a lot like the dog that finally caught the car. They are very effective at being the opposition party, but are confused about how to legislate effectively. I think the OP is correct about the party focusing too much on simply slamming Liberals. It works well to get votes, but it doesn't prepare you to actually do anything. The half-baked attempts at legislation when it came to removal of the ACA and now their tax plan clearly shows they weren't prepared for this. Of course Trump deserves some blame for being a poor leader for the party, but McConnell and Ryan deserve the majority of the blame in my opinion. They are supposed to know better.

 

[reinoe]

Trump is not their leader because he prefers to sit back and let them take the reins. We still have Obamacare because instead of taking the lead, Trump waited for them to come up with something. What happened to his "great plan?" Apparently it was waiting for McConnell and Ryan to do something.

Here is the leadership in the Republican Party according to Republicans...

https://gop.com/leaders/national/

Trump's name does not appear but you will be able to spot the names of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan.

 

[Willreadmore]

I'm of the belief that the Republicans in Congress are a lot like the dog that finally caught the car. They are very effective at being the opposition party, but are confused about how to legislate effectively. I think the OP is correct about the party focusing too much on simply slamming Liberals. It works well to get votes, but it doesn't prepare you to actually do anything. The half-baked attempts at legislation when it came to removal of the ACA and now their tax plan clearly shows they weren't prepared for this. Of course Trump deserves some blame for being a poor leader for the party, but McConnell and Ryan deserve the majority of the blame in my opinion. They are supposed to know better.

I agree. McConnell and Ryan can't blame their failure on Trump, though Trump adds a food fight quality to everything hear him.


McConnell can't claim he is leading and at the same time categorically deny all participation by nearly half the Senate through use of overt machinations.

 

[Mycroft]

No, by agenda, I mean literally any piece of substantial legislation that's not at immediate risk of going up in flames.

We're halfway through to the next Congressional election and nothing has been passed. At all.

And that stuff that hasn't been passed is Trump's agenda...and it's the stuff THEY ran and got elected to do.

But tell me...what YOU want them to do if they won't pass the stuff Trump wants them to do?

 

[dennis31]

<< Some factions in the Republican party HATE other factions. The establishment branch of the GOP are more likely to side with Democrats than they are anything a Conservative suggests. >>

That first part is apparent. Unfortunately, it seems to me as if the two sections are: reasonable, and off-the-wall unreasonable. For example, there is a clique in the House who style themselves "the Freedom Caucus", who do little but block progress. Unfortunately 3 members of that group are from Arizona - it would improve the state if they were returned to their fast-food counter jobs.

 

[rocket88]

Here is the leadership in the Republican Party according to Republicans...

https://gop.com/leaders/national/

Trump's name does not appear but you will be able to spot the names of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan.

So the President isn't a leader of his own party. That explains a lot.

 

[rocket88]

<< Some factions in the Republican party HATE other factions. The establishment branch of the GOP are more likely to side with Democrats than they are anything a Conservative suggests. >>

That first part is apparent. Unfortunately, it seems to me as if the two sections are: reasonable, and off-the-wall unreasonable. For example, there is a clique in the House who style themselves "the Freedom Caucus", who do little but block progress. Unfortunately 3 members of that group are from Arizona - it would improve the state if they were returned to their fast-food counter jobs.

Of course, they would have no problem with the low wages if they did.:lamo

 

[dennis31]

<< However today's Democratic party still comprises of identity factions rather than ideological unity. >>

Much the same can be said about today's Republicans. It seems the fiscal conservatives have nearly disappeared, and those who favor "let well enough alone" seem to be overpowered by the anti-abortion crowd, the white supreme crowd, the anti-immigration crowd, etc.

 

[Nickyjo]

Let me suggest two possible reasons for GOP inaction: first, their inexplicable failure to have prepared a comprehensive alternative to the ACA, after so many years knocking it, probably applies in other areas where they would like to legislate. They weren’t ready to roll. Second, much of their agenda is not what the American people want, which explains the first reason. They really couldn’t campaign on what they would like to do. If there is a controlling philosophy in the GOP, it is opposition to much of the progressive reforms and changes of the last 100 years, reforms and changes that are too popular to challenge openly.

On the other hand, conservatives can take heart, as we are probably doing significant damage to labor and environmental progress through changes in regulation from the executive branch that don’t require Congressional approval.

 

[poweRob]

Why is the Republic legislative agenda floundering?

It has been nearly 10 months since the Republicans took control of the House, Senate and Presidency. In this time, the party has passed no major legislation. Certainly the Republican Congress has passed minor policy changes and Trump has issued numerous executive orders that have infuriated just about everyone. However no big-ticket items have come to fruition, and the current tax reform bill is in serious S.O.S. trouble.

My personal theory: Trump's poor leadership, in addition to Congressional Republicans + their base never switching out of the "let's piss off the liberals" mentality. Heck, it's evidenced on these forums. The current top thread on D.P. is one by Goshin over accusations against Roy Moore and trying to tie this to Hillary, Biden, Franken, Conyers and a few others.

The problem with this is,

1. As the chief executive, Trump must have focus on corralling Congress and getting them to understand, write or amend, and then pass his major policy proposals. Neither Ryan nor McConnell has the time or energy to manage their chamber, their caucuses (fundraising, etc.) and also plan and pass major legislative agenda items. Unfortunately for them the racist, tweeting pumpkin has the attention span of a goldfish.

2. While the "piss off the liberals" strategy feeds the conservative id, it creates no offensive rallying point for elected Republicans or their supporters. Our public discourse right now is not, "We need you to support [AHCA] / [tax bill] / [regulatory reform]," which Ryan and McConnell are desperately trying to get us to talk about, but rather all the Democrats and liberals that FOX News hates.

Your thoughts?

Come on brothern. The one and most important legislation they give a single **** about is giving their donors a tax break. We are in the midst of the push for their sole purpose while everything else is just a distraction of this ultimate target.