Well that was interesting. In a secret vote, despite congressmen like Matt Gaetz claiming they had the votes to oust Liz Cheney from leadership, she crushed it. Cheney will remain Chair of the House Republican Conference in a 145-61-1 vote. Cheney, I am told, was the present vote. The anti-Cheney folks were claiming they had more than 100 members ready to oust her. President Donald Trump himself was personally calling Republicans in the House urging them to oust Cheney.
Could it be that the Republicans are not so much pro-Cheney as in tatters now and what good would it do to shoot one of their own over a controversy that has no path forward? I don't like what Liz Cheney did of kicking one of her own when he was going down anyway, but for the same reason I don't like kicking Liz Cheney. We already have too few votes in the House.
The former president’s power is not weaker than it is projected by his true followers because most of what will be done will be done in public, not hidden by some secret voting. They’re still terrified of him. Otherwise there would have been a helluva lot more Republicans voting for impeachment and for certification of the presidential election.
His power will be demonstrated to have weakened if, and only if, a large portion of his selected candidates lose their primary elections.
There’s still a long road ahead, but thankfully this shows there are clearly 3 wings in the GOP. The true blue cultists, the Cheney wing, and the paralyzed middle who privately want to be in the Cheney wing (or at least NOT in the cultist wing), but cave to the Trumpist political pressure. They are still persuadable, and that gives me some hope.
The picture at the end is awesome. I remember that from when Dick Cheney was VP. I miss him.
This is an important article for anyone in politics. Despite all the grandstanding, a lot of real politics is about power and maneuvers behind closed doors. As you mentioned, it’s very easy to appeal to the masses; but behind closed doors, within the circles of power, choices are made often self-servingly. The people on the wrong side of this vote, for example, could face erosion of political capital. These types of things are not forgiven or forgotten. This is real politics, whether we like it or not.
I agree with your assessment that foundationally, Trumpism is a surface phenomenon that will recede. But it will do significant damage to GOP cohesiveness if only because it’s an easy way to get popular support. (Trumpists will support Trumpist politicians no matter what they do or say.) Once Trumpism recedes, how will these Trumpist politicians be able to work with their colleagues whom they will have distanced from themselves?
All that said, as an American, I am very happy with this vote. It shows that Trumpism is not as rooted as one may have thought. This bodes well for America and even the possibility of bipartisanship. (Unfortunately for progressives, this can skew the Democratic Party more to the center. If the Democratic Party has to fight the entire GOP, it would have been easier for progressive Democrats to prevail since there really wouldn’t be much reason to appeal to the center in order to secure some support from Republicans. Ah well, I suppose the proletariat revolution will have to wait.)
I'm reminded of "The Wizard of Oz." "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." The Wizard was all smoke and mirrors but had no real power. All bluster and pomposity.
Could it be that the Republicans are not so much pro-Cheney as in tatters now and what good would it do to shoot one of their own over a controversy that has no path forward? I don't like what Liz Cheney did of kicking one of her own when he was going down anyway, but for the same reason I don't like kicking Liz Cheney. We already have too few votes in the House.
If only I could give it an extra like for the Dick Cheney joke at the end.
The former president’s power is not weaker than it is projected by his true followers because most of what will be done will be done in public, not hidden by some secret voting. They’re still terrified of him. Otherwise there would have been a helluva lot more Republicans voting for impeachment and for certification of the presidential election.
His power will be demonstrated to have weakened if, and only if, a large portion of his selected candidates lose their primary elections.
There’s still a long road ahead, but thankfully this shows there are clearly 3 wings in the GOP. The true blue cultists, the Cheney wing, and the paralyzed middle who privately want to be in the Cheney wing (or at least NOT in the cultist wing), but cave to the Trumpist political pressure. They are still persuadable, and that gives me some hope.
The picture at the end is awesome. I remember that from when Dick Cheney was VP. I miss him.
This is an important article for anyone in politics. Despite all the grandstanding, a lot of real politics is about power and maneuvers behind closed doors. As you mentioned, it’s very easy to appeal to the masses; but behind closed doors, within the circles of power, choices are made often self-servingly. The people on the wrong side of this vote, for example, could face erosion of political capital. These types of things are not forgiven or forgotten. This is real politics, whether we like it or not.
I agree with your assessment that foundationally, Trumpism is a surface phenomenon that will recede. But it will do significant damage to GOP cohesiveness if only because it’s an easy way to get popular support. (Trumpists will support Trumpist politicians no matter what they do or say.) Once Trumpism recedes, how will these Trumpist politicians be able to work with their colleagues whom they will have distanced from themselves?
All that said, as an American, I am very happy with this vote. It shows that Trumpism is not as rooted as one may have thought. This bodes well for America and even the possibility of bipartisanship. (Unfortunately for progressives, this can skew the Democratic Party more to the center. If the Democratic Party has to fight the entire GOP, it would have been easier for progressive Democrats to prevail since there really wouldn’t be much reason to appeal to the center in order to secure some support from Republicans. Ah well, I suppose the proletariat revolution will have to wait.)
Not so sure this ends well for the GOP.
I'm reminded of "The Wizard of Oz." "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." The Wizard was all smoke and mirrors but had no real power. All bluster and pomposity.
Love this analysis!