Erick, why are you having to dare people to listen? You have egregiously and flamboyantly assured anyone who will listen that the voters in the 14th District - where I live and work - are embarrassed about Marjorie Taylor Greene. Despite NO EVIDENCE of any embarrassment, you are now having to dare these chastened and reasonable people to listen to this. Pick a lane, and have some integrity and REPENT.
Eric please TRY TO REMEMBER both YOU & I (along with many others) both were enjoying the Trump years until Jan 6. There are and always will be extremists on both sides. The right side extremists got there 15 minutes on Jan 6 just like the left side extremists got theirs last summer. neither were right. We would even be having this discussion if the Capitol Police Supervision would of done their job. Trump knows what happened was not good, said so quietly and left quietly. Let's try to get back to being the quite good guys like you did yesterday on your show. Shhhh
I lived through Nixon's resignation to avoid impeachment. Most everyone believed that his resignation (being out of office) would shield him from impeachment. It did, then. Probably not now. In the history of our Republic has anyone ever been impeached and convicted once out of office? To make such a sudden shift in precedence is not conservative. It's radical. And it is not conducive to a civil society where people are allowed to publicly disagree. It also is pretty iffy for Republicans to support. The names I think of which prompted loud and enduring public calls for impeachment mostly include Republicans like Reagan, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney.
I like Ben Sasse. But, what he voted was not right constitutionally. Should you impeach someone who is out of office? Is the purpose of impeachment to say we don't like what a person did while he/she was in office? Can we impeach Franklin Roosevelt for interning 120,000 Japanese though he is out of office (not to mention dead)? It makes a mockery of the constitutional role of impeachment--which is to remove someone from office--it isn't a censure vote. I'm not for censuring Sasse any more than Chief Justice Roberts for his Obamacare is a tax bill ruling, but Sasse has a major blind spot on what constitutional procedures are for which reduces his viability for leadership in my eyes.
I must be spending too much time talking to you people (conservatives) because I found a video of Marjorie Greene's Greatest (allegedly racist) Hits and (God help me) I don't see a white supremacist in there. I see profound levels of ignorance - about Muslims in particular - but I have to admit, I don't see Steve King.
Before I say this, let me emphasize: PROFOUND levels of ignorance. That said, however, I do not see a person so irredeemable as to warrant the treatment she is getting.
(A link to that video is below. If it doesn't play in Chrome, try Microsoft Edge.)
Having now watched the whole video, I am moved by the impulse in favor of giving everyone a second chance. I'm willing to admit that she deserves a second chance; provided, however, that you will admit that her past has indeed been that of a lunatic.
Years of lunacy? I can say the same about all those democrats like Al Green, Rashida Thalib, Illhan Omar, the rest of the Squad, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine W. & everyone’s favorite pencil neck liar who still hasn’t apologized to the American people about him saying he had overwhelming evidence and personal knowledge of the President colluding with Russia. It was a big lie with no apology ever. Neil most of the Democrat party pushed a conspiracy theory and they aren’t being held to the same standard. Several of those Dem. congressman said President Trump committed treason and pointed out that it is punishable by death. Your favorite media people are to blame because they do not hold Democrats to the same standard that they do to Republicans. After all Ted Kennedy killed a woman and was re-elected numerous times. Joe Biden, re-elected numerous times after lying about his accomplishments, he’s a serial offender of plagiarism, and made multiple racist statements. Did you know that Maxine Waters re-election campaign paid her daughter a million dollars? Here’s something new I researched recently. All the while she’s an elected person saying this. MTG was a civilian. Do you agree that an elected person’s statement carry more validity than a civilian? Ole Maxine blamed Reagan’s CIA for for playing a major role in the urban crack-cocaine epidemic. She made this claim writing the forward in a book called Dark Alliance. All the major news outlets disputed her claim. One who published the claim had to issue a retraction, but not Maxine. She even claimed that President Trump’s sending federal agents to Portland was a trial run at organizing what he would do if he wasn’t re-elected. She’s full of hurtful conspiracies made to hurt the President’s chances at re-election. AOC conspiracy theory said Republican Congress members gave suspicious tours he day before the riot took place. Both Sergeant-at-Arms have no evidence this was the case. Again this is a conspiracy theory.
Even today on History channel we can all watch shows like Ancient Aliens. Guess what? It explores theories regarding supposed alien visitations. People are still saying the way the twin towers fell on 9/11 isn’t possible. Tv shows with demolition experts have been aired and they say it just wasn’t possible for it to collapse in such a way. Neil, no one is calling those people or tv shows crazy and unforgivable. I believe with all my heart and no one has convinced me differently yet that their is a deep state of Government officials who work together to suppress the truth of the Obama administration and the Clinton’s. Emails by Peter Strok and Lisa Paige are just the tip of the iceberg. John Brennan lying on tv then he goes before Congress and says he never saw any evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. It is unreal but I have to hand it to Democrats. They’re the best people in the world at lying to people and convincing its base to stay the course and keep the lies coming. Democrats have the best spy’s on their side and they aren’t patriots. They are lifelong bureaucrats who tow the democrats lies.
I see your point. Since Democrats have tolerated lunatics, Republicans should get to do the same.
Erick has called this "whataboutism" (or something close to that, if memory serves). If each side rallies around its lunatics because the other side did so first - always responding to clear evidence of their lunacy with "what about . . ." - the standard for our representatives in government will have been set on an ever-downward trajectory: my side's lunatics justifying your side's lunatics, then your side's criminals justifying my side's criminals, and so on until eventually . . . anything goes.
Would it not be better if neither of us condoned lunacy, working to rid our side of lunatics rather than responding to that lunacy with "what about . . . ."? Someone else once summarized my argument with the observation that "An eye for an eye leaves both of us blind."
The whataboutism response that Erick and others give when people talk about the other side is preening nonsense. I have condemned the violence on 1/6, as has anyone I know and listen to, as I also did for the rioting that happened in major cities during 2020. The issue I have is that governors and mayors forced their respective law enforcement to stand down in the 2020 riots, providing no protection to those citizens whose property, businesses, and lives were destroyed. The relative few who were arrested were bailed out by everyone from Kamala Harris downward, and ended up having charges dropped. There is clearly a different standard for those who participated on 1/6. Not only is the "full force of the law" going after them, they are getting fired, d canceled in from social circles, and even being hunted by their banks based on credit card activity (without being requested by law enforcement). In my mind that means that the constitutional rights of one side are unequal to those of the other. That is what is intolerable to me, in addition to everything recounted by the gentleman above. There has to be equal protection under the law; if not, then we have two countries (which I suspect is already true anyway).
From the comments I’ve read, I’m not sure if some recognize that Sasse’s video was directed not at Nebraska voters, nor at voters outside of Nebraska, but specifically at those members of the Nebraska Republican Party State Central Committee who were reportedly considering a move to censure Sasse. I think that context helps interpret his message.
To those who imply that Sasse should set aside his conscience and only vote the way his constituents want him to vote, two thoughts:
1) Keep in mind that a fair share of Sasse’s NE constituents who disapproved of Sasse’s openness to convicting Trump did so because they had believed the lies that Trump had peddled for months about the election. Thus, to vote according to their wishes would be to vote according to lies.
2) Please consider the words of statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke, in 1774:
“It ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.”
Average conservative voters like myself will respect a politician following his conscience if we also see actions and successes based on the conscientious principles the person espouses. Please show me where that is true for Sen. Sasse. It is untrue for most of the Republican Party (also known as the only group that hates conservatives more than Democrats). We're not going to tow the line anymore. We've been lied to by no less than the Bush family, Sen. McConnell, Speaker Ryan, Speaker Boehner, Sen Isaakson, Rep. Collins, Rep. Woodall, etc.; it's an endless list. The GOP hasn't been the party of fiscal responsibility for decades. So when McConnell tells American citizens that he won't be bullied into sending them $2,000 of their own money, but turns around and send money to Pakistan for gender/transgender studies, why should we waste our energy on this party? This is what lost he GA runoffs, not the president's rhetoric. Conservatives flocked to Trump because he actually fought for their agenda and won some victories, regardless how imperfect a leader he was personally (when have we had a perfect one?). He made inroads that no Republican president has with minorities because he actually DID something for them, not just regaled them with lofty rhetoric that in the end has no meaning for their lives. That is the vacuum the conservative movement has now, if there even is such movement.
I got a little lost in your comments, but how do we know who asked for the money for gender studies in Pakistan? I heard it was a State Department request. With this 2 trillion stimulus plan being past are you still saying Republicans are not the party of physical responsibility. My God, we are giving people money who haven’t missed a day of work and not pin pointing the ones who really need it. Blanket stimulus is nothing but giving Americans a taste of Socialism. Congress could have told States to turn in personal unemployment info allowing them to help those in need. Also small businesses/ restaurants should have been able to turn in their request for money because of the pandemic. If I get any stimulus money I’m saving it and donating it all to Republicans running for office because Democrats are plan out evil.
Regardless of who asked for it, the money can't get spent unless Congress appropriates it. I totally agree with you about these stimulus packages. But that message was not going to resonate in a lockdown year like 2020. So when voters in GA hear the republican majority leader tell them they can't have money they actually sent to DC but he has no problem sending taxpayer money to foreigners, they flip republicans the bird by staying home. That was my point.
Can you tell me when republicans actually cut the federal budget (not just barely reduced the rate of increase)? Cut unconstitutional cabinet departments and reduced the scope of the federal government? How about something simple like prohibiting tax dollars from going to Planned Parenthood?? Hell, they couldn't even prevent PP from getting PPP loans!! TARP was Bush's idea before it was Obama's; Obamacare was based on Romneycare. This is not a new problem with the GOP.
I also totally agree that the democrats have devolved into a party that supports policy that is evil and anti-American. But I've got to admire them for ramming their agenda through whenever they get the slightest opportunity. The unfortunate situation we conservatives are in is that we almost never have a choice between good and evil when we vote. Our choice is either between OK and evil, or more often frankly between bad and evil. Of course I'm not going to vote for the evil. But I hate it that I have to just settle for "not evil". On the flip side, it makes me more thankful that I am a subject of a kingdom that is not of this world.
In that case, vote "present" rather than yea/nay. On this one, the impeachment carryings-on are outside the Constitutional call, and the Chief Justice agrees, the Senate does not have jurisdiction for an ex-President to be impeached. Now we're into the Constitution rather than conscience.
That the Chief Justice is not presiding over Trump's trial is no indication that he believes the proceedings to be unconstitutional. It simply recognizes that Trump is no longer President, such that the Chief Justice would have to preside.
Indeed, don't get your hopes up that the Supreme Court will ever offer an opinion one way or another. With the only penalties upon conviction being purely political (removal and disqualification from office), this has "political question" (the term the Court uses for certain issues it will not rule upon) written all over it.
Ben Sasse is just Mitt Romney part Deaux. He talks the part of a conservative, but doesn’t have the fight to stand up for conservative values. As a native son of Nebraska, he doesn’t represent my conservative beliefs and values.
Sasse makes some great points. Most of which I agree. My one problem is the same problem for almost all politicians. Sasse says to his listeners “I will always vote my conscience”. That is THE PROBLEM in my opinion. Elected politicians are supposed to represent their constituents and vote what the majority of their constituents want......NOT THEIR CONSCIENCE!
And P.S. - I did not hear him say to shoot the capitol protestors.
Of course Sasse is right about a lot of the horribleness of Trumpism, BUT this is just piling on to the overwhelming bashing that conservatism takes from the main stream media. And I fully understand Trumpism and conservatism are not the same thing, but what's the point? Is Sasse angling for a lieutenantship in the McCain - Romney wing of the party? Meanwhile, we wait for one sane "mainstream" Democrat to call out AOC, "the squad", BLM, Antifa, cancel culture, big tech, etc etc. Patrick Moynihan, where are you when we need you?
While nothing Sasse said was wrong, if this is the leadership that's going to bring conservative victory then there's no hope. This is principled talk with no action. That's not going to work anymore. Where was he in 2017-18 when they could have rammed our agenda through? The democrats are doing that now with only 50 seats in the senate. So far Sasse has only voted against one Biden cabinet nominee. Might as well just vote for everything he's proposing. He's no Romney, Murkowski, or Collins, I'll give him that. But uselessly principled doesn't help the country either. Him repeating the naive statement (often used by Erick) that the 1/6 incident was 2 months in the making was the icing on the cake. That was 20+ years in the making, showing how restrained conservatives actually are. I fear we are going back to the same old GOP combination of big government establishment + "principled" conservatives who accomplish nothing. Sorry, the average conservative voter is done with that. I took Erick's invitation and unsubscribed, not enraged by Sasse's statement but by the spineless lack of action by him and his ilk.
What Sasse did was vote contrary to his constituency. That's where he went wrong. Voting "your conscience" is fine as a private citizen in the voting booth. Voting "your constituency" is expected of those in elected office. That's why Sasse has to make this little ditty - the State legislature censured him and is doing so again...because he does not vote the constituency of NE.
If this is about conscience, resign, then say whatever you will. When your voters tell you their stance, you either convince them otherwise or vote "present" so as not to directly contradict your constituents. Mr. Sasse is very much in the "righteous indignation" mode, which he is certainly free to do as an American. As a Senator, hold your nose if you must, but prove you represent NE, not your own conscience.
So, because I voted for someone I'm part of a "culture of personality?" Just wow. I accepted the loss. I don't have to like the current president. I didn't have to like Trump personally either. But what I'm seeing and expected to happen with the Democrat "cult" of socialism IS happening with Biden and his group. His pen is being used to ruin this country. And he will succeed. Get ready for the State to fill in for God and any religion to be over ruled. Yes, we have a Constitution, but I'm already seeing it being bent and corrupted by social media platforms and their "kings." The Second Amendment is being pulled apart piece by piece. Just wait for the rest to fall.
Christian, you will be held to account for careless talk and lies like this. If, in the next 4 years, the State hasn't overruled religion and replaced God, and the Second Amendment hasn't been "pulled apart," will you repent? Your soul is at stake with this kind of hard-hearted embracing of untruth.
"My generation." Hmm. Name calling again and assumptions of my "age" as well as a your precious comment about my level of education (ie lack there of). As to the "zero sum thing" I didn't used to think this way. I honestly try and have given people the benefit of the doubt in attempting to understand where that person is "coming from." However, the bullying nature of many and becoming so tired of constantly " turning the other cheek" and being berated, makes one become very "closed." I believe Mr. Erickson has talked ad nauseum about "closed minded" people, yet never seems to understand why people get to that point. Your comments speak for themselves. You tell ME to repent. You lump me and others into the "cult of personality" when you know me not. I am watching HR 271 as it goes through committee. Are you? What about various GA state lawmakers and the current 2A related bills in our state? Are you watching them? Do you know what's in them? I believe God takes care of those who help themselves. It "appears" as if you don't. We are all consigned to Hell if we do not believe as you do.
From today's leftist Dem perspective, the Constitution is to be well-understood in order to find loopholes and gaps to undermine it. When they fail to get through a loophole, they also know it will take years/decades to make it all the way to the SCOTUS to be overturned. Utilitarians are willing to get what they can today and to h*ll with tomorrow.
As Pogo Possum once plagiarized, "We have met the enemy, and he is us"
I hit the "Like" button on Youtube. Not a big fan of Sasse, but that was good. However, what does "extending the American dream to more of our brothers and sisters" mean? I believe a lot of people have become suspicious of bomfog in general.
Excellent! We need a Senate full of statesmen like Ben Sasse... thanks for sharing, Erick!
Erick, why are you having to dare people to listen? You have egregiously and flamboyantly assured anyone who will listen that the voters in the 14th District - where I live and work - are embarrassed about Marjorie Taylor Greene. Despite NO EVIDENCE of any embarrassment, you are now having to dare these chastened and reasonable people to listen to this. Pick a lane, and have some integrity and REPENT.
Eric please TRY TO REMEMBER both YOU & I (along with many others) both were enjoying the Trump years until Jan 6. There are and always will be extremists on both sides. The right side extremists got there 15 minutes on Jan 6 just like the left side extremists got theirs last summer. neither were right. We would even be having this discussion if the Capitol Police Supervision would of done their job. Trump knows what happened was not good, said so quietly and left quietly. Let's try to get back to being the quite good guys like you did yesterday on your show. Shhhh
I lived through Nixon's resignation to avoid impeachment. Most everyone believed that his resignation (being out of office) would shield him from impeachment. It did, then. Probably not now. In the history of our Republic has anyone ever been impeached and convicted once out of office? To make such a sudden shift in precedence is not conservative. It's radical. And it is not conducive to a civil society where people are allowed to publicly disagree. It also is pretty iffy for Republicans to support. The names I think of which prompted loud and enduring public calls for impeachment mostly include Republicans like Reagan, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney.
I like Ben Sasse. But, what he voted was not right constitutionally. Should you impeach someone who is out of office? Is the purpose of impeachment to say we don't like what a person did while he/she was in office? Can we impeach Franklin Roosevelt for interning 120,000 Japanese though he is out of office (not to mention dead)? It makes a mockery of the constitutional role of impeachment--which is to remove someone from office--it isn't a censure vote. I'm not for censuring Sasse any more than Chief Justice Roberts for his Obamacare is a tax bill ruling, but Sasse has a major blind spot on what constitutional procedures are for which reduces his viability for leadership in my eyes.
Erick Erickson you need to apologize the Marjorie Taylor Greene. Does this look like someone that’s crazy? This video definitely shows you are the villain Erick Go to the 15 minute mark of the video. https://mb.ntd.com/live-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-holds-press-conference-after-being-stripped-of-committee-posts_559940.html?fbclid=IwAR3vs4Z9P9Sgag_4CqEXWt5TptFqzPmo7nzEwb9bFjpi9dpCK8nvxCnz64A
The linked website won't play her video. Wonder if they think she's crazy too.
Ha ha Neil. Did you go to the 15 minute mark?
I must be spending too much time talking to you people (conservatives) because I found a video of Marjorie Greene's Greatest (allegedly racist) Hits and (God help me) I don't see a white supremacist in there. I see profound levels of ignorance - about Muslims in particular - but I have to admit, I don't see Steve King.
Before I say this, let me emphasize: PROFOUND levels of ignorance. That said, however, I do not see a person so irredeemable as to warrant the treatment she is getting.
(A link to that video is below. If it doesn't play in Chrome, try Microsoft Edge.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/17/house-republicans-condemn-gop-candidate-racist-videos-325579
Having now watched the whole video, I am moved by the impulse in favor of giving everyone a second chance. I'm willing to admit that she deserves a second chance; provided, however, that you will admit that her past has indeed been that of a lunatic.
Mea culpa, but I am merely stupid. As for Greene, on the other hand, a few minutes of apparent coherence doesn't erase years of lunacy.
Years of lunacy? I can say the same about all those democrats like Al Green, Rashida Thalib, Illhan Omar, the rest of the Squad, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine W. & everyone’s favorite pencil neck liar who still hasn’t apologized to the American people about him saying he had overwhelming evidence and personal knowledge of the President colluding with Russia. It was a big lie with no apology ever. Neil most of the Democrat party pushed a conspiracy theory and they aren’t being held to the same standard. Several of those Dem. congressman said President Trump committed treason and pointed out that it is punishable by death. Your favorite media people are to blame because they do not hold Democrats to the same standard that they do to Republicans. After all Ted Kennedy killed a woman and was re-elected numerous times. Joe Biden, re-elected numerous times after lying about his accomplishments, he’s a serial offender of plagiarism, and made multiple racist statements. Did you know that Maxine Waters re-election campaign paid her daughter a million dollars? Here’s something new I researched recently. All the while she’s an elected person saying this. MTG was a civilian. Do you agree that an elected person’s statement carry more validity than a civilian? Ole Maxine blamed Reagan’s CIA for for playing a major role in the urban crack-cocaine epidemic. She made this claim writing the forward in a book called Dark Alliance. All the major news outlets disputed her claim. One who published the claim had to issue a retraction, but not Maxine. She even claimed that President Trump’s sending federal agents to Portland was a trial run at organizing what he would do if he wasn’t re-elected. She’s full of hurtful conspiracies made to hurt the President’s chances at re-election. AOC conspiracy theory said Republican Congress members gave suspicious tours he day before the riot took place. Both Sergeant-at-Arms have no evidence this was the case. Again this is a conspiracy theory.
Even today on History channel we can all watch shows like Ancient Aliens. Guess what? It explores theories regarding supposed alien visitations. People are still saying the way the twin towers fell on 9/11 isn’t possible. Tv shows with demolition experts have been aired and they say it just wasn’t possible for it to collapse in such a way. Neil, no one is calling those people or tv shows crazy and unforgivable. I believe with all my heart and no one has convinced me differently yet that their is a deep state of Government officials who work together to suppress the truth of the Obama administration and the Clinton’s. Emails by Peter Strok and Lisa Paige are just the tip of the iceberg. John Brennan lying on tv then he goes before Congress and says he never saw any evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. It is unreal but I have to hand it to Democrats. They’re the best people in the world at lying to people and convincing its base to stay the course and keep the lies coming. Democrats have the best spy’s on their side and they aren’t patriots. They are lifelong bureaucrats who tow the democrats lies.
I see your point. Since Democrats have tolerated lunatics, Republicans should get to do the same.
Erick has called this "whataboutism" (or something close to that, if memory serves). If each side rallies around its lunatics because the other side did so first - always responding to clear evidence of their lunacy with "what about . . ." - the standard for our representatives in government will have been set on an ever-downward trajectory: my side's lunatics justifying your side's lunatics, then your side's criminals justifying my side's criminals, and so on until eventually . . . anything goes.
Would it not be better if neither of us condoned lunacy, working to rid our side of lunatics rather than responding to that lunacy with "what about . . . ."? Someone else once summarized my argument with the observation that "An eye for an eye leaves both of us blind."
The whataboutism response that Erick and others give when people talk about the other side is preening nonsense. I have condemned the violence on 1/6, as has anyone I know and listen to, as I also did for the rioting that happened in major cities during 2020. The issue I have is that governors and mayors forced their respective law enforcement to stand down in the 2020 riots, providing no protection to those citizens whose property, businesses, and lives were destroyed. The relative few who were arrested were bailed out by everyone from Kamala Harris downward, and ended up having charges dropped. There is clearly a different standard for those who participated on 1/6. Not only is the "full force of the law" going after them, they are getting fired, d canceled in from social circles, and even being hunted by their banks based on credit card activity (without being requested by law enforcement). In my mind that means that the constitutional rights of one side are unequal to those of the other. That is what is intolerable to me, in addition to everything recounted by the gentleman above. There has to be equal protection under the law; if not, then we have two countries (which I suspect is already true anyway).
From the comments I’ve read, I’m not sure if some recognize that Sasse’s video was directed not at Nebraska voters, nor at voters outside of Nebraska, but specifically at those members of the Nebraska Republican Party State Central Committee who were reportedly considering a move to censure Sasse. I think that context helps interpret his message.
To those who imply that Sasse should set aside his conscience and only vote the way his constituents want him to vote, two thoughts:
1) Keep in mind that a fair share of Sasse’s NE constituents who disapproved of Sasse’s openness to convicting Trump did so because they had believed the lies that Trump had peddled for months about the election. Thus, to vote according to their wishes would be to vote according to lies.
2) Please consider the words of statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke, in 1774:
“It ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.”
@wrh3. ....And the rest of the story.....Burke was voted out by his constituents at the next election in 1780. As he should have been.
Average conservative voters like myself will respect a politician following his conscience if we also see actions and successes based on the conscientious principles the person espouses. Please show me where that is true for Sen. Sasse. It is untrue for most of the Republican Party (also known as the only group that hates conservatives more than Democrats). We're not going to tow the line anymore. We've been lied to by no less than the Bush family, Sen. McConnell, Speaker Ryan, Speaker Boehner, Sen Isaakson, Rep. Collins, Rep. Woodall, etc.; it's an endless list. The GOP hasn't been the party of fiscal responsibility for decades. So when McConnell tells American citizens that he won't be bullied into sending them $2,000 of their own money, but turns around and send money to Pakistan for gender/transgender studies, why should we waste our energy on this party? This is what lost he GA runoffs, not the president's rhetoric. Conservatives flocked to Trump because he actually fought for their agenda and won some victories, regardless how imperfect a leader he was personally (when have we had a perfect one?). He made inroads that no Republican president has with minorities because he actually DID something for them, not just regaled them with lofty rhetoric that in the end has no meaning for their lives. That is the vacuum the conservative movement has now, if there even is such movement.
I got a little lost in your comments, but how do we know who asked for the money for gender studies in Pakistan? I heard it was a State Department request. With this 2 trillion stimulus plan being past are you still saying Republicans are not the party of physical responsibility. My God, we are giving people money who haven’t missed a day of work and not pin pointing the ones who really need it. Blanket stimulus is nothing but giving Americans a taste of Socialism. Congress could have told States to turn in personal unemployment info allowing them to help those in need. Also small businesses/ restaurants should have been able to turn in their request for money because of the pandemic. If I get any stimulus money I’m saving it and donating it all to Republicans running for office because Democrats are plan out evil.
Regardless of who asked for it, the money can't get spent unless Congress appropriates it. I totally agree with you about these stimulus packages. But that message was not going to resonate in a lockdown year like 2020. So when voters in GA hear the republican majority leader tell them they can't have money they actually sent to DC but he has no problem sending taxpayer money to foreigners, they flip republicans the bird by staying home. That was my point.
Can you tell me when republicans actually cut the federal budget (not just barely reduced the rate of increase)? Cut unconstitutional cabinet departments and reduced the scope of the federal government? How about something simple like prohibiting tax dollars from going to Planned Parenthood?? Hell, they couldn't even prevent PP from getting PPP loans!! TARP was Bush's idea before it was Obama's; Obamacare was based on Romneycare. This is not a new problem with the GOP.
I also totally agree that the democrats have devolved into a party that supports policy that is evil and anti-American. But I've got to admire them for ramming their agenda through whenever they get the slightest opportunity. The unfortunate situation we conservatives are in is that we almost never have a choice between good and evil when we vote. Our choice is either between OK and evil, or more often frankly between bad and evil. Of course I'm not going to vote for the evil. But I hate it that I have to just settle for "not evil". On the flip side, it makes me more thankful that I am a subject of a kingdom that is not of this world.
In that case, vote "present" rather than yea/nay. On this one, the impeachment carryings-on are outside the Constitutional call, and the Chief Justice agrees, the Senate does not have jurisdiction for an ex-President to be impeached. Now we're into the Constitution rather than conscience.
That the Chief Justice is not presiding over Trump's trial is no indication that he believes the proceedings to be unconstitutional. It simply recognizes that Trump is no longer President, such that the Chief Justice would have to preside.
Indeed, don't get your hopes up that the Supreme Court will ever offer an opinion one way or another. With the only penalties upon conviction being purely political (removal and disqualification from office), this has "political question" (the term the Court uses for certain issues it will not rule upon) written all over it.
Well that was well stated. Numbers don’t lie
Ben Sasse is just Mitt Romney part Deaux. He talks the part of a conservative, but doesn’t have the fight to stand up for conservative values. As a native son of Nebraska, he doesn’t represent my conservative beliefs and values.
I listened.
Sasse makes some great points. Most of which I agree. My one problem is the same problem for almost all politicians. Sasse says to his listeners “I will always vote my conscience”. That is THE PROBLEM in my opinion. Elected politicians are supposed to represent their constituents and vote what the majority of their constituents want......NOT THEIR CONSCIENCE!
And P.S. - I did not hear him say to shoot the capitol protestors.
Of course Sasse is right about a lot of the horribleness of Trumpism, BUT this is just piling on to the overwhelming bashing that conservatism takes from the main stream media. And I fully understand Trumpism and conservatism are not the same thing, but what's the point? Is Sasse angling for a lieutenantship in the McCain - Romney wing of the party? Meanwhile, we wait for one sane "mainstream" Democrat to call out AOC, "the squad", BLM, Antifa, cancel culture, big tech, etc etc. Patrick Moynihan, where are you when we need you?
2024 candidate
While nothing Sasse said was wrong, if this is the leadership that's going to bring conservative victory then there's no hope. This is principled talk with no action. That's not going to work anymore. Where was he in 2017-18 when they could have rammed our agenda through? The democrats are doing that now with only 50 seats in the senate. So far Sasse has only voted against one Biden cabinet nominee. Might as well just vote for everything he's proposing. He's no Romney, Murkowski, or Collins, I'll give him that. But uselessly principled doesn't help the country either. Him repeating the naive statement (often used by Erick) that the 1/6 incident was 2 months in the making was the icing on the cake. That was 20+ years in the making, showing how restrained conservatives actually are. I fear we are going back to the same old GOP combination of big government establishment + "principled" conservatives who accomplish nothing. Sorry, the average conservative voter is done with that. I took Erick's invitation and unsubscribed, not enraged by Sasse's statement but by the spineless lack of action by him and his ilk.
What Sasse did was vote contrary to his constituency. That's where he went wrong. Voting "your conscience" is fine as a private citizen in the voting booth. Voting "your constituency" is expected of those in elected office. That's why Sasse has to make this little ditty - the State legislature censured him and is doing so again...because he does not vote the constituency of NE.
If this is about conscience, resign, then say whatever you will. When your voters tell you their stance, you either convince them otherwise or vote "present" so as not to directly contradict your constituents. Mr. Sasse is very much in the "righteous indignation" mode, which he is certainly free to do as an American. As a Senator, hold your nose if you must, but prove you represent NE, not your own conscience.
So, because I voted for someone I'm part of a "culture of personality?" Just wow. I accepted the loss. I don't have to like the current president. I didn't have to like Trump personally either. But what I'm seeing and expected to happen with the Democrat "cult" of socialism IS happening with Biden and his group. His pen is being used to ruin this country. And he will succeed. Get ready for the State to fill in for God and any religion to be over ruled. Yes, we have a Constitution, but I'm already seeing it being bent and corrupted by social media platforms and their "kings." The Second Amendment is being pulled apart piece by piece. Just wait for the rest to fall.
Christian, you will be held to account for careless talk and lies like this. If, in the next 4 years, the State hasn't overruled religion and replaced God, and the Second Amendment hasn't been "pulled apart," will you repent? Your soul is at stake with this kind of hard-hearted embracing of untruth.
I'm so glad you think Biden is such a Godly man. That Kamal Harris is a Godly woman. They both support abortion and Planned Parenthood.
I didn't say they were. That is ANOTHER exaggeration or lie on your part.
You imply it with your comment.
I didn’t, actually. I really didn’t. How did your generation become such a zero sum thing?
"My generation." Hmm. Name calling again and assumptions of my "age" as well as a your precious comment about my level of education (ie lack there of). As to the "zero sum thing" I didn't used to think this way. I honestly try and have given people the benefit of the doubt in attempting to understand where that person is "coming from." However, the bullying nature of many and becoming so tired of constantly " turning the other cheek" and being berated, makes one become very "closed." I believe Mr. Erickson has talked ad nauseum about "closed minded" people, yet never seems to understand why people get to that point. Your comments speak for themselves. You tell ME to repent. You lump me and others into the "cult of personality" when you know me not. I am watching HR 271 as it goes through committee. Are you? What about various GA state lawmakers and the current 2A related bills in our state? Are you watching them? Do you know what's in them? I believe God takes care of those who help themselves. It "appears" as if you don't. We are all consigned to Hell if we do not believe as you do.
Agree 100%. The Constitution is no impediment to people who don't believe in it or the founding principles and leaders of our country.
From today's leftist Dem perspective, the Constitution is to be well-understood in order to find loopholes and gaps to undermine it. When they fail to get through a loophole, they also know it will take years/decades to make it all the way to the SCOTUS to be overturned. Utilitarians are willing to get what they can today and to h*ll with tomorrow.
As Pogo Possum once plagiarized, "We have met the enemy, and he is us"
I always go back The Who singing, “We don’t get fooled again”! Let’s move forward
I hit the "Like" button on Youtube. Not a big fan of Sasse, but that was good. However, what does "extending the American dream to more of our brothers and sisters" mean? I believe a lot of people have become suspicious of bomfog in general.