Richard Lugar's Loss Is Bad for the U.S.--And for the GOP

Friend Hedges, (I'll still use the term friend if you don't mind), you keep missing my point. You're minority opinion is not going to prevail. So, you have two choices, have nothing get done or compromise. You think Reagan and Tip O'Neil (back when politicians actually could fight all day and be friends at night) didn't compromise? You think Newt balanced the budget all by himself without Clinton's signature? You think the founding fathers got all that they wanted? No, the constitution itself is a compromise document. You can scream all the way to heck about being right, but it's not going to change the political reality. You cannot tell me raising taxes, even just a little, will be so debilitating to our economy that the Pubs cannot give in a little on it. Liberals haven't compromised? Uh...Obamacare was a compromise, amongst Dems. The libs didn't get a public option, the blue dog Dems did the job of the Pubs and refused to sign on to that. Not all Dems are true libs, got quite a few moderates and blue dog Dems still in our party. We haven't purged them out like the Pubs are doing. So, plenty of Dems on the other side of the aisle you could do business with if you wanted. The House and Obama had the makings of a "Grand Plan" and it fell through. The Pub candidates said they wouldn't even support a 10-1 ratio of spending cuts to tax increases. Seriously? McConnell said early on he would do nothing to help this Prez at all. His objective was not to govern, but to defeat Obama no matter what. I know there are some lib Dems you cannot do business with. O.k. with me if Pelosi gets voted out, but to say nothing can be done with Dems is a really lame excuse not to govern.

How come you never talk about the Pubs not wanting to cut any of their sacred spending cows? I bet you friend Hedges you and I could sit down and work on both judicial and military reform that could save billions every year, but instead the Pubs want to cut something as meager as Planned Parenthoood? (Heaven forbid if we were to cut abstinence programs!!) I mean come on. O.k., don't compromise on taxes, but can't you at least compromise on spending cuts? Do you support agriculture and oil and gas subsidies?

Instead of talking about Pub and Dems perhaps we should be talking about why it is no longer viable for a simple majority of the Senate to pass a bill. We can agree on that yes?

Lastly, the Pub party (and Dems to some extent) are a shrinking party. Neither the Dem nor the Pub party represents a majority, but both feel the tail should wag the dog. It's a shame to see the Pub party trying it's darndest to become an even smaller minority party. I believe in the two-party system. To me they are a check and balance to each other. We need each to make to make the system work.

I like you friend Hedges, sorry the feeling isn't mutual.

Bruce B, like you too!

bing of AL 8:33PM May 11, 2012

Now that the republicans have purged themselves of the last two senate members,of reason and sanity.their mission is complete.having been taken over by fruitcakes like Rand Paul, and others of his ilk.

The Republicans are truly the party of the incompetent being led by the inept

bruce b of NV 10:54AM May 11, 2012

Sen. Lugar never met an amnesty he didn't like, voting for amnesties 15 times.

HOW MUCH DID LUGAR HURT UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

We rated Sen. Lugar on 85 immigration actions since 1989.

When each action was weighted according to the numerical impact, we found that he acted 81% of the time in favor of foreign workers and dependents over the interests of U.S. workers and dependents.

That earned him a D-minus over his career, making him the worst Republican in the Senate (Sen. John McCain of Arizona is runner-up).

He acted 84% of the time in favor of the Chain Migration of extended family of immigrants over the interests of U.S. workers.

He acted 100% of the time in favor of foreign workers brought in through a random lottery.

He acted 98% of the time for amnesty enticements and 76% of the time for other rewards for illegal aliens.

And in 30 votes and co-sponsorships that were about direct importation of workers, he acted more than 99% of the time for more immigrant competition for U.S. workers.

He did give tepid support to secure borders (C+) and interior enforcement (C) but tried to kill a pilot E-Verify program to keep illegal aliens from getting jobs back in 1996.

Read the rest at:

https://www.numbersusa.com/content/nusablog/beckr/may-8-2012/defeated-sen-lugar-worst-immigration-republican-senate-both-gop-dem-indian

CharlieSeattle of OH 7:52PM May 10, 2012

My delusional friend Mr. Hedges, love the remark, "liberals...will have to change". Uh, that's not going to happen. They suffer from the same arrogance and obstinance as the far right. Would like once to see a member from the Far Left or the Far Right admit the only way forward is through compromise. Folks from the Far Right and Left can sit in their corners and pout about how unfair everything is or they can get to work and get something done. You blame the Libs, I blame the obstinates, which comes from both sides of the aisle.

The real question my friend Hedges is would you rather have nothing done or a compromise? Those are your two only realistc options. Everything else is just a fantasy. I admire your intellect friend Hedges, but you need to come down to earth and embrace reality rather than waiting for the libs to change. Both sides need to change, get off their high horses and do something.

bing of AL 6:42PM May 10, 2012