Patterico's Pontifications

2/4/2022

RNC Seeks To Make It Official: Fealty To Trump Is Number One Requirement For Members

Filed under: General — Dana @ 9:31 am



[guest post by Dana]

If this doesn’t make it perfectly clear to you that the Republican Party’s main priority is fealty to a liar who fomented an insurrection and continues to lie about the 2020 election results instead of loyalty to members who continue to sacrifice their political and personal lives to uphold the Constitution, then nothing will. What we are now seeing is the complete breakdown of the Republican Party as we have known it, and a rejection of the party’s longheld values and principles:

A Republican National Committee panel unanimously advanced a resolution Thursday to censure Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.

The measure will go before all 168 RNC members at Friday’s general session, where officials will decide whether to endorse it.

“The resolution would censure Cheney and Kinzinger and call on the RNC to “immediately cease any and all support of them as members of the Republican Party for their behavior which has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic, and is inconsistent with the position of the conference.”

Jonathan Chait describes the hard truth we are witnessing thusly:

Disturbingly, the committee resolution echoes Trump’s line about the insurrection itself. The resolution describes the investigation as a “Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.” And it condemns the Justice Department’s charges of the rioters as a “Democrat abuse of prosecutorial power for partisan purposes.”

The party’s stance has moved rightward at such a dizzying rate that the full implications of every iterative move can be difficult to absorb. It’s helpful to pause and let this part sink in: The Republican Party is now on record as not only in favor of covering up Trump’s attempted coup, but also against charging the radical violent vanguard that attempted to carry it out on the ground. The insurrectionists, per official Republican Party doctrine, are martyrs.

If you consider what happened on Jan. 6 as legitimate political discourse, and believe that efforts to root out the truth and hold accountable any and all for the events of Jan. 6 are “destructive to the…Republican Party,” then welcome home! It is inarguable that today’s Republican Party is where the quest for truth, protecting the Constitution, and holding individuals accountable for their actions is not only unwelcome but will result in punishment and rejection. By officially establishing the party litmus test (fealty to Trump), and publicly excoriating the last few honest brokers in the party, the Jan.6 participants themselves can be reassured that the Republican Party remains their home. While integrity clearly has no home in the Republican Party, all “legitimate political discourse” is welcome there:

Untitled4

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jan. 6

I left the Republican Party some time ago. I’m just not into that kind of “legitimate political discourse”. Today I am reminded that it was one of my better decisions.

I’ll leave you with these comments by Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Rep. Liz Cheney, and Sen. Mitt Romney:

–Dana

87 Responses to “RNC Seeks To Make It Official: Fealty To Trump Is Number One Requirement For Members”

  1. The RNC is free to do what its members want, certainly. However, if this is what the majority of members want and vote on, then there can be no arguing about the priorities of the party.

    Dana (5395f9)

  2. This makes sense. It’s Trumps party and exists for the glory of Trump. Any adherence to principle or policy is secondary where it’s not imaginary. He has not use for truth, our laws, or our traditions so neither does MAGA.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  3. Where’s my place?
    If you consider what happened on Jan. 6 as legitimate political discourse, and believe that efforts to root out the truth and hold accountable any and all for the events of Jan. 6 are “destructive to the…Republican Party,” then welcome home!

    Can I split the baby?
    If you consider what happened on Jan. 6 as legitimate political discourse
    The non-rioters/trespasser – yes, I believe what they protested, no matter how wrong they are, is legitimate political discourse.

    and believe that efforts to root out the truth and hold accountable any and all for the events of Jan. 6 are “destructive to the…Republican Party,” then welcome home!
    I DON’T agree with that if we’re talking about those who actually rioted/tresspassed. But, far too often, the actions of those rioters are conflated to those legit peaceful protestors.

    Furthermore, there’s this anger against Kinzinger, Cheney, and Romney that their obstinate objection isn’t about figuring out what went wrong on 1/6. It’s their attempt to draw the line in the sand against Trump, to the detriment of the GOP party, by giving easy ammo to the Democratic party.

    I’m anti-progressive/anti-communist. While I’m very disappointed in the GOP party, particularly around Trump, I still don’t want to encourage any scenario whereby the hardcore leftist/progressives are given any power. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. We should be able to push for GOP success, while at the same time provide some sort of constructive criticisms, without empower the Democrat party.

    whembly (840a86)

  4. Can I split the baby?
    If you consider what happened on Jan. 6 as legitimate political discourse
    The non-rioters/trespasser – yes, I believe what they protested, no matter how wrong they are, is legitimate political discourse.

    The resolution doesn’t make your distinction.

    WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse……

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  5. The GOP cast the die, and their lot in with Trump, a year ago. They are not doing this for Trump now. They are doing it for themselves.

    nk (1d9030)

  6. I DON’T agree with that if we’re talking about those who actually rioted/tresspassed. But, far too often, the actions of those rioters are conflated to those legit peaceful protestors.

    This is happening in some of the rhetoric. It is not happening in the legal system. The fact that the RNC, in this very motion, is saying the rioters actions were legitimate makes grouping them together more reasonable and not less. It tells me that the people in charge of the GOP don’t see a difference between peaceful protest and the violent trump supporters that attacked the police and seized the. Capital in order to prevent a constitutionally mandated transfer of power.

    We should be able to push for GOP success, while at the same time provide some sort of constructive criticisms

    It would appear that we cannot. Liz Chaney, daughter of the former VP and lifelong republican with nearly perfectly conservative. Voting record isn’t welcome in the modern GOP.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  7. Aren’t these two members publicly equivocal about whether or not they want the GOP to win control of the House? (Or, if they are nominally unequivocal, they act as though they are equivocal.)

    Cheney did not want Jim Banks (who served our country in Afghanistan) on the January 6 committee, apparently because he voted against certification in 2021. Meanwhile, she has no problem serving with Bennie Thompson, who did the same in 2005, or Jamie Raskin, who objected to certification in 2017. It is outrageous, and I say that as someone who would have voted to certify.

    mikeybates (0b2118)

  8. @7, maybe she felt the Hundreds of violent trump supports that assaulted the police and briefly seized the US capital made the current situation very different from the ones you mentioned.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  9. “I’ve been a member of the Republican Party long before Donald Trump entered the field…”

    Pfft. Adam Kinzinger is only 43 years old. In 1987, when Kinzinger was just NINE YEARS OLD, Larry King asked Donald Trump on CNN:

    KING: “Are you a Republican, Donald?”

    TRUMP: “I’m a Republican, yes.”

    https://www.thethinkingconservative.com/trump-on-putting-america-first-in-1987-larry-king-live/

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  10. @7, maybe she felt the Hundreds of violent trump supports that assaulted the police and briefly seized the US capital made the current situation very different from the ones you mentioned.

    Jim Banks did that?

    mikeybates (0b2118)

  11. The violent attacks on the capital weren’t part of the previous objections and are part of what makes the objection in 2020 worse then the previous (and performative) objections.

    In the previous objections critics would complain that while performative, baseless and doomed, they could be used a pretext to justify sincere attempts to steal the election. In 2020 that’s what happened.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  12. The leaders of the Republican Party have made themselves willing hostages to a man who admits he tried to overturn a presidential election and suggests he would pardon Jan. 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy.

    This is carefully written. She;s not accusing Trump of being responsible for the riot.

    Now if only the Jan 6 committee would clear that up. That doesn’t mean that Trump did not have some direct or indirect contact with those who planned it – they at least got him to make a speech and invite people. Whatever he may or may not have secretly done, and thaat is worth looking into, he did not incite anyone with that speech he gave at the Ellipse, although he created their whole “cause”

    Sammy Finkelman (c49738)

  13. Liz Chaney, daughter of the former VP and lifelong republican with nearly perfectly conservative. Voting record isn’t welcome in the modern GOP.

    Is she listed in one of Romney’s binders full of women, too?

    What goes around comes around: welcome to 1964.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  14. Donald Trump even wanted to become George Bush’s choice for vice president in 1988 and flirted with running for president in 1987. Then his divorce took him out of political promotion for about ten years. Trump wandered from party to party.

    Sammy Finkelman (c49738)

  15. Let me fix Chait’s directional claim: “The party’s stance has moved rightward Trumpward at such a dizzying rate . . .”

    Modern conservatives (or the “right”, as Chait prefers), have had their faults over the years, but it would be nearly impossible to find any who thought that cozying up to “Czar” Putin is a good idea. The people doing that, now, are demonstrating that they are no longer conservatives, or even on the right — if they ever were.

    (In “The English Constitution”, Walter Bagehot argued that a monarchy is the most natural form of government, since it is the easiest to understand. Sadly, we have to recognize that he was right, and that a constitutional republic requires more rational thought from its citizens, than a monarchy.

    We also have to recognize that our civics education has failed in recent decades.)

    Jim Miller (edcec1)

  16. Dana, here’s a better tweet from Liz Cheney.
    I am completely gobsmacked that my party just endorsed rioting and violence as part of their “reason” to censure two House representatives who condemned this violence.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  17. Here are some pertinent paragraphs from Wikipedia’s Jim Banks biography:

    After Joe Biden won the 2020 election and Donald Trump refused to concede while making false claims of fraud, Banks was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.[24][25][26] Banks later objected to the certification of the election results.[27]

    After the January 6th 2021 United States Capitol attack, Banks expressed support for a bipartisan commission to investigate the riot. He later changed his mind.[28] On July 21, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vetoed Kevin McCarthy’s assigning of Banks and Jim Jordan to the January 6 Select Committee, citing how both of them amplified Trump’s false claims of fraud in the 2020 election.[29] Banks subsequently claimed that Pelosi was at fault for the January 6th insurrection and that she was using the commission to cover up her role.[30]

    In late February 2021, Banks and a dozen other Republican House members skipped votes and enlisted others to vote for them, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, he and the other members were actually attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same time as their slated absences.[31] In response, the Campaign for Accountability, an ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the House Committee on Ethics and requested an investigation into Banks and the other lawmakers.

    If those are reasonably accurate — and I have no reason to think they are not — then he would not appear to be an ideal member of the January 6th committee.

    Jim Miller (edcec1)

  18. We also have to recognize that our civics education has failed in recent decades.

    On the contrary- the populous has learned– the hard way; From the Gulf of Tonkin, to the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, Iran-Contra, the vaporous peace dividend and ghostly WMD; to the ‘you gotta pass it to read what’s in it’ to ‘you can keep your doctor’ to 50 years of experience equaling blatant incompetence, “transient” 7%+ inflation, where 90% is labeled 100%; where $2000 becomes $1400; where chasing a mutation with weak vaccines lines the pockets of Big Pharma; where Big Meat is the new boogeyman– and just six months after 20 years of the Afghan war, the MIC is prattling for more conflict in Europe as an appetizer– and Taiwan as the main course.

    Yeah. The electorate has learned alright. Hence they’ve abandoning the major parties in increasing numbers and fueling the flames of populism. And the fire keeps growing.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  19. It is becoming more important than ever to charge Trump with treason, then convict and execute him.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  20. Axios as done a study on who has influence in the republican party and who does not. Trump and tucker carlson influence republicans. The republican corporate establishment and economic libertarian conservatives do not. Groups like chamber of commerce, heritage foundation, nra, drudge report and never trump publications like national review do not. Dana who is left here who doesn’t think that donald trump influences if not out right dominates the republican party? Is there anyone here who still think populists who take their marching orders from trump don’t rule the republican party?

    asset (f6d665)

  21. OTOH, if the GOP wins in 2024, no matter who is the candidate, there will be a blanket pardon, top to bottom, and the FBI will be set loose on those state officials who “covered up” The Steal.

    The time has never been better for a new major party. NOT a 3rd party, but a replacement second party. Third parties operate on the fringes of politics (Greens, Libertarians, Wallacites, etc). Perot showed the way for a new 2nd-party movement, getting 19% of the vote with a massively flawed candidate.

    There is now enough dissatisfaction in the GOP to split it. It should be split.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  22. chait: “The insurrectionists, per official Republican Party doctrine, are martyrs.”

    liz (aka The Constitution): “I am completely gobsmacked that my party just endorsed rioting and violence as part of their “reason” to censure two House representatives who condemned this violence.”

    i wonder why chait and liz and many of the commenters here don’t simply link to the actual resolution

    it couldn’t be cuz they’re flat out lying about what the resolution says

    nah!

    btw, is chait still mocking families concerned about the price of milk?

    JF (e1156d)

  23. @22. That’s a pretty damning resolution; from a “major party” more and more voters are fleeing– and fewer and fewer citizens are affiliated.

    … and Putin smiled.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  24. If those are reasonably accurate — and I have no reason to think they are not — then he would not appear to be an ideal member of the January 6th committee.

    Why not? When Bennie Thompson and Jamie Raskin voted against certification in the past, were they trying to overturn those elections, or not? If not, what were they doing?

    It’s only wrong when Republicans do it. (Same as ever, in other words.)

    mikeybates (0b2118)

  25. Here is is:

    In an overwhelming voice vote by committee members gathered for the general session of their winter meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, the RNC rebuked Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. The resolution also states the RNC will “no longer support them as members of the Republican Party.

    Dana (5395f9)

  26. How could those idiot republicans leave mittens off that list?

    mg (8cbc69)

  27. Did Kinzinger cry? Again?

    mg (8cbc69)

  28. It is becoming more important than ever to charge Trump with treason, then convict and execute him.

    Trump has not committed treason, at best it could be seditious conspiracy, and the evidence of even that is thin.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  29. A functioning republic cannot happen with the republican lifers. They need to go.

    mg (8cbc69)

  30. Only “thing” keeping him alive, mg, unless she goes H____r Jungen:
    https://www.yahoo.com/news/rnc-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-says-154347275.html

    urbanleftbehind (c073c9)

  31. It’s probably not a coincidence that Trump talked about pardoning 1/6 rioters last weekend, and then not a full week later Trump’s RNC excused the rioters while going after the two of the most “disloyal” Republicans.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  32. Why not? When Bennie Thompson and Jamie Raskin voted against certification in the past, were they trying to overturn those elections, or not? If not, what were they doing?

    It’s only wrong when Republicans do it. (Same as ever, in other words.)

    mikeybates (0b2118) — 2/4/2022 @ 1:24 pm

    responded to this point in my comment above.

    But I’ll repeat it for your convenience.

    The violent attacks on the capital weren’t part of the previous objections and are part of what makes the objection in 2020 worse then the previous (and performative) objections.

    In the previous objections critics would complain that while performative, baseless and doomed, they could be used a pretext to justify sincere attempts to steal the election. In 2020 that’s what happened.

    Time123 (9f42ee) — 2/4/2022 @ 11:18 am

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  33. Trump has not committed treason, at best it could be seditious conspiracy, and the evidence of even that is thin.

    There was an overt act of “making war against the United States” and there were more than two eye-witnesses. There is no need to bring in any enemy power, or adherence.

    Was the assault on the Capitol “making war against the United States”? It is at least arguable. Did Trump agitate for and support the attack? I think the evidence is there.

    Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them … is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

    The text ellipsed is immaterial here.

    I think that everyone watching this live knew that when the mob entered the Capitol, it ceased to be a demonstration and became an assault. That Trump did nothing for HOURS, and his administration dragged their feet on sending available reinforcements, indicates that his desire was for it to succeed. This is why the committee is so intent on getting testimony and records from those speaking to Trump during this time. I believe the evidence is there of treason.

    If you think that the President cannot commit treason, you’d be very surprised to find out that it was a big worry at the Constitutional Convention, particularly regarding the pardon power.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  34. So objecting to certification of an election is okay, so long as there is not a riot afterward? But if there is a riot, then the fact that a member objected becomes disqualifying from serving on a committee?

    mikeybates (c22064)

  35. @22JF

    From the resolution

    WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse

    This clearly says that the events of Jan 6 were legitimate political discourse. There’s nothing in this to differentiate between the peaceful Trump protestors and the violent ones that assaulted the police and seized the capital. Hence it endorses rioting and violence as legitimate to the RNC. While the RNC doesn’t use the work “martyrs” the word Matyr is accurately applied to someone persecuted for their beliefs. So both of the statements that you didn’t like are accurate.

    Let me know if you need more explanation about other parts you don’t understand.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  36. Treason doesn’t mean schiff. Generals tell the chicoms what we may or may not do.

    mg (8cbc69)

  37. So objecting to certification of an election is okay, so long as there is not a riot afterward? But if there is a riot, then the fact that a member objected becomes disqualifying from serving on a committee?

    mikeybates (c22064) — 2/4/2022 @ 2:19 pm

    Performative objections to a fair election are not OK. But they’re not as bad as objections that are paired with a violent attempt to steal the election. Banks and Jordans support of the lies about election fraud are a decent reason to object to their participation in a committee investigating a violent attempt to steal the election they lied about.

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  38. Performative objections to a fair election are not OK. But they’re not as bad as objections that are paired with a violent attempt to steal the election. Banks and Jordans support of the lies about election fraud are a decent reason to object to their participation in a committee investigating a violent attempt to steal the election they lied about.

    If that is true, then Republicans are within their rights to exclude any Democrat who ever objected to a certification from serving on any House committee, too. You can’t unring the bell.

    mikeybates (c22064)

  39. ‘The resolution also states the RNC will “no longer support them as members of the Republican Party.’

    $ is the supportive mother’s milk of politics; hence Daughter Darth won’t go thirsty thanks to Daddy War-Bucks:

    Reminder: Halliburton Made $39.5 Billion From The Iraq War

    KBR was awarded at least $39.5bn in federal contracts during the ten years its staff served along U.S. troops in Iraq.

    https://mavenroundtable.io/theintellectualist/news/reminder-halliburton-made-39-5-billion-from-the-iraq-war

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  40. Fair enough trade, mikeybates, especially since you can count those D’s on well within one person’s appendages.

    urbanleftbehind (c073c9)

  41. I wonder if Trump’s RNC will censure Pence next.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  42. How pathetic the lifer republicans have become. They had no answer for The Orange Man.
    But I am happy Trump exposed how pathetic they are.
    I want Kamalalala.

    mg (8cbc69)

  43. Paul Montagu at 41,

    You mean the same RNC that has clearly dismissed rioters chanting to hang Pence as nothing but “legitimate political discourse”? That RNC??

    Dana (5395f9)

  44. How many appendages do you have? There were several dozen who objected in 2005, including not only the J6 Committee chair Bennie Thompson but Jim Clyburn, who is in Democratic leadership and in the news for extracting Biden’s racial quota pledge, and also the late John Lewis, for whom the ‘voting rights’ bill is named. When seeking to overturn the votes of Republicans in Ohio, ‘voting rights’ are less of a concern.

    mikeybates (c22064)

  45. @33. LBJ committed “treason” faking the Gulf of Tonkin; Nixon committed “treason” for his backdoor dealing w/Vietnam through Anna Chennault; Reagan committed “treason” by trading arms for hostages; but worst of all– Dubya committed “treason” by putting ketchup on frankfurters. 😉

    “ Nobody, I mean nobody, puts ketchup on a hot dog.” — Harry Callahan [Clint Eastwood] ‘Sudden Impact’ 1983

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  46. Reasonable Republicans did (and do) have an answer for “The Orange Man,” but neither you nor the RNC wants to hear or accept it. Instead, punishing those with the answer is the route the Republicans have chosen to go. Sad!

    Dana (5395f9)

  47. Just for clarity, Dana, like Trump likes to have his name on buildings and golf courses, he might as well rename the RNC to Trump RNC. If Ronna is lucky, maybe he’ll waive some of the naming rights.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  48. Dana, I have nothing to do with RNC. Never will. Lifer republicans have failed my family. How the incompetence of these hacks is my fault is laughable.

    mg (8cbc69)

  49. Time123 @35 “This clearly says that the events of Jan 6 were legitimate political discourse.”

    no, it does not

    the events of jan6 included both violent insurrection and legitimate political discourse

    the jan6 committee is going after both

    “There’s nothing in this to differentiate between the peaceful Trump protestors and the violent ones that assaulted the police and seized the capital.”

    the resolution doesn’t have to differentiate between that

    the jan6 committee does

    they aren’t

    JF (e1156d)

  50. JF, after Ronna McDaniel reworded that dog’s breakfast of a resolution, it still said “a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol”, which is a lie because no one on the committee did that, including Cheney-Kinzinger.
    The only “persecution” that has taken place has been focused on the 1/6 rioters, i.e., the protesters who abrogated their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly protesters by breaking the law.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  51. …assembly protesters by…

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  52. 80% of republicans support trump and another 5 to 10 % will vote republican regardless. Your 2nd anti trump party will be a third party with most anti trumpeters splitting votes with the libertarian party. The political naivety of posters here who think they are smart conservatives is astounding. Ross perot was that eras trump that is why he got 19% Bush was the establishment candidate.

    asset (ffd686)

  53. JF, can you provide any examples of the Jan 6 committee “persecuting” peaceful protestors?

    Time123 (9f42ee)

  54. @50 right, for example, they’re not going after trump

    or mark meadows

    they aren’t going to go after anyone who blows them off and refuses to cooperate

    say that with a straight face

    JF (e1156d)

  55. Lest you forget:

    “In 1964, John Birch Society head Robert Welch favored Barry Goldwater for the Republican presidential nomination, but the membership split, with two-thirds supporting Goldwater and one-third supporting Richard Nixon, who did not run. A number of Birch members and their allies were Goldwater supporters in 1964 and some were delegates at the 1964 Republican National Convention.

    The JBS was a co-sponsor of the 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), ending its decades-long split with the mainstream conservative movement.

    Although JBS membership numbers are kept private, it has reported a resurgence of members during the Donald Trump presidency, specifically in Texas. The organization’s goals in Texas include opposition to the UN’s Agenda 21 based on a conspiracy theory that it will “establish control over all human activity”, and opposition to a bill that would allow people who entered The United States illegally to pay in-state tuition for Texas state colleges.

    The JBS has been associated with the Trump presidency by political commentators such as Jeet Heer (now of The Nation magazine), who argued while writing for The New Republic in June 2016, that “Trumpism” is essentially Bircherism. Trump confidante and longtime advisor Roger Stone said that Trump’s father Fred Trump was a financier of the JBS and a personal friend of founder Robert Welch. Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney was the speaker at the John Birch Society’s National Council dinner shortly before joining the Trump administration. Former Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas), has had a long and very close relationship with the JBS, celebrating its work in his 2008 keynote speech at its 50th anniversary event and saying that the JBS was leading the fight to restore freedom. The keynote speaker at the organization’s 60th anniversary celebration was Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky.), who maintains a near-perfect score on the JBS’s “Freedom Index” ranking of members of Congress. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who hosted Trump on his Infowars radio show and claims to have a personal relationship with the president, called Trump a “John Birch Society president” and previously claimed Trump was “more John Birch Society than the John Birch Society.

    In July 2021, the Republican central committees of Kootenai County, Idaho, and Benewah County, Idaho, unanimously approved resolutions calling JBS “a valuable organization that is dedicated to restoring the Republic according to the vision of the Founding Fathers.” The Idaho Republican Party declined to endorse the resolutions.” -source, wikiwackos.nutbag

    “That’s some damn choice, Bob.” – Robert Kennedy [Martin Sheen] ‘The Missiles of October’ ABC TV, 1974

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  56. The rnc and 81 million morons has no problem with fuel costs up 40% in 11 months.
    effing Dolts. and how about a budget, Rona? Such a stooge she is.

    mg (8cbc69)

  57. Republicans cant bring up talk about a budget, because they don’t give a dam.

    mg (8cbc69)

  58. Damn, i thought the skinny bigheads got out of way of the native born ones during the GFRs, mg.

    urbanleftbehind (c073c9)

  59. “In 1964, John Birch Society head Robert Welch favored Barry Goldwater for the Republican presidential nomination…”

    DRINK!!

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  60. Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse

    Well, the COMMITTEE is not doing a damn thing with regards to “ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.” They actually can’t, since bills of attainder are unconstitutional. It would be the DoJ doing that, if anyone is.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  61. The Twin Cities is thug land. Some no why.
    Very touchy subject for my family. I will never forgive these punks.

    mg (8cbc69)

  62. @55: When I was a kid, my Congressman was John G Schmitz, who was a member of the JBS. Schmitz once joked that he had joined the John Birch Society in order to court the moderate vote in Orange County.

    It’s interesting to note that the second President of the JBS (Rep. Larry McDonald (R-GA)) was killed by the Soviet Union on KAL 007. His district is now held by MTG.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  63. @456: It’s idiocy like this that confuses people about what “treason” is. Utterly none of that is treason, save perhaps for putting catsup on hot dogs.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  64. @60. You must be hammered… and sickled by now. 😉

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  65. If you think that the President cannot commit treason, you’d be very surprised to find out that it was a big worry at the Constitutional Convention, particularly regarding the pardon power.

    I never said that a President cannot commit treason, just that I doubt President Trump hasn’t. If the government couldn’t (or wouldn’t) charge John Walker Lindh with treason after being captured armed serving with the Taliban during combat, then someone who egged on a riot won’t be.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  66. Correction:

    I never said that a President cannot commit treason, just that I doubt President Trump has.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  67. @64. George Will Confirms Nixon’s Vietnam Treason

    ‘Richard Nixon was a traitor.

    The new release of extended versions of Nixon’s papers now confirms this long-standing belief, usually dismissed as a “conspiracy theory” by Republican conservatives. Now it has been substantiated by none other than right-wing columnist George Will.’

    https://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/12/george-will-confirms-nixons-vietnam-treason

    “Nice try buddy, but you muffed it!” – Harry [Clark Gable] ‘Idiot’s Delight’ 1939

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  68. When I was a kid, my Congressman was John G Schmitz……

    Who had so much love that he had two families (at the same time) with one of his (legitimate) daughters being Mary Kay Letourneau.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  69. A Nixon offense: ketchup mixed into cottage cheese.

    [ ] high-crime

    [ ] misdemeanor

    Choose.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  70. @63. It’s interesting to note that the second President of the JBS (Rep. Larry McDonald (R-GA)) was killed by the Soviet Union on KAL 007

    They couldn’t get him with water fluoridation.

    Wot? Too soon? 😉

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  71. I never said that a President cannot commit treason, just that I doubt President Trump has.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/4/2022 @ 4:32 pm

    Treason? No, probably not.

    Which doesn’t mean he didn’t commit several felonies on that day alone, never mind the rest of his (hopefully sole) presidential term. But I don’t think treason was one of them.

    Demosthenes (3fd56e)

  72. Impeachable? Unequivocally yes.

    Criminal? Probably, but intent may be unprovable.

    Treason? Almost certainly not.

    lurker (59504c)

  73. @60. You must be hammered… and sickled by now. 😉

    Getting there, DC. Just started happy hour.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  74. @74. Allow me to help:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNGfP1X4Uks

    😉

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  75. The only way forward in the GOP is to call out Trump and break with him. Oh, in the short term it has problems, but 10 years from now there will be no Trump and no Trump supporters; they’ll be back to their football and gossip tabloids.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  76. Nixon’s interference with these negotiations violated President John Adams’s 1797 Logan Act,

    Only two people have ever been indicted on charges of violating the Act, one in 1802 and the other in 1852. Neither was convicted

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act

    And it certainly is not the same as “treason” which requires 1) making war on the US, or 2) adhering to the cause of an enemy, giving them aid and comfort.

    Nixon did neither. And even if he had (qhich he didn’t) it requires two eyewitnesses to the same overt act.

    Again DCSCA, you are just spouting nonsense.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  77. The only way forward in the GOP is to call out Trump and break with him.

    But not right now. They cannot at this particular point in time. They own Trump the way McDonald’s owns the Big Mac, and it’s too late in this election season to change the menu. They have to stay with him as their flagship item to defeat the loonies in the primaries and to bring out the vote against the Democrats in November. Which is why they are so intent on defending him. They are defending themselves.

    nk (1d9030)

  78. The only way forward in the GOP is to call out Trump and break with him.

    Kevin M (38e250) — 2/4/2022 @ 6:45 pm

    They can’t do that anymore, Kevin. They own him and all his crap at this point.

    Demosthenes (3fd56e)

  79. @77. George Will spouting nonsense??!??!!

    ROFLMAOPIP

    Glorious! 😉

    But actually, Keven, the most ‘nonsensical’ posting was your very own:

    ‘@19. It is becoming more important than ever to charge Trump with treason, then convict and execute him.

    Kevin M — 2/4/2022 @ 1:00 pm’

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  80. They can’t do that anymore, Kevin. They own him and all his crap at this point.

    Obviously I wasn’t clear: The only way forward for any future hopefuls in the GOP is to call out Trump and break with him.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  81. Everyone who toes the line with Trump is tied to Trump’s future. When he falls, they fall soon thereafter. Just like Nixon’s staunch defenders did.

    Kevin M (38e250)

  82. Obviously I wasn’t clear: The only way forward for any future hopefuls in the GOP is to call out Trump and break with him.

    Kevin M (38e250) — 2/5/2022 @ 2:06 am

    Ah, gotcha.

    Still, I’m not sure that’s true. Trump will now have the GOP for the next two generations, even after his death…just like Reagan did. Successful politicians within it with either have to be Trump-tolerant (Youngkin) or Trump-vocal (DeSantis), This will see the GOP get its clock cleaned repeatedly in presidential contests, LIKE IN 2020 (for those deniers still on the board), but they should still do reasonably well in Congressional races.

    Demosthenes (b93f39)

  83. Mitt may be right about Liz and Adam, but he knows better than anyone how some people glom onto things thought honorable and weasel their way into being declared honorable via play acting. (See Vindman)

    They belong to a group of 535 that contains some of the worst people outside of prison in America distributed on both sides of politics, but these 3 shine like the beacon in the lighthouse guiding all towards truth, justice, honorability.

    I’m a Cynical Bas**** and am oh so very very honorable for admitting it. Send me cash, checks or bitcoin

    steveg (e81d76)

  84. @82. Everyone who toes the line with Trump is tied to Trump’s future. When he falls, they fall soon thereafter. Just like Nixon’s staunch defenders did.

    Everyone???

    That would have been news to the late Bob Dole, staunch Nixon defender, GOP Senate Majority Leader; GOP Senate Minority Leader; Senate Republican Conference Leader, RNC Chair; 1976 Republican Vice-Presidential candidate; 1996 Republican Presidential candidate… and he gave the eulogy at Nixon’s funeral.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  85. @84. Sir Willard of Romney Marsh always comes across as a Johnny-Come-Lately to events. Appears to hang back ’til dust settles and others decide before taking a a POV; a perpetual ‘lead-from-behind’ creep. He’s the kind of fella who’d voice support for the 1944 Normandy invasion–in 1968.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  86. Paul Montagu (5de684) — 2/4/2022 @ 12:50 pm

    I am completely gobsmacked that my party just endorsed rioting and violence as part of their “reason” to censure two House representatives who condemned this violence.

    They deny that;s what they did – but somebody wrote that resolution, They say they were talking about people being subpoenaed over their role in submitting certificates for electors in 7 states – or something. (they’ve been threatened with prosecution by commentators) It’s an inaccurate PR.

    Still, they didn’t all go along with claiming those people prosecuted had only engaged in legitimate (or at least legal) political discourse. The resolution was passed by voice vote. And it wasn’t clear what it was referring to.

    They say what they wanted to do was censure Liz Cheney in order for the RNC to support a primary opponent (well they needed one more thing for that.)

    Sammy Finkelman (c49738)


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