Over the past eight years, the Republican Party has been transformed from a generally staid institution representing the allure of low taxes, conservative social cultural… Read More »The Menace and the Shame of the GOP House
The ordeal of Kevin McCarthy in becoming Speaker of the House provided more drama and entertainment value than is generally found on Friday night television.… Read More »After the Hazing of Kevin McCarthy
As the Midterm elections approach, American democracy is plainly in an endangered state and the responsibility lies with our two major parties. Republicans inhabit a… Read More »Republicans Are Scurrilous and Democrats Are Inept
Leading up to Thanksgiving, the attention of the media and the public was been focused on a variety of subjects: passage and signing of the… Read More »The Approaching Debt Ceiling: a Ticking Time Bomb for the Economy
The deal that Trump suddenly struck with Democratic leaders Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi is at once promising and perilous. It is promising… Read More »Blog No. 155. Trump and the Democrats (and a brief au revoir)
For a week, the eyes of all Americans, from politicians in Washington to private citizens in every state in the nation, have been focused on… Read More »Blog No. 154. A Salute to Harvey
Donald Trump’s responses to the ugly events in Charlottesville demonstrated once again his glaring deficiencies in character, temperament and competence. As summarized in Lawfare: Commentators… Read More »Blog No. 152. Contortions: Charlottesville, Trump and the Republicans
RINOcracy.com has not always been an unalloyed admirer of Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Nevertheless, credit must be given where credit is due, although being named a RINO Hero is probably an honor that neither would relish. In any case, both gentlemen deserve credit for acting with skill and courage to avoid a “crisis” over the increase in the debt ceiling. As RINOcracy.com had previously noted, the increase in the debt ceiling was inevitable, but it was not at all clear that it would be accomplished with a minimum of embarrassment to Congressional Republicans. Moreover, as events unfolded, the seemingly irrepressible Ted Cruz did his best to create that embarrassment.Read More »Blog No. 28. RINO Heroes of the Month: Boehner and McConnell (and the Anti-Hero, Ted Cruz).
It is an overused cliché to say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Yet how better to describe the actions of the House Republicans in insisting that they must “get something” in order to vote for an increase in the debt ceiling? It is a demand that has the intellectual gravitas of a child refusing to eat her spinach unless she is given a cookie.
Read More »Special Bulletin. The Debt Ceiling: Another Tea Party Tantrum
The budget agreement reached between Senator Murray and Rep. Ryan meets the most important precept of medical ethics: Primum non nocere (First, do no harm). The agreement, if approved by the House and Senate, will avoid the harm to the country that would follow from another government shutdown. It will also avoid the harm to the Republican Party from yet another demonstration of inability to function in a divided government. Read More »Special Bulletin. The Patty and Paul Show Update: Now Let’s Support the Deal.