The idealist conservatives screwed the functional Republicans again. The Freedom Caucus, comprised of around 35 members of Congress, condemned Trumpcare. (Even though it was a dysfunctional bill — which shows again that bad can result in good.)
What the Freedom Causus did with the Trumpcare bill is what they have been doing for the last 8 years, and what they continue to do: Whatever bill comes up that they oppose, they force moderate legislators so far to the right that the bill never passes. Then, even with all their demands met, they don’t vote for the bill anyhow.
This strategy screws the more functional congressmen. Now these congressmen are on record for supporting a bill that their extreme conservative constituents back home oppose. Then, these congressmen loose valuable votes in the next election.
For example, with Trumpcare, the Freedom Caucus forced moderate Republicans to eliminate the “pre-existing” mandate and the mandate that insurance must cover children until they’re 26 years old. Cutting these benefits from their constituents would have harmed these moderate Republicans, but they compromised. Then the Freedom Caucus, even with their demands met, didn’t vote for the bill. And even if they did vote for the bill, with their draconian cuts, it would have never passed the Senate.
This is exactly what Lucy did to Peanuts. She would hold the football for him, and at the last minute pull it away.
It was the same tactic that the idealistic conservatives helped President Obama win his second term. During the primaries, they forced the candidates so far to the right, that none of them could win the national election.
For instance, at a primary debate in Iowa, the Republican candidates were asked if they would vote for a tax increase if the budget was reduced ten times the amount of the increase. The candidates all knew if they supported raising taxes, regardless of any compromise of the left, they would loose the primary in Iowa.
And if they refused to raise taxes, against all logic and all compromises, they would lose the national election — which they did.
The Freedom Caucus should have been renamed, “The Obama for President Caucus.”
The goal of the Freedom Caucus is simple: Have as little federal government as possible and as much economic freedom for businesses and individuals as possible. No federal government — except for military defense — would be best.
Whether this goal for be good for the country or the world is irrelevant. What is important is the implementation of their ideals. As Barry Goldwater once said, before he lost the 1964 election in a landslide: “Extremism in the defense of liberty is a virtue.” He also said, “I would rather be right than President.” And he was right….dead right.
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