February 28^th

 

We have some fascinating news this morning about the Republican Party; it seems we now, suddenly, have funding for the Department of Homeland Security for seven whole days! In spite of Republican Speaker Boehner‘s efforts to rally support for the measure, 52 Republicans voted against it. These Tea Party people would not vote for it because it was a clean bill; it had no rider eliminating funding for the President’s efforts to green card over 3 million immigrants with good work records and children who are American citizens. They claim his efforts to green card these folks are unconstitutional. (The tea party folks believe they are also members of the Supreme Court!) The upshot of this is that Democrats rode to the rescue and saved Speaker Boehner from even greater embarrassment. They voted for the extension. Next week we will see more drama. Will a clean bill get a vote? How long will any funding extension be? Who will write the screenplay?

On a less (but not much less) hilarious note: The Republican Party is breaking up; it has been breaking up for some time but this fracture may not heal. The term RHINO has often been applied by conservative Republicans to their more liberal colleagues; it means Republican in name only. It been around for a long time but became common in the 1990s well after President Reagan’s “Eleventh Commandment,” which was, “Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” The Tea Party folks just aren’t buying that conciliatory position. Speaker Boehner doesn’t seem to have the clout “to get the nation’s business done.” (Trite phrase that, but it fits here.) One could easily make the case that the breakup has already occurred. If fifty odd Republicans will not accept the leadership of their party then de facto they are a different party!

So where would the leadership of the Tea Party come from? Michelle Bachmann who started the Tea Party Caucus is gone but might come back. Rand Paul has enough charisma if he can keep from cutting his foot with his teeth and there is always (and always) Sarah Palin. If the Republican Party does come apart Democrats should not cheer too loudly; we could be next.