DENNIS PATRICK: WE HAVE RULERS—NOT LEADERS
Why don’t Republicans behave as leaders or the loyal opposition for which they were elected? Angelo M. Codevilla answers that question in his book “The Ruling Class.” He maintains that for so many years the Republicans, as outsiders, wanted to be part of the “big clique,” the inner circle that dominated Washington politics. Briefly, The Ruling Class (Establishment) is comprised of professional politicians dominated by Democrats and supplemented by moderate Republicans.
The Donald Trump phenomenon, like the Tea Party before it, is a citizen uprising against establishment politicians – the careerists who make their living off the government. The Establishment, so identified as The Ruling Class by Codevilla in his book by that title, goes a long way to explain why Republicans do not behave as the loyal opposition when in the minority or as leaders when in the majority.
Establishment Republicans warn us that Donald Trump is not a conservative. (I don’t believe he said he was.) Yet, those who issue the warning, when given the chance, do not themselves demonstrate conservatism.
The threat to the Republican establishment was brought about by their own behavior. Truth be told, the establishment Republicans as part of the Ruling Class would be content to lose the presidency in 2016 as long as they get to keep their seats and retain personal power. They would sacrifice a Republican presidency choosing not to win rather than accept someone outside their club like Donald Trump as their nominee.
Republicans, with the help of conservatives and independents, have controlled the US House since 2010 and both Houses of Congress since 2014. Republicans were elected to a majority in both Houses of Congress by a frustrated public seeking tax reform, reduced government regulation, debt control, immigration reform, jobs and defense of the nation against terrorism. Today, what do the voters who produced the Republican majority have to show for their allegiance? Very little. No wonder people are willing to look for an outsider.
The Ruling Class accumulates power by redistributing other people’s wealth. Power derives from public office because it is from there that elected officials distribute the “bacon” as it were back to their constituents from whom the money was confiscated as taxes in the first place. Money becomes an aphrodisiac administered by Senators and Representatives to the public so they can show love and be loved in return.
Senator John Hoeven and Representative Kevin Cramer have been co-opted into the Ruling Class. They are not conservative – except in their rhetoric at election time. Evidence? The Heritage Foundation has tracked their voting records at around 50% conservative. Together with Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Hoeven and Cramer have become part of the Ruling Class. They are more prone to “reach across the aisle” in a gesture of “bipartisanship” in order to “get things done” rather than to resolve hard issues.
Most Republican Senators and Representatives cringe at the thought of being held hostage by Democrats and their sycophant media who may blame them for a “government shutdown” bogeyman. Time and again Democrats snooker Republicans with this tactic and time and again Republicans, lacking leadership, succumb. In the 1978, 1995 and 2013 “shut downs,” non-essential services comprising no more than 13% of the government were ever “shut down.” That may be a good thing. At least those non-essential functions weren’t spending money.
It is easy for The Ruling Class to give the appearance of “getting things done” by voting on non-controversial measures they know in advance won’t go anywhere. These are “safe” votes that can be sold to their constituents. This is not leadership.
On hard issues requiring leadership such as income tax reform, immigration and border security the Ruling Class has resolved nothing. Our Senators and Representative have talked a good fight – for years. And for years nothing substantive has been accomplished on these issues. On the part of the North Dakota delegation leadership is lacking.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Why don’t Republicans behave as leaders or the loyal opposition for which they were elected? Angelo M. Codevilla answers that question in his book “The Ruling Class.” He maintains that for so many years the Republicans, as outsiders, wanted to be part of the “big clique,” the inner circle that dominated Washington politics. Briefly, The Ruling Class (Establishment) is comprised of professional politicians dominated by Democrats and supplemented by moderate Republicans.
The Donald Trump phenomenon, like the Tea Party before it, is a citizen uprising against establishment politicians – the careerists who make their living off the government. The Establishment, so identified as The Ruling Class by Codevilla in his book by that title, goes a long way to explain why Republicans do not behave as the loyal opposition when in the minority or as leaders when in the majority.
Establishment Republicans warn us that Donald Trump is not a conservative. (I don’t believe he said he was.) Yet, those who issue the warning, when given the chance, do not themselves demonstrate conservatism.
The threat to the Republican establishment was brought about by their own behavior. Truth be told, the establishment Republicans as part of the Ruling Class would be content to lose the presidency in 2016 as long as they get to keep their seats and retain personal power. They would sacrifice a Republican presidency choosing not to win rather than accept someone outside their club like Donald Trump as their nominee.
Republicans, with the help of conservatives and independents, have controlled the US House since 2010 and both Houses of Congress since 2014. Republicans were elected to a majority in both Houses of Congress by a frustrated public seeking tax reform, reduced government regulation, debt control, immigration reform, jobs and defense of the nation against terrorism. Today, what do the voters who produced the Republican majority have to show for their allegiance? Very little. No wonder people are willing to look for an outsider.
The Ruling Class accumulates power by redistributing other people’s wealth. Power derives from public office because it is from there that elected officials distribute the “bacon” as it were back to their constituents from whom the money was confiscated as taxes in the first place. Money becomes an aphrodisiac administered by Senators and Representatives to the public so they can show love and be loved in return.
Senator John Hoeven and Representative Kevin Cramer have been co-opted into the Ruling Class. They are not conservative – except in their rhetoric at election time. Evidence? The Heritage Foundation has tracked their voting records at around 50% conservative. Together with Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Hoeven and Cramer have become part of the Ruling Class. They are more prone to “reach across the aisle” in a gesture of “bipartisanship” in order to “get things done” rather than to resolve hard issues.
Most Republican Senators and Representatives cringe at the thought of being held hostage by Democrats and their sycophant media who may blame them for a “government shutdown” bogeyman. Time and again Democrats snooker Republicans with this tactic and time and again Republicans, lacking leadership, succumb. In the 1978, 1995 and 2013 “shut downs,” non-essential services comprising no more than 13% of the government were ever “shut down.” That may be a good thing. At least those non-essential functions weren’t spending money.
It is easy for The Ruling Class to give the appearance of “getting things done” by voting on non-controversial measures they know in advance won’t go anywhere. These are “safe” votes that can be sold to their constituents. This is not leadership.
On hard issues requiring leadership such as income tax reform, immigration and border security the Ruling Class has resolved nothing. Our Senators and Representative have talked a good fight – for years. And for years nothing substantive has been accomplished on these issues. On the part of the North Dakota delegation leadership is lacking.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).Why don’t Republicans behave as leaders or the loyal opposition for which they were elected? Angelo M. Codevilla answers that question in his book “The Ruling Class.” He maintains that for so many years the Republicans, as outsiders, wanted to be part of the “big clique,” the inner circle that dominated Washington politics. Briefly, The Ruling Class (Establishment) is comprised of professional politicians dominated by Democrats and supplemented by moderate Republicans.
The Donald Trump phenomenon, like the Tea Party before it, is a citizen uprising against establishment politicians – the careerists who make their living off the government. The Establishment, so identified as The Ruling Class by Codevilla in his book by that title, goes a long way to explain why Republicans do not behave as the loyal opposition when in the minority or as leaders when in the majority.
Establishment Republicans warn us that Donald Trump is not a conservative. (I don’t believe he said he was.) Yet, those who issue the warning, when given the chance, do not themselves demonstrate conservatism.
The threat to the Republican establishment was brought about by their own behavior. Truth be told, the establishment Republicans as part of the Ruling Class would be content to lose the presidency in 2016 as long as they get to keep their seats and retain personal power. They would sacrifice a Republican presidency choosing not to win rather than accept someone outside their club like Donald Trump as their nominee.
Republicans, with the help of conservatives and independents, have controlled the US House since 2010 and both Houses of Congress since 2014. Republicans were elected to a majority in both Houses of Congress by a frustrated public seeking tax reform, reduced government regulation, debt control, immigration reform, jobs and defense of the nation against terrorism. Today, what do the voters who produced the Republican majority have to show for their allegiance? Very little. No wonder people are willing to look for an outsider.
The Ruling Class accumulates power by redistributing other people’s wealth. Power derives from public office because it is from there that elected officials distribute the “bacon” as it were back to their constituents from whom the money was confiscated as taxes in the first place. Money becomes an aphrodisiac administered by Senators and Representatives to the public so they can show love and be loved in return.
Senator John Hoeven and Representative Kevin Cramer have been co-opted into the Ruling Class. They are not conservative – except in their rhetoric at election time. Evidence? The Heritage Foundation has tracked their voting records at around 50% conservative. Together with Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Hoeven and Cramer have become part of the Ruling Class. They are more prone to “reach across the aisle” in a gesture of “bipartisanship” in order to “get things done” rather than to resolve hard issues.
Most Republican Senators and Representatives cringe at the thought of being held hostage by Democrats and their sycophant media who may blame them for a “government shutdown” bogeyman. Time and again Democrats snooker Republicans with this tactic and time and again Republicans, lacking leadership, succumb. In the 1978, 1995 and 2013 “shut downs,” non-essential services comprising no more than 13% of the government were ever “shut down.” That may be a good thing. At least those non-essential functions weren’t spending money.
It is easy for The Ruling Class to give the appearance of “getting things done” by voting on non-controversial measures they know in advance won’t go anywhere. These are “safe” votes that can be sold to their constituents. This is not leadership.
On hard issues requiring leadership such as income tax reform, immigration and border security the Ruling Class has resolved nothing. Our Senators and Representative have talked a good fight – for years. And for years nothing substantive has been accomplished on these issues. On the part of the North Dakota delegation leadership is lacking.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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