Why Are Republican Senators Rolling Over And Playing 'Possum?
Some theories!
After That Man got elected, there was a moment of fleeting hope that somehow Congress would be a check and balance there, at least against his very most insane nominees and notions, like Crazy Eyes Kash Patel, Bobby Brainworms, dictator-hugger Tulsi Gabbard and drunken lout Pete Hegseth. You know, do their jobs, like the Constitution they swore to uphold says they’re supposed to. But no!
With the exception of some performative votes from Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and even Moscow Mitch, they have cheerfully along with every single thing That Man wants them to do, even effectively putting themselves out of a job by letting Elon Musk hold the purse. Even when it comes to stuff that is wildly unpopular in their districts, like putting farmers out of jobs growing food for USAID. They won’t even speak out about Trump abandoning our ally, Ukraine, which is not just our moral obligation and what we agreed to do, but also benefits the US most of all, because that Ukraine defense money actually goes to ourselves, for replacing the older military equipment that we are sending them. And hey, wasn’t fighting the spread of communism a Republican refrain since forever? We even waged a whole bunch of wars about it. Shouldn’t the US effectively pulling out of NATO be considered kind of a big deal? Why do they suddenly not give a shit?
Republican strategist Stuart Stevens wondered the same to Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman: “It’s tempting to compare Republicans to Prussian aristocrats in 1930s Germany. But Prussian aristocrats were more responsible. They were dealing with civil unrest and the threat of a communist takeover. Republicans today have historically low unemployment, a record stock market. What’s their excuse?”
INDEED. What gives?
Some theories!
They fear violence.
The Vanity Fair headline sums this up: “They’re scared shitless.”
Of course congresspeople have better personal security than just about anybody, but their little scrotums still shrivel at the thought of getting a fraction of the threats and harassment that, say, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss or judges Engoron and Merchan received.
“They’re scared shitless about death threats and Gestapo-like stuff,” a former member of Trump’s first administration told Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman.
Por ejemplo, the tale of Thom Tillis, who did a reversal in 12 hours after saying he would not vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, on account of Hegseth being a credibly accused rapist, spousal abuser, drunkard, etc. We know that Trump, JD Vance and Susie Wiles leaned on Tillis hard, what we did not know until now is that Tillis was warned by the FBI about “credible death threats” too.
And Tillis is not the only one. Liz Cheney told Jake Tapper that GOP senators voted against impeaching Trump because they feared for their own lives:
If you look at the vote to impeach, for example, there were members who told me that they were afraid for their own security -- afraid, in some instances, for their lives. And that tells you something about where we are as a country, that members of Congress aren't able to cast votes, or feel that they can't, because of their own security.
After January 6, freshman Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) reports a colleague weeping about it: “Remember, this wasn’t a hypothetical. You were casting that vote after seeing with your own two eyes what some of these people are capable of [...] If they’re willing to come after you inside the U.S. Capitol, what will they do when you’re at home with your kids?”
Also Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzales, who voted to impeach Trump and ended up retiring from Congress at least in part because of the threats to his family. “That’s one of those moments where you say, ‘Is this really what I want for my family when they travel, to have my wife and kids escorted through the airport?’”
They fear Elon’s money.
Back in December, Bad Santa Musk said he was compiling a “naughty list” of Senators and would back their opponents in primaries.
Reported The Hill: “‘That’s one of the reasons why you see people who are close to an election — Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis — voting for certain nominees,’ said one Republican senator who requested anonymity.”
Musk is also, according to himself, rooting around in everybody’s financial information to “flush out conflicts of interest.” And what would even stop him from just making things up? Or emptying somebody’s bank account out of spite? This administration has already decided to ignore the courts.
They are compromised in other ways
Remember when the Russians hacked everybody around 2016-ish? Yet Julian Assange never leaked any information. What kompromat do the Russians have on GOP Senators? All of it!
Conservatives have always wanted a fascist theocracy.
As Frank Zappa predicted on Crossfire almost 40 years ago:
The biggest threat today is not communism. It’s moving America towards a fascist theocracy. And everything that’s happened during the Reagan administration is steering us down this pipe. [...] when you have a government that prefers a certain moral code derived from a certain religion, and that moral code turns into legislation to suit one certain religious point of view and if that code happens to be very very right wing almost towards Attila the Hun …
Conservatism has always been about top-down government, and doing away with equal protection under the law to favor rich, cis, white men. Or as Frank Wilhoit put it: “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.”
And now that group has shrunk even more, to not just good ol’ boys, but to only include the in-group that is loyal and blessed by Trump and Elon. If you’re in the group, you can do whatever you want. All the mistresses and wives! All the kickbacks! Drinking on the job with a chaser of ketamine! Enriching yourself with all the conflicts of interest! Simply no law applies to you whatsoever! But if you’re in the out group, the full force of the law and Trump’s paramilitary wing of hooting yokels are prepared to make your life a living hell. And who will stop them? Judges, the Supreme Court? Buy the ticket, take the ride.
If all of the Republican Senators stood up to Trump and refused to be intimidated, they might stand a chance. But that would be SOCIALIST, and their beliefs are closer to a pot of crabs trying to drag each other down. The time for standing up was the impeachment, and then the other impeachment, but even then, they could not bring themselves to do it.
And finally,
They’ve got it pretty good.
Now the GOP congresspeople only need to show up and vote occasionally, because Trump and Musk have taken over their jobs. They don’t even have to pretend to read anything any more! They can spend all their time inside-trading stocks and eating delicious bean soup in the Senate cafeteria, and go on total cruise control. Resistance is hard, doing the right thing is hard, while going along with the flow is as easy as riding a tube down the lazy river.
Morals, courage, having a life of purpose, look, that stuff is a lot of work. Why not just eat that tasty carrot, and avoid the ouchy stick?
Viktor Orbán approves this message!
[Vanity Fair archive link / Wall Street Journal gift link / Washington Post archive link / New York Times archive link / The Hill]
I remember those of us making the argument during the FIRST Shitler's term that Republicans offering absolutely no pushback on the stupid whims of the "leader" would cost them control in future negotiations and concessions. You'd think at least some of these yahoos would have some tactical foresight. Well, here we are. Well played, you bunch of cowardly assholes.
WATCH:
https://bsky.app/profile/anildash.com/post/3lioxrw4k622l