Eugene Robinson: The dysfunctional GOP is failing to govern

[cal04]

It was only January when Republicans took full control of Congress, but already it is safe to say they have no earthly idea of what they want to accomplish.

What we’re seeing is not just a bit of sputtering before the GOP machine cranks up and begins to systematically fulfill its governing plan. There is no plan. Republican majorities in both the House and Senate are so out of control that they’ve managed a feat once thought impossible: They make the Democratic Party look like a model of unity and discipline.

House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) has never really been in charge of his caucus. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was supposed to be a masterful orchestrator, a consummate dealmaker, a skillful herder of cats. So far, he is looking, well, kind of Boehneresque.


(snip)
As things stand, it is possible to argue that the most capable field marshals in Congress are Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.). Which makes you wonder just what in the world the Republican Party thinks it might be accomplishing.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-dysfunctional-gop/2015/03/16/4dc69e2a-cc16-11e4-a2a7-9517a3a70506_story.html?postshare=2181426554141190

[freshwest]

1. I hate to disagree with him. They have a plan and are carrying it out...

They are systematically dismantling government by cutting taxes so it can not operate as intended and serving the people. Government of, by and for the people is going to be irrelevant if things keep on going as they are. They've successfully played both sides of this.

They want everyone to be forced to go to their corporate overlords and churches for everything. And it that doesn't work, their messaging says those who can't survive without the contract they made being honored, can FOAD, quickly.

I have no idea why any journalist would play the parlor game of giving these guys the protective veneer of either stupidity or cluelessness. Their acts prove differently. Their sponsors gave them their marching orders and they are following them to the letter and they expect to be paid handsomely by them when their time in Washington is done. They only come off as silly because the GOP freshman class in the Congress are giddy with majority power.

They are on the home stretch now.As GWB's crew said when they ENTERED the White House, 'there won't be enough left to turn out the lights on.' The GOP is turning out the lights with the Sequester and their cuts on everything that millions depend on to keep them out of the clutches of poverty and prevent them dying.

They are all college educated, schooled in their ideology and religion and are not making any mistakes. I do agree, Pelosi and Reid are now playing a high stakes game to forestall GOP intentions and foil their reasons for being there in Congress. But time is our enemy here.

We'd better stop kidding ourselves just how close to disintegration we are after over thirty years of GOP Koch Libertarian sabotage.

[KG]

2. they're winning elections, which is way more important