First of all, Senator Cruz cannot become Speaker of the House. Pretty sure DP originally meant Senate Majority Leader, which I think there isn't a chance in hell this will happen. The GOP was largely successful in preventing a vast majority of the teabagging lunatics form succeeding in primary races.
It will be interesting to see what happens, but I think there is a very easy path for the GOP to secure both houses and the presidency in '16:
- Leave the Affordable Health Care Act alone. Don't even discuss it.
- Shove dicks down the throats of anyone saying the word impeachment.
- Continue to keep 'family values' discussion to a low murmur: abortion, Jesus, marriage equality, etc.
- Reintroduce and pass proposed Fair Minimum Wage Act (2014) after removing provision to tie future rates to inflation (provides reasonable cover when Dems cry obstruction to original proposal). Democrat non-support or Veto would be political suicide.
- Work with blue dogs to put meaningful immigration reform on Obama's desk. This shouldn't be too hard and Obama wouldn't dare veto an immigration bill that had a modicum of Democrat support, not to mention something that satisfies the masses. Let Rubio sponsor.
- Do whatever it takes not to have another government shutdown. With control of the Senate, getting a budget out should not be a problem. If Obama wants to veto it, so be it.
- Initiate balanced budget and tax reform legislation in the Spring of 2016. It will languish of course, but it will be toxic for Democrats leading up to the election. By tax reform I mean simplifying the tax code, not corporate tax relief.
- Let Ted Cruz continue to marginalize himself. The Tea Party has been neutered by the electorate. He can only ever hope to attract the ignorant right wing lunatic fringe a la Sarah Palin unless he drastically changes his tune. The GOP leadership only has to keep calling him out for being a dumbfuck.
Now, I doubt much of the above happens, but I think it is a reasonably achievable path for the GOP to secure success in 2016 while avoiding the continued gridlock that everyone assumes is coming. If they can't, then it will be business as usual and they'll get what they deserve in 2016.
It will be interesting to see what happens, but I think there is a very easy path for the GOP to secure both houses and the presidency in '16:
- Leave the Affordable Health Care Act alone. Don't even discuss it.
- Shove dicks down the throats of anyone saying the word impeachment.
- Continue to keep 'family values' discussion to a low murmur: abortion, Jesus, marriage equality, etc.
- Reintroduce and pass proposed Fair Minimum Wage Act (2014) after removing provision to tie future rates to inflation (provides reasonable cover when Dems cry obstruction to original proposal). Democrat non-support or Veto would be political suicide.
- Work with blue dogs to put meaningful immigration reform on Obama's desk. This shouldn't be too hard and Obama wouldn't dare veto an immigration bill that had a modicum of Democrat support, not to mention something that satisfies the masses. Let Rubio sponsor.
- Do whatever it takes not to have another government shutdown. With control of the Senate, getting a budget out should not be a problem. If Obama wants to veto it, so be it.
- Initiate balanced budget and tax reform legislation in the Spring of 2016. It will languish of course, but it will be toxic for Democrats leading up to the election. By tax reform I mean simplifying the tax code, not corporate tax relief.
- Let Ted Cruz continue to marginalize himself. The Tea Party has been neutered by the electorate. He can only ever hope to attract the ignorant right wing lunatic fringe a la Sarah Palin unless he drastically changes his tune. The GOP leadership only has to keep calling him out for being a dumbfuck.
Now, I doubt much of the above happens, but I think it is a reasonably achievable path for the GOP to secure success in 2016 while avoiding the continued gridlock that everyone assumes is coming. If they can't, then it will be business as usual and they'll get what they deserve in 2016.
