Like many conservatives, fighters for liberty, and mainstream Americans who wanted a robust fight for the Constitution and against President Obama's executive amnesty, I was very disappointed that Boehner and Co, pushed a dirty DHS funding bill, dirty because it was cleansed of the necessary riders blocking funds for illegal executive orders.
One comment from a post put this failure into perspective. What can Republicans do with a rogue President? There is only so much that the federal legislature can do, the post also argued.
I do not agree with that sentiment, myself. If McConnell was willing to press against the President and the red state Democrats in the minority caucus, if the Republicans in Washington would give up their Beltway Blinders and recognize that the Mainstream Media is now floating like a dead fish down river, they would stop pandering by the numbers only and start fighting back.
I am really at a loss to explain why US Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Mike Lee did not try to talk the dirty DHS bill to a stalling point. They have been more than willing to fight back before. It's all about calling Democratic Senators' bluff. Sixty-two US Senators voted for Keystone. Surely the could have collected those same Senators and gotten them to budge on funding in line with constitutional rule.
The fight must take place incrementally. A number of soft and unwilling Republicans are leaving Congress, replaced by fighters.
That is the first good sign.
The Chamber of Commerce is drifting over to the Democratic Party, having endorsed key Democratic Congressmen in California, even though they were vulnerable incumbents. "Chamber of Commerce" is just as bad as "Tea Party" to many voters, and in fact is a worse epithet. No one wants to be painted as a puppet for Big Business. Big Labor will be coming from behind.
Republicans and conservatives are learning lessons from the Left. It is not enough to elect the right people. It is more important to make sure that they do the right things, too.
One conservative, pro-family activist in Massachusetts reminded me that conservatives have to get organized, keep the pressure on the state legislature. Work with the power of small groups with concentrated focus and special incentives. Whether we like it or not, the politics game has to be played a certain way.
Let us not think that Republican voters are alone in their frustration, either.
Democratic partisans pushed their politicians into majorities in both chambers in 2007, and yet Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid caved (that's right, they caved!) and signed off on more funding for the War in Iraq. The Surge gained George W. Bush considerable credibility, even from anti-war factions because Bush stuck to his guns (so to speak)
Eight years later, and Bush has been vindicated regarding the War in Iraq. The Democrats were in a defense position, even though they controlled both chambers of Congress. There were repeated demands from the left-wing base to have President Bush impeached then removed from office.
In no way do I justify the epic fail from Republican lawmakers to stand their ground against unconstitutional executive amnesty. The fight is just beginning, and conservatives are learning the importance of the long-term game for #MakingDCListen.
Arthur Christopher Schaper is a teacher-turned-writer on topics both timeless and timely; political, cultural, and eternal. A life-long Southern California resident, Arthur currently lives in Torrance.
