GOP finds resolve among constituents

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Unyielding GOP politicians doing what voters ask

HEBER CITY, Utah — U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz flew home from Washington last week, leaving behind a capital baffled by Republicans like him in Congress: those who stubbornly refuse to compromise with President Barack Obama, a tactic that some see as damaging the GOP brand and pushing the nation repeatedly to the brink of fiscal chaos.

Back in his Utah district, Chaffetz drove to the Dairy Keen and barely had bitten into a bacon cheeseburger before a diner begged him to stop Obama's health care overhaul.

"It's the stupidest plan in the world," said Phoebe Eason, 69, leaning over her booth to complain about a clause that forces her husband, a podiatrist, to pay more for medical devices.

"I'm doing everything I can to repeal it or take out these sections," Chaffetz reassured her. Minutes later, he headed to a town hall where some constituents asked why the president hadn't yet been impeached.

A Pew poll last month found that 36 percent of GOP voters would look favorably on a politician who compromises, compared with 59 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of independent voters.

Virtually all House Republicans come from districts that voted against Obama in November. And in many states, primary voters have punished Republicans they see as too eager to cut deals with Democrats.

Here's how things look from Heber City: Obama hiked taxes while pushing through his health care reform. Then he got another round during the fiscal cliff negotiations. Now he's making a third attempt during the latest debt ceiling standoff. Meanwhile, the federal budget has been trimmed, but only slightly. The debt is still huge. Republicans are folding at every turn.

"I'm sick of Republicans not sticking to their principles," said Tina Peterson, 45, who works at a resort in nearby Park City. She recently moved her family here from Arizona after the recession destroyed their construction business. A new arrival in Utah — "I'm a Christian but not LDS" — she sees Obama as the unbending force in Washington, not her own party.

"His ideology is what it is and he can stick to it," Peterson said. "We do the same and we get demonized."

"Have you not found anything to impeach the president of the United States?" asked Jeff Riddle, 34, an attorney. "Losing a drone to Iran? Killing Americans with drones? Infringing on Second Amendment rights?"

Chaffetz asked for patience. He said the best course was to allow congressional investigations into possible administration wrongdoing, like the Fast and the Furious gun-running program, to continue.

"What is it going to take to make the change in Washington?" asked retired commercial airline pilot Robert Wren, 74. "Are we going to have to have a minor revolution of the people? Are we going to have to wait until the next election?"

Chaffetz said the problem is that Republicans haven't communicated well with voters. Later, asked if he ever felt pressure to back down, he acknowledged occasional disagreements with GOP leadership on whether to subpoena the White House.

"I don't know if we have stood up for ourselves as much as we should," he said.

Wren said he was pleased with his congressman's unflinching stance. "He's representing his constituents."

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20130215/US.GOP.No.Compromise/

[^_^ 5,021]

Karl Rove knows this but he's just trying to make sure he can continue to afford his lifestyle.

[Caryh 5,206]

Lets impeach the guy we lost to, I don't care on what, just do it! If you can't do that, just shut down our government at every step you can. If not we're going to get our guns and have a revolution. And then they wonder why others want stricter control of guns?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

The GOP is delusional, their followers as well. Their party doesn't represent America's evolving values and they're getting left behind. Instead of doing something about it, they will blame anyone they can.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The GOP is delusional, their followers as well. Their party doesn't represent America's evolving values and they're getting left behind. Instead of doing something about it, they will blame anyone they can.

Canadian code words for communist takeover.

[^_^ 5,021]

The GOP is delusional, their followers as well. Their party doesn't represent America's evolving values and they're getting left behind. Instead of doing something about it, they will blame anyone they can.

Are these the same "evolving values" that are not supported by 47% of American voters (the % that voted for Romney)?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360954580' post='5982204]

Are these the same "evolving values" that are not supported by 47% of American voters (the % that voted for Romney)?

I can't say how 47% of people think.

It is the GOP's fault for not appealing to the other 53%.

The GOP is a divisive party. A "us versus you" type of party. A party that makes assumptions and uses stereotypes to alienate anyone who doesn't fit their line of thinking. The immigrants, the youth, the LGBT population, women, minorities, etc. They deem those voters to not matter, focus on their base, and are now losing elections for it because their base is growing smaller.

The GOP can continue on the way they have been, or they can be more inclusive and a little less radical. It might get them some more votes next time. We'll see.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Evylin

[Darnell 8,478]

well, poo.

The opposition must OPPOSE, but it's still up to the opposition to negotiate with it's principle players (ya, those humans) to get something useful that will topple the current regime.

IMO, it's that negotiation process that is stalled, as politicians always want something before 'supporting' any action leading such cool things as impeachment or a massive blockage of the President's 'new stuff'.

The Republicans were successful in blocking him during his first term. I not get some grand sense that they were blocking based on constituent inputs - but rather blocking just due to being 'the opposition' and vehemently opposed (yay!) to helping him accomplish anything he wanted to 'get done'.

It'd be cool if there were more constituent-to-congressman communication -but the majority of older folk love to write letters, send postal mail - and that causes a lag with homeland security in DC as each letter must be checked for chemicals and white powder - making a 2 to 6 week delay in the receiving. Sometimes it's just that small amount of lag that hurts, when something is being voted on or a caucus is being 'led'.

grr.

I think the title is disenginuous(sp?) as that was just a smattering of constituents - not really large enough of a sample to be thought of as 'all'.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Darnell

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I can't say how 47% of people think.

It is the GOP's fault for not appealing to the other 53%.

The GOP is a divisive party. A "us versus you" type of party. A party that makes assumptions and uses stereotypes to alienate anyone who doesn't fit their line of thinking. The immigrants, the youth, the LGBT population, women, minorities, etc. They deem those voters to not matter, focus on their base, and are now losing elections for it because their base is growing smaller.

The GOP can continue on the way they have been, or they can be more inclusive and a little less radical. It might get them some more votes next time. We'll see.

Are all Canadians so arrogant?

[Darnell 8,478]

[quote name=' timestamp='1360946766' post='5982040]

Karl Rove knows this but he's just trying to make sure he can continue to afford his lifestyle.

hahahah. Karl Rove. That's just funny. Beavis and Butthead funny... But he's in there, and it'd be great to have him gone.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb2tVvw0mJ4

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

The garbage comes from both sides, I can tell you that. My local Democrat Representative in what I think must of been his first speech in the House played on party politics. I wrote him an email about it and he actually responded! I haven't seen him do it since and that has won him a lot of points with me. I know he has talked to Republican neighbors on the phone about his stance on issues and frankly none of us care all that much that he disagrees, but the fact that he has a logical reason behind his voting record and he has put a lot of time into thinking about it and making good decisions is all any of us need. I'm a Libertarian and I've voted for him and I know Republicans have too. At the end of the day, party politics kill the American system and people shouldn't even be running on them at all. People should vote for people based on their track record and how well they are representing the issues that their constituents want addressed.

People who demonize either party are only doing a disservice to the whole system.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Are all Canadians so arrogant?

Where was the arrogance?

Is saying that the GOP's base is dwindling arrogant? It's pretty much just a fact at this point. Look at whose votes they didn't get in November. They need to work and reach out to those people.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Evylin

[Caryh 5,206]

The garbage comes from both sides, I can tell you that. My local Democrat Representative in what I think must of been his first speech in the House played on party politics. I wrote him an email about it and he actually responded! I haven't seen him do it since and that has won him a lot of points with me. I know he has talked to Republican neighbors on the phone about his stance on issues and frankly none of us care all that much that he disagrees, but the fact that he has a logical reason behind his voting record and he has put a lot of time into thinking about it and making good decisions is all any of us need. I'm a Libertarian and I've voted for him and I know Republicans have too. At the end of the day, party politics kill the American system and people shouldn't even be running on them at all. People should vote for people based on their track record and how well they are representing the issues that their constituents want addressed.

People who demonize either party are only doing a disservice to the whole system.

I dislike both major parties for what they've been doing to our system. The hardcore democrats I know all think I'm a republican, while the republicans all think I'm a democrat. The makes them think that is I call both parties on their stupidity and blindness. So they pat me on the back when I blast the other side, but think I'm either a liberal or conservative when I'm calling as I see it for their side.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Where was the arrogance?

Is saying that the GOP's base is dwindling arrogant? It's pretty much just a fact at this point. Look at whose votes they didn't get in November. They need to work and reach out to those people.