We have been hearing rumors about the upcoming Republican Civil War for a few years now. The first rumblings came after the Tea Party endorsed candidates in were elected in 2010. We soon realized that the breadth of the ideological political range of the GOP created problems for Speaker of the House John Boehner getting the GOP together to pass important legislation. That included legisaltion such as the Debt Ceiling Crises of 2011 and 2013, along with the Government Shutdown of 2013.
Rep. Tom Reed, part of the Class of 2010, followed the Tea Party crowd and opposed raising the Debt Ceilings in both 2011 and 2013. Also, he was in favor of the Government Shutdown.
With the election of Donald Trump as President, the buzz of breaking the GOP apart has increased a couple of notches. Recently ultra conservative activist and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has declared a “Season of War” against the GOP establishment. Many interprets the Trump/Bannon’s agenda as extreme, including being anti-minority, pro-isolation and returning to “Trickle-Down”Economc theory. Bannon has been searching for candidates who will run against current GOP Senators up for re-election in 2018.
President Trump’s feelings about Senator John McCain are well known. As a candidate he stated that McCain was not a war hero because he was captured. His latest rants against McCain erupted when the Senator dramatically voted against the Senate’s latest Health Care proposal.
McCain wants the Senate to return to “Regular Order” when creating legislation including letting committees with members of both parties write legislation; then having the full Senate debate and amend it. That is not the process Mitch McConnell used for either of the recent Senate Health Care proposals. The Committee McConnell used included only male republicans. Will McConnell use the same techniques on the Budget and Tax Reform?
Reed was an early Trump supporter. He has not disagreed with the President on any significant issue. He voted to approve the President’s budget proposal which ends the taxpayer deductions for state and local taxes.
At times Reed tries to look moderate. He is the Co-Chair of the Problem Solvers caucus. He tells us that he supports using “regular order” to create a bi-partisan health care bill, although he voted and advocated for the “mean” House Health Care proposal.
The tensions in the Republican Party have been increasing. The 2018 elections will either move the GOP farther to the right, or have it become more moderate. Are more republican voters going to support the revolutionary visions of Steve Bannon, or will they desire to return to a more orderly legislative process that John McCain longs for?
Where does Rep. Tom Reed really stand? Is he a McCain Republican, or a Bannon Republican? The constituents of the NY23rd have the right to know.
New NY 23rd 
Tom is neither a McCain Republican or a Bannon Republican. As “Publius” explained in an article here years ago, Tom is above all a party loyalist. The Speaker can count on his vote. Tom’s talk, intended to discourage challenges from either left or right, may be all over the map, but his votes, which he seldom mentions, follow the party line.
LikeLike
W. Hungerford, I agreee that he is neither a McCain or a Bannon Republican. Tom Reed is an extreme party loyalist of the very conservative traditional family values/religious right/limited government/individual responsibility/limited social safety net type. He is not a moderate and he is not bipartisan. He is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which, according to their website is “the conservative caucus of House Republicans and a leading influencer on the Right since its original founding in 1973. It exists to bring like-minded House members together to promote a strong, principled legislative agenda that will limit government, strengthen our national defense, boost America’s economy, preserve traditional values and balance our budget. The RSC provides the tools and research that members of Congress need to craft and advance policies that will benefit the American people. It also provides a forum for like-minded members to join together to support common causes and challenge the status quo. By doing so, the RSC ensures that conservatives have a powerful voice on every issue coming before the House, whether it is the economy, health care, defense, social safety net reform, or Washington’s dangerous, out-of-control spending. We believe that the appropriate role of a limited government is to protect liberty, opportunity, and security, and that it is the responsibility of this generation to preserve them for the next. We believe that more government is the problem, not the solution, for the toughest issues facing our nation. We believe that there is no limit to the ingenuity, innovation, and prosperity Americans create when allowed to live their lives freely, according to their beliefs. We believe that with conservative commitment today, America’s brightest days lie ahead.” Is that where he gets the “we” that he always uses?
His 97.9% Trump voting record reinforces his extremist party loyalty and lack of bipartisanship: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/tom-reed/. He voted against the Trump party line only once, and did not show up to vote 3 times, which is why he didn’t score 100%.
LikeLike
Yes, and on that one vote, Tom voted with a near unanimous majority.
LikeLike
The anti-Trump vote was about stanctioning Russia.
LikeLike
Democrat Civil War: Establishment Democrats vs Bernie Sanders populists.
The Democratic establishment managed to lose state legislatures and governorships during the Obama years, with the result that in addition to the White House, the Senate, The House of Representatives, the Republicans control both state legislatures and governorships in 24 states. The Democrats control 5.
The Democrat party is mishandling its finances. There is total incompetence in the party’s central organization. Nancy Pelosi remains in power. The party just fired its top fundraiser after months of disappointment.
A big question is — Can the Party stanch the bleeding and regain power? Sanders’ populists do not think so.
So far the Clinton / Pelosi wing has maintained their hold. Will they be able to continue? At what cost?
Meanwhile, the Rs will profit.
It’s all good for Reed.
LikeLike
I hope that everyone is paying attention to what is happening in Alabama about Moore for Senate.
There are lessons for NY 23.
1. Evangelicals support Moore. Even if the allegations are true.
2. Alabama Republicans support Moore. Even if the allegations are true.
3. NO DEMOCRAT EVER. Even a child molesters is better than a Democrat.
Our little corner of Appalachia is not very different. I’ve engaged with Trump / Reed voters in NY 23. And I have heard variations of #3. Often.
Democrats in NY23 should consider #3. Carefully.
LikeLike