To think the Republican Party need to wake up and find their spine?

TooBigForMyBoots · 2025-03-01T18:39:49+00:00

The Republican Party are responsible for President Trump. Given that they have a majority in both Houses and on the Supreme Court, they are the only ones who can prevent him further damaging the US and its citizens. Their fear and appeasement of the bully Trump has only made him stronger, but we are where we are and can only go from here. AIBU to think Republicans need to find their spine, guts and voice to stop appeasing/placating Trump and do their duty for the American people?

ArtTheClown · 01/03/2025 18:54

I mean they mostly probably agree with him?

Wildflowers99 · 01/03/2025 18:57

That’s like asking why the rats didn’t turn on the Pied Piper.

outerspacepotato · 01/03/2025 19:01

The Republican Party sold its soul to the evangelicals and right wing long ago. I consider them a lost cause.

The Democrats other than a few are also entrenched in power and really don't want to see changes. They make giant mistakes catering to smaller interests rather than presenting cohesive policies that work for more people. They also don't support their candidates on a local level very well, so they've lost out there as well.

There's a huge gaping silence from the top of the Democratic Party right now.

knitnerd90 · 01/03/2025 19:04

It's a cult.

But look at Mike Johnson (Speaker). He pushed for aid to Ukraine last year. Now he's capitulated to Trump.

The reality is, in private they agree on some things, not on others. But when they criticise Trump they get literal death threats. Or they're afraid they won't be elected again. Only a couple of them will dare speak up. Sen. Lisa Murkowski came out and said she can't be alone. (She is interesting because they tried to primary her a couple of elections back and won as a write-in; now she owes the party nothing.)

JHound · 01/03/2025 19:06

They are all afraid of MAGAts and Trump and also have no principles and the only thing they care about is career success.
It’s also why JD Maybelline went from calling Trump a Nazi to kissing his ass.

SouthJersey · 01/03/2025 19:30

Part of the problem is that supporting Trump is very cult-like and most supporters won't admit that what's going on is crazy and wrong. They exist in a bubble of like-minded people and consume media tailored to what they want to see and believe.
A section of Republican congresspeople are like this and can't be saved or counted on to do the right thing at all.

Others are willing to look the other way because their constituents are in the cult - those are the truly spineless ones. They don't belong in leadership positions but will remain nonetheless.

Then there's the question of whether some are being blackmailed, esp. now that Elon has access to just about everything. I'm not sure they're deserving of sympathy, though. They chose to be leaders and history will judge them.

Finally there are those who are afraid of the cult and the potential for violence agains them and their families. I have maybe a little sympathy for them, but they should also be judged harshly in the future.

As a Democrat in the US, I am scared, frustrated, embarrassed, and trying to make my voice heard. My own Congresspeople are speaking out against Trump but words can only go so far. I don't think we're going to manage it on our own here and suspect that significant pressure from around the world may be needed to break the cult. Unfortunately it may break the US, too.

Original poster

TooBigForMyBoots · 01/03/2025 20:32

I'm afraid I agree with you @SouthJersey that Trump may break the US itself. But he hasn't yet and surely Republicans and America can rally and, backed up by the Constitution fix this.

He is not a king.

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Original poster

TooBigForMyBoots · 01/03/2025 23:47

Are there any sensible voices coming from the Republican Party? Surely they're not all afraid.

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Maitri108 · 01/03/2025 23:55

They're going to make a lot of money out of Trump. He's going to cut their taxes and deregulate. They are going to get a piece of the pie.

sleepwouldbenice · 02/03/2025 02:07

I would also genuinely know what's happened to the democrats? Do the opposition just fall apart after an election? Where's their leader, cohesion, counter arguments?

TempestTost · 02/03/2025 02:15

What do you want them to do, he;s not a prime minister, they can't remove him or anything like that.

The party is actually quite divided on him, there are plenty who are not supportive and have spoken out against policies they disagree with. Look at his current spat with DeSantis.

Original poster

TooBigForMyBoots · 02/03/2025 02:19

sleepwouldbenice · 02/03/2025 02:07

I would also genuinely know what's happened to the democrats? Do the opposition just fall apart after an election? Where's their leader, cohesion, counter arguments?

The USA don't have an organised Opposition like we do. The Democrats are making statements and challenging rulings through the courts, but beyond that, it's down to the Constitution to constrain Trump. And only the Republican Party can challenge him on that as they have the majority.

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sleepwouldbenice · 02/03/2025 02:22

Thanks for the information. Bonkers isn't it! And I mean that whomever is in power

Accountability ? Challenge? I mean prime minister's question time in the UK can be a farce, but where is the democracy in just not having to answer to anyone?

OneLemonDog · 02/03/2025 02:32

Unfortunately, while I doubt they agree with large aspects of Trump foreign policy, he's a useful enough vehicle for their domestic ones.

I don't like most of the Conservative Party in the UK, but I do believe that many of them believe that their policies are in the national interest. I don't think that's the case for Republicans. They are bought and paid for and are interested only in their short-term financial gains, or desire for power, and do not actually give much of a shit about their country or their people.

knitnerd90 · 02/03/2025 02:36

sleepwouldbenice · 02/03/2025 02:22

Thanks for the information. Bonkers isn't it! And I mean that whomever is in power

Accountability ? Challenge? I mean prime minister's question time in the UK can be a farce, but where is the democracy in just not having to answer to anyone?

This is a bit complicated because of how the US separates the legislature from the executive. By tradition, the president never enters Congress except to give the State of the Union address. Congress does not directly question the president. The founders explicitly wanted to avoid some of the ways Parliament acted (not so nonsensical when you remember the time frame).

the Democrats have been slow in organizing but with a minority in both houses of Congress they have very limited legal power. They can block legislation in the Senate.

the big issue is that Trump got wise to this during his first term and now he is bypassing Congress and governing by executive order as much as possible. He is using a legal theory called the unitary executive to argue that he has unlimited power over the executive branch, which includes all federal agencies. So far the courts have been sceptical of this theory and it will likely land up at the Supreme Court.

Democrats at state level have been active in filing lawsuits trying to block executive orders, but Congress has no power to do that.

mjf981 · 02/03/2025 02:46

Its a total mess.

Barring the death of Trump, I don't see any way out of it. And even then Vance has shown that he is equally as bad.

My fear for the world grows by the day. I think its time woman take over for a change. They couldn't mess things up more than the current crop of megalomaniacs running the most important countries in the world.

dottiehens · 02/03/2025 06:38

The ones to blame of Trump come back are the Democrats.

dottiehens · 02/03/2025 06:39

mjf981 · 02/03/2025 02:46

Its a total mess.

Barring the death of Trump, I don't see any way out of it. And even then Vance has shown that he is equally as bad.

My fear for the world grows by the day. I think its time woman take over for a change. They couldn't mess things up more than the current crop of megalomaniacs running the most important countries in the world.

I bet you did not back Truss?

Bejinxed · 02/03/2025 07:03

dottiehens · 02/03/2025 06:38

The ones to blame of Trump come back are the Democrats.

No. It's all on the people who voted for him.

sleepwouldbenice · 02/03/2025 10:16

dottiehens · 02/03/2025 06:38

The ones to blame of Trump come back are the Democrats.

You see we can agree! Well partly.

Of course if the democrats had offered a better, more timely candidate (my understanding is many voters didn't really know what she stood for, putting the usual mud slinging aside) and of course the COL pressures we've all faced, and immigration concerns

Anyway I will step out now, I am not going to pretend I know US politics. Thank you for the explanation about the current system and process. I just think the opposition should be presenting a united, loud voice. I don't hear that from the UK

Original poster

TooBigForMyBoots · 02/03/2025 13:00

knitnerd90 · 02/03/2025 02:36

This is a bit complicated because of how the US separates the legislature from the executive. By tradition, the president never enters Congress except to give the State of the Union address. Congress does not directly question the president. The founders explicitly wanted to avoid some of the ways Parliament acted (not so nonsensical when you remember the time frame).

the Democrats have been slow in organizing but with a minority in both houses of Congress they have very limited legal power. They can block legislation in the Senate.

the big issue is that Trump got wise to this during his first term and now he is bypassing Congress and governing by executive order as much as possible. He is using a legal theory called the unitary executive to argue that he has unlimited power over the executive branch, which includes all federal agencies. So far the courts have been sceptical of this theory and it will likely land up at the Supreme Court.

Democrats at state level have been active in filing lawsuits trying to block executive orders, but Congress has no power to do that.

Show quote history

Thanks. I didn't know how he was able to avoid the legislature.

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Odin2018 · 04/03/2025 18:48

OneLemonDog · 02/03/2025 02:32

Unfortunately, while I doubt they agree with large aspects of Trump foreign policy, he's a useful enough vehicle for their domestic ones.

I don't like most of the Conservative Party in the UK, but I do believe that many of them believe that their policies are in the national interest. I don't think that's the case for Republicans. They are bought and paid for and are interested only in their short-term financial gains, or desire for power, and do not actually give much of a shit about their country or their people.

What does American gain out of supplying Ukraine with more money and not havng any agreement to get the money back that they have already given and what they may give in the future?
Genuine question - please explain how this is advantageous to the American citizens?

Original poster

TooBigForMyBoots · 04/03/2025 18:58

dottiehens · 02/03/2025 06:38

The ones to blame of Trump come back are the Democrats.

Nope. It's the Republican Party's fault. It's the MAGA cult's fault. It's Trump supporters' fault. Stop blaming others for the actions of Republicans.😂

And of course Putin must take a lot of the credit too. Putin has bought America. Turns out Trump was cheap.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/us/politics/hegseth-cyber-russia-trump-putin.html

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itsnotabouthepasta · 04/03/2025 19:05

Odin2018 · 04/03/2025 18:48

What does American gain out of supplying Ukraine with more money and not havng any agreement to get the money back that they have already given and what they may give in the future?
Genuine question - please explain how this is advantageous to the American citizens?

Edited

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Well withdrawing aid means that USA have violated the Budapest treaty.

ukraine disarmed themselves under the terms of the treaty that America would support them.

Long term, this is disastrous. America are aiming fire at every single ally with zero provocation. Trump couldn’t have made it any more obvious he was a Russian agent. This isn’t something that will hopefully blow over without world war 3 and disappear in 4 years time, it will take generations to overcome the damage that’s being created. Think of the fact that since the Cold War in the 1960s, the world has been suspicious of Russia, that was 60+ years ago. Americas reputation won’t overcome this, this century. And trump has only been in less than two months,

Odin2018 · 04/03/2025 19:10

itsnotabouthepasta · 04/03/2025 19:05

Well withdrawing aid means that USA have violated the Budapest treaty.

ukraine disarmed themselves under the terms of the treaty that America would support them.

Long term, this is disastrous. America are aiming fire at every single ally with zero provocation. Trump couldn’t have made it any more obvious he was a Russian agent. This isn’t something that will hopefully blow over without world war 3 and disappear in 4 years time, it will take generations to overcome the damage that’s being created. Think of the fact that since the Cold War in the 1960s, the world has been suspicious of Russia, that was 60+ years ago. Americas reputation won’t overcome this, this century. And trump has only been in less than two months,

Show quote history

He is a 'Russian agent' for wanting to get his money back in the form of a contract with Ukraine?
Every other country that has given Ukraine money has a loan agreement contract of some sort. Why should America give them their money for FREE and all the other European countries get their money back? Please explain why you think American citizens tax payers' money should be given away for free.

If you lend someone money and they won't give it back but yet ask for more, would you give it to them, or would you help your own people out with that money?