re: #263 MsJ

On a positive note…republicans keep retiring. So that is a plus!

dailykos.com

Having run out of “Dems in disarray” stories for the moment, Politico has one that will ring a lot better in your ears: “Republicans rattled.” Republicans in the House have been retiring at a furious clip the past few weeks, “but some Republicans fear the worst is yet to come.” They “have decided to call it quits instead of sticking around to see whether the party wins back power in 2020,” says Politico. Or maybe in their heart of hearts they see what their party has become and can’t stomach it anymore? Probably not, but at any rate it’s a trend to cherish. We’re at six retirements and counting, with even Republicans knowing there are more coming, and probably a rash of them while members are back home for the August recess.

“Will there be more retirements? Most certainly there will be, for a range of reasons,” said one of the rats slinking off the ship, Rep. Paul Mitchell of Michigan. Everyone’s buzzing about who’s going to be next. This is Politico’s list of likely retirees: “Hal Rogers of Kentucky, Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Don Young of Alaska; moderates, like Fred Upton of Michigan and Greg Walden of Oregon; lawmakers facing tougher races, like Texans Michael McCaul and Kenny Marchant, and Ann Wagner of Missouri; and the two members under indictment, Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York.” Like being under indictment is a badge of shame for a Republican.

What no Republican is willing to go on the record to say is that the problem is Trump. There are “few rewards,” one anonymous House Republican says, for serving under Trump. The “already hostile political environment” is made worse by him every day when “there is some indefensible tweet or comment to defend or explain. It is exhausting and often embarrassing.” The specific problem of his sexism is only going to be worse for them as the Republican conference is drained of women. They already only have 13 in their conference, and two of them have called it quits.

And that new ActBlue counter fundraising service? It seems the GOP is trying to force every campaign to use it, which not only competes against an existing service, but seems to be a way to funnel money from campaigns to certain people.