Recently I wrote about the House Freedom Caucus caving in to pressure and backing an amended health care bill that keeps Obamacare regulations in place. This bill is no different than the original, falsely named “repeal” bill offered up by President Trump and Speaker Ryan which I previously urged opposition to, and which the House Freedom Caucus helped to defeat.
Now TBE’s own Steven Brodie Tucker has penned a missive that takes pot shots at principled conservatives and urges support for the new health care bill because he wants to “win.” According to Mr. Tucker:
“They tell you, that it is better to elect a Democrat House and a Democrat Senate and, in three years, a Democrat President, then to pass a Republican Compromise on healthcare before June 1st. Either this is because they like the Democrats or because they like being a powerless minority, or it is because they simply do not understand Congress or, I don’t know, math.”
This is the classic argument we get from the establishment every time they break the promises they made during the campaign, and want Conservatives to not only excuse their betrayal, but embrace it and join them.
I don’t like it, but we don’t have a choice!
We have to do this or the Democrats win!
We have to be realistic! We can’t hold out for good policy!
This is “The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM”
I am so sick of people telling me that I have to bow down and accept bad policy just so Republicans can “win.” Tell me, what are we winning?
Are we winning a better health care system? NO. Trumpcare is actually worse than Obamacare.
Are we winning an advancement of conservative policy? NO. Supporting this bill would be accepting the permanence of progressive, centralized, government controlled health care.
Are we winning a moral victory? NO. By supporting this plan we are rewarding betrayal, which will beget more betrayal.
From what I can tell, the only thing we would be “winning” would be a roll call vote in the House and Senate, and a signing ceremony for President Trump. We would be “winning” a news cycle where the establishment can crow about “getting things done.” But oh, what a steep price we will pay for that “win.”
Once Conservatives are cowed into supporting a health care proposal that would be rejected out of hand had President Hillary Clinton proposed it, the pump will be primed to cave in on the next Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM
The trillion dollar omnibus spending bill is already being touted by President Trump as The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM
After that, a Democrat-style trillion dollar “stimulus” package to enrich wealthy donors will be hailed as The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM
It won’t be long before a “Gang of 8” style immigration bill that provides amnesty for illegals and citizenship for “Dreamers” will be pushed on us as The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM
Each time conservatives will be told to fall in line and “take one for the team,” sacrifice their principles and vote for bad policy for the benefit of the Republican tribe. Each time conservatives will be told that a vote against The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM will only help the Democrat tribe win and help elect Democrats. Each time conservatives cave in and support more and more liberal policies, it will get easier to cave in the next time, until there is no such thing as a conservative left in Congress.
Here is my message to Mr. Tucker and all the other pseudo-conservatives telling me to support The Best Deal We Are Going to Get!TM STOP PUSHING LIBERAL POLICIES AND CALLING THEM REPUBLICAN “WINS.” Bad policy is bad policy, PERIOD. It doesn’t matter who proposes it. Stop demanding loyalty to the Republican tribe even as it betrays its own people.
To conservative members of Congress, my message is this: DO YOUR JOBS. You were elected to stand up for conservative principles and propose, advocate for, and vote for GOOD, CONSERVATIVE POLICY. If you care about holding onto your seat more than standing up for what you say you believe in, then you have already been there too long.
To the good conservative men and women out there that have supported these politicians and are torn about what to do, my message is simple: If the policy you are being asked to support is something you would never, ever support if it were proposed by Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, then don’t support it just because a Republican you voted for tells you to. YOU are the ones that provide strength for our conservatives in Congress. They need you to support them when they are right, but more importantly, they NEED you to tell them when they are wrong!
Don’t be afraid to tell them that they are wrong this time, and don’t let anyone try to denigrate you for standing up for what you believe. Tell your congressman to vote against this latest health care bill. Tell them to vote against the omnibus spending bill. Tell them to stand up for conservative principles and hold the line against bad policy, no matter who is proposing it.
