Cal Thomas Commentary September 21, 2023
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE FACING A POTENTIAL POLITICAL AND POSSIBLY ECONOMIC DISASTER IF THEY DON’T COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON SPENDING BILLS BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. WITH ONLY A FOUR VOTE MAJORITY, THE MOST CONSERVATIVE AMONG THEM ARE BEHAVING AS IF THEY CONTROL ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT.
YES, THEIR GOALS ARE WORTHY TO SIGNIFICANTLY CUT THE ENORMOUS DEBT, BUT POLITICS IS ABOUT GETTING WHAT YOU CAN AND THE REST WHEN YOU HAVE MORE CONTROL.
ON MONDAY, MONTANA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RYAN ZINKE, A FORMER NAVY SEAL, MET WITH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD. HE TOLD THEM IT’S HARD TO GOVERN “WHEN YOU HAVE SNIPERS INSIDE THE PERIMETER.” HE MEANT SOME FELLOW REPUBLICANS.
WHEN REPUBLICANS STICK TOGETHER, THEY CAN ADVANCE THEIR AGENDA, HOWEVER SLOWLY, UNTIL REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
THE LATE SENATOR TED KENNEDY WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED POLITICIAN. WHEN HIS PARTY WAS IN THE MAJORITY HE NEGOTIATED WITH REPUBLICANS AND GOT SOME OF WHAT HE WANTED UNTIL HIS PARTY CONTROLLED ALL OF GOVERNMENT. HOUSE REPUBLICANS COULD LEARN FROM HIS EXAMPLE. IF IT’S THEIR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, THEY WILL LOSE WHAT THEY HAVE AND DEMOCRATS WILL GET US EVEN DEEPER IN DEBT. I’M CAL THOMAS.
It’s the subtle difference between “being right” (what you characterize the GOP holdouts doing on a’the basis of principle) and “doing right.” Hopefully they’ll read your column and discern the much more important value of doing right! They need to skillfully engage in the business of compromise.