I was finishing up Assault on Reason last night ...

[LSK]

and there was a part about how the White House controls the GOP fundraising machine that is needed for the vast sums of money needed for TV ads.

That got me thinking as to a possible explaination as to why the GOP Senators refuse to vote to end the war and keep filibustering any and everything regarding Iraq.

Now, I assume it is safe to assume that Karl Rove pretty much runs the national GOP political machine. Could it be that the GOP Senators fear getting cut off from the GOP machine by Karl Rove? We kind of witnessed this last year in the Lamont/Lieberman election when the GOP candidate was pretty much abandoned by the GOP in Connecticutt.

Could GOP Senators be doing a calculation right now that they cannot afford to be cut off from the GOP fundraising and campaign machine? Perhaps Rove is allowing them to make statements allowing themselves to distance themselves from Bush but when it comes to votes on Iraq, he might be threatening to cut them off if they vote wrong.

So if I am a GOP Senator such as Warner or Luger, maybe I am making all the right speeches, I am starting to make sense when it comes to Iraq, but when it comes to vote time, I still do as Rove says and filibuster when it comes to the war votes. That way I am appearing to distance myself from Bush, but I am still doing what he wants at the end of the day and allowing myself access to the GOP machine.

[zonmoy]

1. these republicans need a harsher measure to make them vote against the cabal

perhaps if we could threaten them with some crime for not stopping the bush cabals crimes.

[LSK]

2. kick?

Hello?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. The environment in DC ain't healthy

been told that by a US Senator, oh in 03, and I expect things to have gotten much, and I mean much worst.

This is both parties, it is just done differently

you got an inkling in public when Leahy asked for an investigation into the Antrax, since he'd like to know who tried to kill him

[H2O Man]

4. Exactly.

Nominated.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I believe you've struck upon

an inconvenient truth while reading "The Assault on Reason", LSK.

:thumbsup:

Thanks for the thread, kicked and recommended.

[wryter2000]

6. You could be onto something

I read the book, but I somehow missed that.

There must be some explanation for why they continue to do things they know their constituents hate.

[LSK]

7. the whole theory is not in the book, I just thought of it

Just the part about the White House controlling the party machinery is in the book. End of Chapter 8.

[wryter2000]

10. Ah. Okay

I still think you're onto something. I wonder if the fact that Ds are raising more money than Rs will change things.

[Junkdrawer]

8. Bush is expendable....Iraq's Oil is not....

It's that simple.

[Uncle Joe]

9. I do believe television has most all of our political leaders

by the short hairs. Here is an example of how they're affecting Conyer's deliberations regarding impeachment.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3397709&mesg_id=3397709

What was Conyers' objection to moving forward on impeachment now? Well, he said, if he were to do that Fox News would go after him and accuse him of being partisan. I kid you not. The Democratic Chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is basing his decisions on whether a Republican cable TV station would approve. As Cindy Sheehan told me outside the jail last night: "If I based my decisions on Fox, I would never do anything."

[DemReadingDU]

11. afternoon kick

[blondeatlast]

12. I honestly don't think Rove gives a damn about anyone in congress, R or D.

I think you make a good point, but I'm beginning to think that the cabal couldn't care less about the cRRReeps chances in '08 and beyond. Congress is itself a threat to the cabal. I don't think the re-upping cRRReeps realize it though.

The unitary executive issue just seems like that to me.

I will say that what you say makes a big lot of sense though--especially if the congressional cRRReeps don't understand that they may truly be W's enemy.

[LSK]

13. he probably doesnt care, except that as long as they keep the war going

He will pretend.