Well, there seems to be another anti-Libertarian voice that has been added to that of Chris Christie, that, of course, being the voice of New York Rep., Peter King. King makes the claim that if Republicans don't quash the libertarian streak shown recently by some of their members, they risk following the destructive lead of Democrats in the 1960s. Now look, I don't consider myself a libertarian, however, the ones I blame for putting the future of the Republican Party in jeopardy are those who profess to be conservative and are anything but. Those, of course, would be the same ones who are our current leaders in Congress.
King said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," "When you have Rand Paul actually comparing [NSA leaker Edward] Snowden to Martin Luther King or Henry David Thoreau, this is madness." He went on to say," This is the anti-war left-wing Democrats of the 1960s that nominated George McGovern and destroyed their party for almost 20 years. I don't want that happening to our party." I didn't hear exactly what it was that Paul said, nor the context in which he was making his point. But having said that, I don't think it does the party any good to air its dirty laundry on, of all places, CNN.
King has said he is considering a run for president in 2016 because he fears where Republicans such as Paul, a Kentucky Republican, are taking the party. King said he favors a healthy debate in 2016 between two legitimate candidates, "not fringes like Rand Paul." Well with all due respect to Mr. King, I don't consider Paul to be on the fringe. At this point in time what is of most concern to me is the fact that I continue to get lied to by people like Boehner and McConnell. And the lies being told have involved multiple issues, including the NSA leaks, raising the debt ceiling, immigration and a possible government shutdown over funding for Obamacare.
I would argue the reason for this supposed split is the fact that we have far too many in our party who are simply for big government. They want to take us to exactly the same place that the Democrats do, albeit at just a slower pace. And we have people, nowhere near enough, who are saying no to that. And apparently guys like Mr. King are less than pleased. So they set about trumping up this bogus libertarian line of attack. King said healthy debate within the party can be good, but said it is "absolutely disgraceful" that 94 Republicans voted to defund the National Security Agency in a close vote in the House last week.
On the contrary, Mr. King, I'm on the side of those 94 Republicans and I am not, as you say, a libertarian. I'm an American citizen concerned about a government that has already grown far too big and far too intrusive. "This is an isolationist streak that's in our party," King said. "It goes totally against the party of Eisenhower and Reagan, Bush. We are a party of national defense." King said he'd like to see Republicans reach out to labor unions of construction workers, police and firefighters. "These are people that are socially conservative and want to agree with us, and too many people in our party drive them away," he said.
And on the subject of immigration, Peter King went on to make it quite clear that he is in no way in agreement with comments made by Rep. Steve King of Iowa. He made it clear that he doesn't agree with the words his colleague used when talking about illegal immigrants in a recent interview. Steve King made the point that those pushing immigration reform are painting an inaccurate picture of illegal immigrants as a monolithic group by noting that some children of illegals have become valedictorians of their classes. He also made the point that for every valedictorian there are 100 "hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
GOP leaders including John Boehner and Eric Cantor were, of course, quick to denounce Steve King's words, but he has since refused to back down from them, saying the numbers back him up. Peter King told CNN that Republicans have to address the immigration issue in "an intelligent way and a humane way." I guess I just don't understand what guys like Peter King mean when they talk about immigration policy that's "humane." What other country anywhere here on good old Planet Earth makes that as part of the criteria when discussing immigration policies? Guys like him are the problem, NOT guys like Paul!
So who do you think represents the greater danger to the future of the Republican Party? People like Boehner, McConnell and our friend, here, Peter King, or guys like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Steve King? Personally, I have no doubt that it's the former rather than the latter. The future is in doubt because of wishy-washy pukes like those in our leadership positions, not only IN Congress, but outside of it as well. Where the focus must be, is on putting the country first. We must be better at demonstrating the fact that the GOP recognizes what 'NEEDS' to be done and is willing to act, regardless of the political consequences that may come as a result.
The Republican Party simply can no longer afford to continue as it has as being nothing more than part of the problem. It has to be part of the solution, if there is even a solution to be had at this stage of the game. Taking about the many problems that we now face as if they do not exist or are minimal in the amount of damage that they are causing, and will continue to cause, is what the Democrats do. And we most definitely do not need to be casting those who are attempting to do nothing more than to tell the truth as somehow being out to destroy our party. Such idiocy will only assist those who wish to make our problems even worse.
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