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PurpleAmerica's avatar

1995- GOP in House Control-- LET'S SHUTDOWN THE GOVERNMENT!

Result: GOP looks horrible and Clinton Approval skyrockets, cruises to re-election

2013- GOP in House Control-- LET'S SHUTDOWN THE GOVERNMENT!

Result: US Credit Rating downgraded, GOP looks horrible, Obama approval increases and cruises to re-election.

2018- GOP in House Control-- WE CAN'T EVEN PASS A SPENDING BILL TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN! AND WE HAVE CONTROL OF BOTH CHAMBERS AND THE WH!

Result: Republicans look incompetent, Dems win both chambers and Trump loses in the next election.

2023- GOP in House Control-- "LET'S SHUTDOWN THE GOVERNMENT!

Result: What's the definition of insanity again?

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Dave Zimny's avatar

The definition of insanity, revised: Doing all the above while promising to CUT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE. Too bad Newt Gingrich wasn't re-elected Speaker: he could school these right-wing newbies on the difference between radicalism and idiocy....

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Arun's avatar

> Result: What's the definition of insanity again?

The voters who keep returning them to office are insane.

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David Court's avatar

Groundhog Day.

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Travis's avatar

Reagan: Budget deficits in good economy after inheriting bad economy (kind of like Obama)

Bush Sr: Budget deficit in good economy

Clinton: Budget surplus, good job buddy

Bush Jr: Budget deficits in good economy, leaves shit economy behind at the end

Obama: Budget deficits, then deficits close at fastest rate since end of WW2, leaves good economy behind

Trump: Massive budget deficits in strong economy, then CV happens, Uncle Sam's money machine goes Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Biden: Massive budget deficits in weakening economy, inflation skyrockets at fastest pace since beginning of Reagan largely because of massive deficits during already hot economy across last two administrations

This concludes a history of government spending since I've been alive. As you'll note, the GOP has a long history of running gov deficits in good economies, and the only budget surplus was under a dem president, while the fastest-shrinking deficit was also under a dem president.

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Josh's avatar

It sure seems like people who think fiscal oligarchy is a good thing and argue in favor of it have a tendency to pour money buckets on oligarchs when in power.

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Lee B.'s avatar

Go red-woke go broke lol. The feelings caucus of the GOP never fails to lead them to ruin

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Amy H.'s avatar

Those Facts Over Feelings shirts and flags were Alternative Facts.

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Josh's avatar

Because they defined the opposition as evil beyond redemption, they can't use other tools. So they keep getting out the hammer and smashing their own feet.

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TomD's avatar

Oddly, or not, Putin uses identical rhetoric in characterizing what's wrong with Ukraine and Ukrainians.

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Josh's avatar

Because they're the same sort of unimaginative self-centered authoritarians tapping the want sort of impulses.

The main difference is that GOP office holders still have some risk of losing their jobs and/or going to jail. Putin may get couped, but he doesn't have to worry about elections.

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Chris's avatar

"Base voters"

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Liberal Cynic's avatar

More like debased voters.

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