When reporters questioned Home GOP leaders Tuesday on whether or not the nationwide image was actually that dire, Minority Whip Steve Scalise provided up nonetheless extra crises—Democrats’ antisemitism, labor shortages. Good God, folks, get up! Trump had a well-oiled machine and now every little thing’s gone to hell in a handbasket. The Instances writes Scalise’s response:
“Sadly they’re all actual,” he stated capping a 25-minute information convention through which the phrase “disaster” was used as soon as a minute, “and so they’re all being attributable to President Biden’s actions.”
Working in disaster as soon as a minute for 25 minutes is an actual feat. Republicans are absolutely proud since repetition typically trumps reality, notably on the subject of the GOP base.
The brand new disaster speaking level is reportedly the brainchild of Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who took over Home GOP messaging duties after Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming was axed for telling the reality concerning the GOP’s Large Lie.
Stefanik’s large concept is that the midterms might be a referendum on Biden and congressional Democrats (not precisely rocket science materials) and that Republicans should begin portray a darkish and ominous portrait of distress for the nation even because the clouds start to let a smidge of sunshine via after Trump’s reign of American carnage.
The opposite GOP purpose in fabricating chaos and distress is making a diversion so voters do not discover as Trump ramps up his summer revenge tour. That is among the many most preposterous of GOP hopes—that stoking imaginary crises will in some way overshadow the 800-pound Republican gorilla within the room.
Because the Instances article factors out, Republicans are specialists in making mountains of mole hills—suppose Benghazi and demise panels. However their rapid-fire string of outrages now’s completely dizzying: Dr. Seuss, Mr. Potato Head, cancel tradition, migrant crossings, crucial race concept, younger transgender athletes, the Wuhan lab leak concept, Vice President Kamala Harris’ absence on the border, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Ilhan Omar. Don’t fret, subsequent week one thing model new and completely outrageous will pose one more existential menace to America and all that was as soon as good and proper on this planet.
The issue is, again within the Benghazi days, Republicans used to no less than fake so as to add in a dab of substance right here and there. This was one thing Eric Boehlert, founder of PRESS RUN, identified on The Brief this week. Now, their endlessly shrill warnings that “the sky is falling” when it is truly wanting fairly blue and sunny to most People is totally devoid of something resembling substance.
In truth, Senate Republicans particularly are starting to search out this out as they attempt to reinsert one thing resembling substance again into the talk. Their base isn’t the least bit interested within the GOP’s crimson meat from yesteryear—they’re hooked on Trumpian grievance highs.
Home Republicans reportedly have large plans to formulate some precise coverage proposals in some unspecified time in the future. Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy has even shaped seven totally different job forces to deal with the gargantuan job.
“The purpose is to be prepared on Day 1,” ought to the Republicans take again the bulk, stated Consultant Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, who leads the massive tech job pressure.
Effectively, that sounds fairly underwhelming to anybody who truly cares about coverage. Happily for Republicans, their base truly would not care about coverage anymore.
However on the identical time, GOP lawmakers have grow to be prisoners of the 24/7 outrage echo chamber they now inhabit, the place right-wing propaganda shops successfully dictate the GOP agenda. And the truth that Republicans now stay in that alternate actuality with their delusional base is not increasing their attraction to extra voters one bit.
It is not a 50-plus-1 technique, it is a purely suppress-the-vote technique.
