The decision to step back is yet another sign of the broader drop in morale within the GOP conference. Many Republican lawmakers have largely accepted that their inability to govern is a predicament of their own making. They acknowledge that overcoming their legislative impasse relies on not just keeping control of the House in November, but growing their ranks significantly to neutralize the handful of hard-liners who wield influence by taking advantage of the narrow margins. But many also continue to say privately what few have acknowledged publicly: Republicans believe they are likely to lose the majority.
I’d appreciate a spiral, because a healthy new party could come out of the remains; I see more of a slow death, attempting to drag everyone and everything down with it.
Is it really a death spiral when there’s a good chance they’ll hold on to the senate, maybe even the house and possibly even the presidency?
I’ll call it a death spiral when the democrats + independents have a super majority in the senate, which I don’t see happening anytime soon.
They don’t hold the senate now.
I get that it’s hard to tell because Democrats don’t wield power when they have it.
Exactly. The hardliners have decided that if they can’t have this country, then nobody should.