"Republicans fear political fallout from Kavanaugh turmoil"

[Jamaal510]

More: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/republicans-fear-political-fallout-from-kavanaugh-turmoil

NEW YORK — Whether or not Republicans ultimately confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, some on the front lines of the GOP’s midterm battlefield fear the party may have already lost.

In the days after a divided nation watched Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford deliver conflicting stories about what happened when they were teenagers, Republican campaign operatives acknowledged this is not the fight they wanted six weeks before Election Day.

Should they give Kavanaugh a lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court after Ford’s powerful testimony about sexual assault, Republicans risk enraging the women they need to preserve their House majority. Vote him down, they risk enraging the party’s defiant political base.

In swing state New Hampshire, former Republican Party chair Jennifer Horn said Republicans are “grossly underestimating the damage that would be done” at the ballot box in the short and long term should they confirm Kavanaugh.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. They are willing to risk losing both Houses to get their boy on the Court.

Short-term loss, long-term gain.

[budkin]

11. They won't care... once the court is packed, nothing else matters to them

Abortion will be illegal and Trump will be safe from prosecution.

[woundedkarma]

12. no offense intended, that's small thinking

This isn't just about abortion or trump.

Having the courts packed means cart blanche for the rich, the powerful, the corporations. It means unlimited money in every republican politicians pocket. They will lose this election but they will win the presidency next time because of the census, because of gerrymandering. Any and every decision by the supreme court for a very long time will go exactly the way the republicans and whoever controls the republicans wants. It will be the end of any real democracy in this country.

The short-sighted republicans don't see it but it will lead to the end of the united states. They think they will control everything but in reality it will weaken us to the point that russia or some other enemy can destroy or rule over whatever is left.

[Midnight Writer]

15. Indeed. This is the Crown Jewel for the American Oligarchs. Republican Senators will do very well.

Even if they lose their seats. Especially if they lose their seats. They will get appointments to multiple corporate boards. I saw that JEB! Bush sits on eight corporate boards. Massive salaries with no work and no responsibilities.

We see today endless ads on TV and radio and Internet supporting Judge Kavanaugh. Who do you think are paying for these ads? Regular folks? No, non profit foundations set up by billionaires and paid for largely through tax write offs.

Meanwhile, workers will get screwed, consumers will get screwed, and the class of non screwed people will get higher and higher, until only a few wealthy mega billionaires and their thralls will rule.

Welcome to unfettered, unregulated capitalism.

Life in the foodchain.

[Freddie]

18. The minute we can, we pack the court

Although FDR was unsuccessful at this, I’ve read that the very threat to do so brought some of the RWNJ justices in line.
We pack the court or there will be a civil war. Permanent minority rule will not be tolerated in this country.

[Laffy Kat]

2. Another huge mess 45's gotten them into.

Who in the party is keeping count?

[sheshe2]

3. They will sell their souls.

No doubt in my mind. Not one. They have no soul.

“Republicans have to ask themselves if they’re willing not only to sell the soul of the party, but sell their own souls to get this particular conservative on the Supreme Court,” Horn said in an interview.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you,” one woman cried as Flake stood uncomfortably in the elevator. “You’re telling me that my assault doesn’t matter, that what happened to me doesn’t matter, that you’re going to let people who do these things into power.”

'Look at me when I 'm talking to you."

[dchill]

5. Their souls are already sold and double mortgaged.

[sheshe2]

7. True.

Going to cry then try to get some sleep. I feel lost.

Thanks dchill.

[dchill]

4. They FEAR it? They fucking FEAR it?

Wow. Somewhere deep inside, an ounce of SENSE? I don't think they fear it enough. Not nearly enough.

[musicblind]

17. They fear their base more. n/t

[wiggs]

6. Doubt it. Either they are willing to pay the political price because they

are so, so ideologically aligned with Kavanaugh...or...they see a way through this mess.

[Grasswire2]

10. they are willing to pay the price for Kavanaugh even if it means losing the majority.

They think they will lose it for a couple of cycles. I think that's optimistic.

[Delmette2.0]

8. Between a rock and a a bigger rock. Hmmmm, what to do.

[Jakes Progress]

9. Actually, republicans fear trump.

Or fear that alienating him would cost them their job. So they screw the country to protect their titles and positions.

trump doesn't give a damn about Roe/Wade or any of the pet conservative causes. He wan't kavanaugh on the court for two things. First because he has written about and undoubtedly promised to vote to keep trump from being indicted. Second, and the reason he wants it now, is because the SC will decide soon about overturning the ruling that lets state courts try people who have been tried in federal court. He wants to pardon his family and all those who can testify against him (like manafort) and then have the new court ruling protect them from double jeopardy for breaking state laws. That case in before the court now. trump wants kav in there right now before that ruling.

[C Moon]

13. I'll bet there are a lot of outgiong calls to the Kremin from Kentucky and the the WH lately.

[catbyte]

14. No shit, Sherlock. That's the understatement of the year.

[Thrill]

16. I've been surprised by how they've been willing to ride for this guy

I’m sure they have plenty of wackos they can put up there. But the fact they’ve been so insistent on this guy, is a concern. He’s likely beyond extreme.