Portman's exit underscores Republican identity crisis

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The surprise retirement of Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a high-profile moderate who is close to the Bush family and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), is the latest sign of turmoil in the Republican Party as it wrestles with its identity in the post-Trump era.

On the day that Democrats walked an article of impeachment to the Senate and Republicans wrestled with questions about former President Trump's trial and the future of their party, Portman acknowledged feeling out of step with today's political climate.

"Our country is polarized right now. It's kind of shirts and skins, isn't it? That makes it more difficult to find that common ground because elected officials aren't rewarded for that," he said at a press conference announcing he would leave the Senate at the end of 2022.

"What they're rewarded for is throwing out the red meat on a talk show. That isn't conducive to solving the serious problems we face as a country," said Portman, a veteran of the Bush White House whose pro-trade, pro-business brand of Republicanism sometimes conflicted with Trump's "America First" nationalism.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/portmans-exit-underscores-republican-identity-crisis/ar-BB1d6AEc?ocid=NL_ENUS_D1_20210126_5_2

[Raven123]

1. If nothing else, it makes the GOP spend money on a seat.

If big money soes what they say, it should be interesting. No doubt Gym Jordan or his type will run and money could be an issue, at least in the primary.

[Turin_C3PO]

2. I wouldn't call him a moderate.

He's definitely a right winger but he's not a maga fascist.

[leftieNanner]

3. And he voted today

to approve of Rand Paul's BS claim that the trial is unconstitutional. If he's retiring, this would be his chance to put a stake in the heart of the toxic nasties that have become his party.

He's a coward. Doesn't need to protect himself for the next election, but needs to be certain to get some kind of money gig in the future.

[irisblue]

4. Portman is a corporate based republican, he took millions from the NRA & Koch Bros in dark money

[leftieNanner]

5. Yep

And he's not finished feeding at that trough.

[dutch777]

6. To the original post...it is, sadly, about red meat for the base and it's Trumpist

While there is certainly conflict, it is clear the likes of Flake, Ducey, Kasich, Toomey, Romney and others that one may or may not call moderate but that are more the old line Republicans we remember, are not in the ascendency. That seems hard to fathom for us who see Trump and his ilk and manner as completely unAmerican and counter to the best interests of the nation. But for those who only want power, no matter the cost, they are just doing electoral math, damn the consequences. And when 74 million support that view, and some states seem to be hard red for perpetuity, we can say that is sad and dangerous, but you can't fault their math just their moral qualifications for leadership.

[leftieNanner]

7. Well Said

"But you can't fault their math, just their moral qualifications for leadership."

Exactly.

There used to be a sense that anyone elevated to the US Senate should be a "man" of high moral character and integrity. Now you just need to be something shiny (Tuberville, for example).

[dutch777]

8. We have to stop living in the past and stop assuming good manners are the norm

I really like Ezra Klein's article in this last Sunday's NYT. He notes that Dems keep going trying to go back to just good form and order over actually playing hardball politics and getting things done, and when we do, we get outmaneuvered by the Repubs every time. And as sad as it is, we need to acknowledge the rules of the game are loose and maneuver through those same loopholes, or guard against the other side doing that, if we want to really get something done and gain momentum that will see our majorities in Congress increase in 2022, not be lost. This may be our last chance.