GOP Senator: Heritage's 'Radicalness' Could Cost The Think Tank Its Power

[highplainsdem]

Source: Talking Points Memo


Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said Thursday that the Heritage Foundation's quest for idelogical purity in the Republican Party could cost the conservative think tank "its clout and its power around Washington, D.C."

During a discussion on MSNBC about the just-resolved budget and debt crises, Hatch lamented how "good think tanks in the past" are "losing their reputation because of this radicalness." Host Chuck Todd asked the senator if it was a reference to the Heritage Foundation and its political arm, Heritage Action, which announced its opposition to the Senate deal to re-open the government until Jan. 15 and raise the debt limit until Feb. 7.

"Well, yeah. Of course I am. Heritage used to be the conservative organization helping Republicans and helping conservatives and helping us to be able to have the best intellectual conservative ideas," Hatch said. "There's a real question in the minds of many Republicans now — I'm not just speaking for myself — for a lot of people, is Heritage gonna go so political that it really doesn't amount to anything anymore?"

"I hope not," he added. "I'm gonna try and help it to survive and do well, but right now I think it's in danger of losing its clout and its power around Washington, D.C."

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/gop-senator-heritage-in-danger-of-losing-power-due-to-its-radicalness

[gopiscrap]

1. Let's fucking hope so

[calimary]

5. Seconded!

FUCK the Heritage Foundation and "Heritage Action" (HAH! Some "action"!!!!!) and jim demint and the rest of his little band of brigands. And Fuck YOU, too, orrin hatch - for wanting to help them get their shit together - in stead of telling them they need to GIVE IT UP and start playing the game fairly and reasonably like we're all supposed to, rather than trying so damn hard to be saboteurs and anarchists!

orrin - what people like YOU need to start saying to these assholes is: "GIVE IT UP." "CHANGE!" "YOU need to CHANGE!!!!!" "GIVE UP the damn obstruction." "We have to start winning elections again - NOT by trying to rig the game but by CHANGING some of our views!!!!"

He won't, of course. Which is too bad. But the whole GOP has to go through a change of mind. They'll NEVER get a majority of women as long as they want to own our gynecologists office and our gynecologists, too. They'll NEVER get a majority of African Americans and/or Latinos as long as they treat this President with such disrespect - AND they treat basically everybody with dark skin with such disrespect. Frankly, that's fine with me because I'm one of those who ardently wants the GOP as we now know it to shrivel up and die. There's no rational reality-embracing adults in there anymore. Or if there are, they're getting shouted down and crowded out and marginalized - by a fucking MINORITY that suffers from the biggest entitlement hard-on we've EVER seen this side of Marie Antoinette!!!! This goes back to the World's Biggest Entitlement Program that I piss and moan about here, frequently: the attitude that the teabagger types (mainly white and male) that THEY ALONE are entitled to rule.

THAT is what has to go. And orrin and his ilk have to go, too, if they can't stand up to these assholes and send 'em to their rooms without supper when they act like fucking spoiled brat-children.

[russspeakeasy]

2. Orin hatch is a fart in the wind.

[ffr]

10. ... ideological purity in the Republican Party?

Is that like Aryan purity? WTF?

Dear Mr. Hatch. It didn't seem to make them any less powerful just two days ago. So phuk you and your stupid back peddling words.

[russspeakeasy]

23. That's what I meant to say..

[dballance]

3. Their CEO is a 31-year old who has never worked anywere other than Heritage

Why the heck seasoned GOP politicians are listening to a 31-year-old beats me. He doesn't have the collective experience of shit in the Capitol. And, gee, look where it got the GOP.

He's got a business degree from Stanford and apparently an ego from Ted Cruz.

[oswaldactedalone]

16. And he's a

fuckstick to boot. A shameful episode where a 31 y.o. punk can dominate the actions of our representatives in government.

[dballance]

22. Total Arrogant Bastard who thinks he knows everything obviously.

I remember when I was 31 and thought I knew everything. Fortunately, I had good mentors at work to bring me into reality.

[closeupready]

21. Because young people have all the answers.

Makes sense, right?

[bluesbassman]

4. I hope it goes the way of the Edsel...

And based on their '50s ideology there's an even money line on that.

[pandr32]

12. Wasn't the Edsel well built though?

And CEO's in the 50's often lived down the street of their employees. They paid their fair share of taxes, too.

[bluesbassman]

15. As well as any other US car of the era...

But it was ill concieved and didn't resonate with the consumer. Kind of like the Heritage Foundation.

And yes, CEOs often did live in the same neighborhoods as their employees, earned single to double digits times what their workers did, and were taxed fairly. But we also lived with segregation, back alley abortions, and unchecked polution. Given the chance the RW would bring those things back too (although I seriously doubt they'd ever push for reasonable CEO compensation and taxation). The '50s were not quite the Golden Years they get credit for.

[DallasNE]

6. What Else Did They Expect When They Name Jim DeMint To Head It Up

There was never any doubt about the new course Heritage would take with DeMint heading it up. Heritage apparently wanted a fire-brand and that is exactly what they got so where was Hatch when all of this was going down? You get what you pay for and Heritage is getting exactly what they have paid for. Crocodile tears now do no good Sen. Hatch. You have to stand up when it matters and you didn't so just get over it.

[dorkzilla]

7. Oh Goody!

Couldn't happen to a more fitting group of morons.

[Skittles]

8. "intellectual conservative ideas"

[efhmc]

11. It's possible. Doesn't happen often (once in a blue moon) but anything is possible.

[niyad]

9. I prefer to call these cretins reactionaries, not radicals.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. The Heritage Foundation Koch blocks Republicans who aren't pure enough

[brer cat]

14. That is one turd

I will be happy to flush down the toilet. Let it be, let it be.

[KoKo]

17. Ha...Hatch doesn't like the real Ugly power of Heritage Foundation

being exposed. Wants them to go "undercover" again!

LOL's

[eShirl]

18. Heritage has always been cack.

the steam wafting from it just gets worse and worse

[Southside]

19. Shots fired!!! Bang right at you Tea Party

Fight back Republicans, you are the only ones standing between Obama/Reid and these nutjob lunatics. I might be the only one here, But I am rooting for you, like I rooted for Tony Soprano over the NY mob.

Gooo GOP, crush the Tea Party, before they crush our nation. If I could I would vote for you guys on primaries like another poster said.

[PSPS]

20. Not a chance

The Rolodex at every media outlet is stuffed full of these RW "think tank" (propaganda) people who will continue to be called on to spew their nonsense under the guise of "neutrality" (which is really laziness.) Hatch may not realize that the media has become nothing more than the "outrage industry." The more outrageous the content, the better it apparently is for ratings.