I've seen a number of posts, comments, and memes accusing Mitch Mcconnell (hereafter Turtle) of being a RINO. I think this is incorrect. The Republican party is a political machine in many ways comparable to the (capital D) Democratic party. Turtle has been a loyal engineer in that machine, keeping it running, and on track, despite many obstacles.
Meanwhile, Trump has changed back and forth from Democrat to Republican over time, because it is the ideals, and the American vision that he supports, rather than either party political machine. Trump adopted the mantel of Republican because it was the way he could challenge the system. Turtle has always been a Republican because he is part of the system.
In an alternate world were Trump ran in 2008, he would've been a Democrat (in name only), and Pelosi would be stabbing his America first agenda in the back in the 2012 election. Democrat appointed judges would reject cases on ridiculous grounds, and the Republican party candidate would look all kinds of sleazy.
I contend Turtle is a Republican, and the conflict between him and the RINO-by-way-of-actually-being-MAGA Trump was already in place in 2015.
Okay sure. But he’s still a turtle
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I agree, in the sense Trump is not really a Republican per say. He is a conservative on most issues. Whereas the Republicans are portrayed as conservatives but like Democrats , 90 percent have no actual values or morals and are just in it to make money.
Trump doesn't stick by labels - he's a fair dude. He's libertarian at few things, liberal in others, conservative at others.
And some say the Rs enjoy selling their votes while in the minority position. Wheeling and dealing is Mitch's game.
What is Republican about McConnell selling out the US to the Chinese? Or supporting endless wars that aren't in our interest? You wrote "Hot take" so you probably weren't being serious.
The prior few capital R Republican presidents all started and gladly continued wars that were not in our national interest. How many jobs did Bush ship overseas? How many of the regulations Trump has repealed were Republican ideas in the first place?
Trump is holding up a battered party, not the other way around - we saw that clearly in 2018.
He can’t be a rhino, because rhinos are traitors. Mega is the lion party. Hop on the train
I think I disagree with you about the meaning of the term RINO. I understand historically it arose from Rs in legislature signing D bills to get the pork they wanted, at the expense of their party and sometimes the national interests.
That's not applicable to either side here, Turtle is fighting for the swamp, but R and D together made the swamp. Turtle is better aligned with where Republicans have been historically, Trump is the outsider.
I don’t think Rino = outsider, I think it = traitor! That is why I say Lion, anew party with integrity! That is all. 🐸