There aren't many stories that render me speechless. This is one of them.

[CatWoman]

Republican Lawmakers Said They Were Forced To Go Along With Trump’s Ways Or Face Retirement

After a rather telling interview with the New York Times, it was revealed that both past and present Republican lawmakers are and have been so deeply under the thumb of Donald Trump that they have virtually no choice but to go along with whatever hair-brained, manic, and unhinged policy Trump has laid on the table that day — or face his ire and consider an early retirement.

Per the Times report, “Just under four years after he began his takeover of a party to which he had little connection, Mr. Trump enters 2020 burdened with the ignominy of being the first sitting president to seek re-election after being impeached,” continuing, “But he does so wearing a political coat of armor built on total loyalty from G.O.P. activists and their representatives in Congress. If he does not enjoy the broad admiration Republicans afforded Ronald Reagan, he is more feared by his party’s lawmakers than any occupant of the Oval Office since at least Lyndon Johnson.”

One former GOP lawmaker admitted that he was personally faced with the quandary of bucking Donald Trump back in 2017 and knew full well the consequences he would face if he decided to do so.

“By the summer of 2017, Dave Trott, a two-term Republican congressman, was worried enough about President Trump’s erratic behavior and his flailing attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act that he criticized the president in a closed-door meeting with fellow G.O.P. lawmakers,” the report reads. “The response was instantaneous — but had nothing to do with the substance of Mr. Trott’s concerns. ‘Dave, you need to know somebody has already told the White House what you said,’ he recalled a colleague telling him. ‘Be ready for a barrage of tweets.'”

The ex-lawmaker revealed that he chose not to run for reelection, explaining, “If I was still there and speaking out against the president, what would happen to me?”

Trott is far from the only GOP lawmaker who has faced the nearly impossible conundrum of being a Republican who doesn’t agree with Donald Trump.

https://politicaltribune.org/republican-lawmakers-said-they-were-forced-to-go-along-with-trumps-ways-or-face-retirement/?fbclid=IwAR2_3qD33m4NwjlBPjFzRln5_0NnZbiKcUcP24s74RSbcu-U91Syx8fjo0E

[chia]

1. Where is their courage?

[Mossfern]

7. I had a disagreement with my boss (government)

and refused to back down or act on his requests for ethical reasons. I told my husband that I was going to be fired for that.
I needed to be able to look at myself in the mirror and not be disgusted by the image reflected.

I was fired.
I lived.
I can look in the mirror.

[chia]

15. I salute you for your courage, you are amazing, wish there'd been enough in this administration

willing to stand up like you did. If even a few dozen had stood up to Trump... we did get a few and they did get fired, but like you, they can look in the mirror. Thank you for doing what was hard but what was right. We have so many cowards who couldn't do it.

[Mossfern]

22. Thank you, but

it doesn't really feel like courage if you're just doing the right thing.
It's merely the way I was raised.

[japple]

60. Principles. That is what you have that separates you, and people like you, from the

GOP members of Congress and that idiot tRUMP. They have none. You should be proud that you stuck to yours.

[erronis]

37. Congratulations on your ethics and moral courage. In the end we have to live with ourselves.

I have a sister who fought bureaucracy frequently - sexism and good-ole-boys. She won but at a cost each time.

I don't really understand people like senators and other representatives being so weak that they can't take a stand. It shows that they aren't good people underneath it all. Poor choices as our leaders.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

65. Did you find a new job right away?

Yes, I admire your courage.

[Mossfern]

76. I was given a different job

by the same administration. I had been the Director of Environmental Affairs for my county, they offered me a job as an Employment Specialist for the Welfare to Work program thinking I would refuse the position at a considerably lower salary. I accepted and took the Civil Service exam for the position, was able to help so many people and found myself loving social services.
I was still considered a 'trouble maker' though - but that's another story. I treasure the thank you notes from my clients more than all the gold in the world!

[Sucha NastyWoman]

78. Troublemaker

What a badge of honor!

[AZ8theist]

49. Spineless fucking worms, every single one of them.

To be afraid of a TRAITOROUS COWARD like Doturd? Give me a break.
You could have gotten rid of him FOREVER when he was impeached. YOU. DID. NOTHING. FUCK YOU ALL.

[dchill]

70. Yes. Exactly this.

[onetexan]

53. Therein lies the problem - GOP lawmakers have none. They're all spineless.

[UpInArms]

2. Death by tweet?

I hate the freaking cowards ....

Afraid of a lying psychopathic tweeter ...

🤦🏽?♀️

[malaise]

3. Fuck them all

They swore to defend the Constitution not the Con.
Watch them jump ship now - it will be in droves soon and very soon.

[grumpyduck]

10. Only to try to save face.

[malaise]

34. They have stated it implicitly and explicitly

winning elections is more important than that oath.

[erronis]

41. They'll jump when a few others have jumped. Afraid of the water, boys? Or the sharks?

Once you jump you'll probably say "Well this isn't so bad."

I just hope that the country remembers your cowardice and evil acts and punishes you appropriately.

[genxlib]

4. They could try this simple excercise

Think of yourself as an American first and a Republican second. Then govern yourself accordingly. If it costs you your seat, then you could go down swinging knowing you did the right thing for your Country.

Oh, who am I kidding.

[Goodheart]

5. A monster of their own creation

For years they applauded the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, won elections based upon fear and prejudice, and then trump came along as a natural progression: somebody who outdid them all with spurious and hate-filled sloganizing, simple-minded dogma, and shameless pandering.

[alwaysinasnit]

29. +1000

[cayugafalls]

6. If they all turned their back on him and called him out at once he would shrivel.

The only way to take the wind from his sails is an outright refusal by any republican to have anything more to do with his shit.

But they refuse to do it, so they are complicit and therefore, criminal.

They get what they deserve and they deserve nothing but rancor and bile.

[fleur-de-lisa]

19. +1

[Walleye]

8. Grown-ass men, afraid of little tweets.

Sickening

[Mike 03]

11. Well put.

This describes some governors too.

[HotTeaBag]

85. It's not the Tweet that they're afraid of per se

it's the reaction by their constituents to the Tweet - if they're in a heavily Trump leaning district/state they run the risk of losing their seat, or in some cases being shunned by equally cowardly Republicans.

In essence they're afraid of the MAGAts who will blindly follow their leader no matter how utterly ridiculous he may be.

In reality though, they probably have a lot less to fear than they think they do, as Trump's track record of his endorsed candidates isn't particularly good.

[Walleye]

86. Nancy Pelosi once told one of her members

Who was worried about constituents’ reaction: “Educate them.” Of course I realize that this is impossible with most of the trump cult. But it’s what leadership is supposed to be.

[HotTeaBag]

87. Absolutely.

But the trouble for Republican reps is exactly what you mentioned - Trump voters simply cannot be educated or reasoned with.

[grumpyduck]

9. So according to the full article and the referenced one,

these people are all basically cowards afraid of a bully. More interested in keeping their office than in serving their country. Afraid of Tweetstorms (which says a lot about Twitter itself).

How the hell did such a bunch of spineless cowardly losers make it this far in life, never mind to Congress?

Thanks a lot, Twitter. Fuck you.

[Dan]

54. This is the question that every American

Should be asking.

How can these people be our leaders when they are afraid of a tweet?

Who do they represent - themselves or our nation?

What does the oath of office mean to them, if anything?

[redstatebluegirl]

12. The tea party were going away and losing all power when he was elected they found

a kindred spirit. Those Republicans have really embraced this nut.

[SoonerPride]

13. And yet they had the chance to FIRE him through impeachment

And didn’t.

So they are spineless weasels all of them.

[delisen]

27. but Twitter is used with the intent to ruin so I do not find it surprising nt

[Wounded Bear]

14. That should be an easy choice for anybody with integrity...

which has been in short supply in Repub ranks lately.

[delisen]

30. Health directors have been quitting due to receiving threats

I consider the Health Directors who have quit to have integrity. People have to weigh decisions such as these individually.

In general however I have not found much to admire among Republican office holders in DC.

[orwell]

16. So let me get this straight...

...the party that constantly espouses the failure of all forms of government and the nobility of the "rugged individualist" achieving dreams in the "private sector" is filled with cowards who are afraid of losing their government job.

What a bunch of cons.

Poor little snowflakes...

[Sanity Claws]

72. They also claim to be the party of responsibility

yet they take no responsibility for their actions.

[Faux pas]

17. They

have always been spineless.

[2naSalit]

18. Not surprised at all.

[stillcool]

20. I think that's called..

when you dance to the music, you have to pay the piper. When you can't pay, you owe, and there's no way out.

[mahina]

21. We watched this in real time.

[LuckyLib]

73. And have said the entire time, who among them has the

moral courage to speak up?

None. Disgusting traitors. Saving a lobbying position for themselves when their time is done in Congress.

[Wounded Bear]

23. So now they're gonna hunker down, lay low, wait for another opportunity...

to screw things up again.

Not that I don't trust them to "act responsibly" or something.

Sounds like they're set to toss Trumpism under the bus for a while.

[sop]

24. As always, ETTD: "A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a brave man dies but once."

These Republican cowards should have rebelled en masse. Now, after suffering humiliation after humiliation for the last four years, they'll still go down with Trump.

(The correct quotation is "Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once" - Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 2)

[JHB]

25. Spoken like a true apparatchik

[smirkymonkey]

26. K&R

[GemDigger]

28. The whole party, minus Romney (sometimes), are nothing but yellow bellied cowards.

[struggle4progress]

31. "What if 'People are saying. Many many. Very. So unfair!' What then? Eeeek!"

*bursts into tears at thought*

[Tracer]

32. Afraid of tweets? I can't believe that.

Look at all the dems who have been insulted and tweeted at by Mr. Stupid!

Has it made them cower in the basement? Run away screaming and crying? Of course not.

So it has to be something else. I just think they are so ideologically locked into their "conservative" ideas that they weigh the pluses (reelection, tax $$$, regulation elimination, abortion etc. etc) and just say "Yes, Mr. Stupid. Anything at all Mr. Stupid. Kick me harder Mr. Stupid".

[not fooled]

63. Yep.

They like to blame red don for intimidating them into going along but they WANT what he's doing. And, any puke president would have done the same policy changes--destroy regulations, enact massive tax cuts, etc. The party was primed for it.

They just wish there was less treason.

[Goodheart]

33. The biggest irony in all this?

Except for racism he doesn't even share their values! He doesn't employ their principles, only their devices.

He only cares about himself.

So even when everybody recognizes that he's an appalling human being they have to feign some sort of pride in standing with him, when he's not really standing there himself.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. +1 . . . nt

[llmart]

74. An even bigger irony...

is that some of them will lose their jobs anyway because he didn't stand up to Hair Furor.

[onecaliberal]

35. Cowardly weak bastards.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

36. Republicons fear mob rule (BLM etc). So they chose Mob rule (Russ mafia, tRump, Putin, cult). . . nt

[spanone]

39. Sounds like a cop out to me.

[irisblue]

40. The NYT article

NYT Article-
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/21/us/politics/trump-impeachment-republicans.html

[erronis]

42. All this country needed were a few "nudges" from a foreign (perhaps locals) despot to influence

the election and to drive wedges between the people.

Don't blame trump "for he knows not what he has done". He is a grimy, sleazy, disgusting pawn in the hands of putin and others.

When trump is put out to his stable pasture, make sure his Wall is tall enough to keep him (and family, etc.) enclosed forever. Throw some budgers and fake-shakes over once a week. Wait until the stench indicates that the crew inside is "all done."

[progressoid]

43. So they have no moral backbone at all.

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tells ya.

[Scarsdale]

44. They need to be reminded

that they are elected to REPRESENT their constituents, not the bloated ass in the WH. Let them reveal themselves for the cowards they are, so their constituents can elect others with BALLS. So even in a group they still cowered from King Don the Con? Obviously these people ran for office for all the wrong reasons. This does not explain why the group of gop politicians spent last July 4th in Moscow visiting Vlad. Did tRump demand that they go? Yeah, right.

[nykym]

45. I guess no one ever told them

there is strength in numbers.

[Amy-Strange]

46. Remember, he once was a democrat, and...

-

as a result, never won a primary, because democrats aren't stupid, but guess what?

Many republicans were THAT stupid.
==========

[PaulRevere08]

47. WTF did he take the oath "I, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution

of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic"? If all it takes is a mean tweet to get you to go back on your oath then maybe you shouldn't take it in the first place.

[Ponietz]

48. The stench of shame and disgrace

[SleeplessinSoCal]

50. Paul Ryan. deserter.

He was a leader who had the capability to garner a challenge. He opted for the easier but rife with guilt way.

[scarletwoman]

51. They won't leave because they are addicted to money and power.

How many Senators are millionaires?

Somehow, Congresspeople manage to make lots of money while in office, and no one wants to give up the gravy train.

Power is another thing. It's incredibly seductive - and the closer you get to the magnetic center of Power, the more you can't bear to part with it.

There is no reason to expect that today's Republicans are interested in policy or governing. Obviously, they're not about to choose principle over party or position - they were never in government to act on principles in the first place.

That's why they're Republicans.

[aggiesal]

52. I'm sorry, but who's the snowflakes? ...

These guys would melt in temperatures below 32 degrees (F).

[BlueJac]

55. Weak assholes...

Go fucking home and cry like a loser without a spine!

[world wide wally]

56. "Land of the brave"?

Where?

[yuiyoshida]

57. Trump doesn't have to declare himself as a Dictator

He is already acting like one.

[yuiyoshida]

58. Trump doesn't have to declare himself as a Dictator

He is already acting like one.

[pwb]

59. Big talk, fake tough all of them.

They are caught, they are with him, they were with him and the smiles while lying doesn't work anymore.

[wryter2000]

61. Why are his tweets such a threat?

Are all the voters Magats?

[McKim]

62. Really!!!! They Have Enough Money to Retire!!!!!

Really? They have enough money to retire in style with lifetime healthcare. It is rather that they could not give up their power that kept them from leaving and telling all. What cowards!!!!! Was idiots!!!!

[Arger68]

64. So what would a real patriot do

in this situation? Apparently they don't love their country enough to sacrifice their political careers for a dictator wannabe. How many Democratic senators and representatives voted for Obamacare knowing it could cost them their seat??

[slumcamper]

66. This, my dears, is an admission that they are beneath the sway of a CULT. Let's vanquish it.

Get souls to the polls and liberate ourselves and all.

I know we are all tired, but gaze upon the little children in your lives, draw inspiration, and summon strength.

To all:

[patphil]

67. Too many politicians see their political career as service to themselves.

This is more true for Republicans than Democrats, but no party is immune to this.

Once elected, these people see their seat as belonging to them, and proceed accordingly.
As time goes on, they become less and less interested in their constituents and more concerned about maintaining their position.

Of course when a self serving person like Trump gets into a position of, what he believes is, absolute power, he lets all of his party members know it.
All Republican congressmen, and even governors, are expected to give obeisance to the all powerful Trump.
Those who don't will feel his wrath, which means being primaried by a sycophant who has Trump's blessing. Bucking Trump has turned into a career ending decision.

It's rare that a Republican will make that decision, and it almost always has been seen to be a fatal mistake.

If any Republican legislator is ready to stand against Trump, it won't happen until after the primary for their office is held, and they have the nomination safely in their pocket.
Then Trump has to decide if it's better to punish the transgressor and risk a loss of the seat, or let it slid for the time being.

I don't expect to see many, if any, Republican legislators take that path.

[Lonestarblue]

68. Not defending Republicans, but I think no one truly understands why Trump inspires a cult.

I know I do not understand the loyalty that Trump’s supporters continue to show him. Trump has more control over his voters than any president I have ever observed. Their absolute adoration of him, even today after months of basically doing nothing but creating chaos in the country mystifies me. I know his racism, his ignorance, his nastiness, his vindictiveness, and his sheer meanness and cruelty appeal to his people, but why would his tweets make voters turn on other people they’ve elected? But they would and did. That’s why Jeff Flake, a fairly popular Senator, retired.

I guess the point I’m trying to make, and maybe not very clearly (😀 is that Trump has a connection to his voters that cannot be broken by other Republicans and they know that to cross him means the end of careers. Trump seems more like a mafia boss than a president. He takes care of his “family” so long as they swear undying allegiance and never dare criticize him. Cross him, and your death is assured.

All of us here have wondered with every poll how Trump’s approvals have remained near 40% because we see his actions as horrible and damaging to the country. But were it not for the pandemic that burst a bubble for at least some of his less rabid supporters and provided a major hit on the economy, Trump would still be enjoying good ratings. I have no understanding whatsoever of his powerful hold over people who think he is fantastic. That hold is irrational to me, but can anyone think of another politician who has inspired this cult-like worship by a significant slice of our population? His cult certainly never worshipped Bush as they worship Trump.

[stopdiggin]

80. every word true.

I think the Faux News, right wing media echo chamber play some factor here .. but there is no question that there is a slavishness and blind cultish like quality to his support. It's quite unlike anything we've seen before. (IMO)

----- --- -- -----

[zentrum]

69. Worms have more character.

[NBachers]

71. He keeps demanding, "Cover yourselves with my shit," they keep rubbing it all over themselves.

They're all caked with trump's shit. And they won't stop applying it.

They're scared of one disintegrating, disfunctional bully, but they have no loyalty to the nation of people they allegedly represent?

We're living in a fecalocracy.

[Skittles]

77. cowards

FUCKING COWARDS

[Cha]

79. KR.. sigh.

[SiliconValley_Dem]

81. fuck these GOP hacks! you reap what you sow, dipshits

[BComplex]

82. "he is more feared by his party's lawmakers than any occupant of the Oval Office since at least

Lyndon Johnson.”

And it was after Johnson that the Democratic party started losing power. I hope it's the same for the republican party now that those cowards have supported trump.

[calimary]

83. Pathetic.

And what really gets me is - when you get right down to it, they’re afraid of a TWEET.

A TWEET!!!!

Just roll that around in your mind for a minute. And on your tongue.

They’re afraid of a fucking damn TWEET.

Good grief... how pathetic.

[Luciferous]

84. Boohoo, find some fucking spines and stand up to him! Most of these guys are millionaires

anyway, so if they lost their elections, big fucking deal.

[Volaris]

88. I guess I get it, BUT ALSO,...

This is the hooker they paid for. They kinda dont get to complain about being overcharged.