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Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
27. No, that's his choice, AND HE'S THE CHOICE OF HIS VOTERS.
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 08:36 AM
Dec 2019

The constituents in his district are the ones who will decide what they think of this. Now, if he'd molested a child, the caucus would take serious action, and presumably that would not block the wishes of those who elected him.

As for why, note that the liberal-dominated Democratic Party is egalitarian by nature and extremely diverse in makeup. For both reasons, our congressmen don't just take orders from above and are seldom given them, being wooed instead. They have to be free enough to represent their very different districts.

In contrast, the conservative white man's Republican Party is far less egalitarian and more authoritarian and conforming* in nature, hierarchical in structure (power at the top), with diversity in income and education but not much else. Their congressmen expect to take orders from the top, and that can work without completely destroying their ability to represent (resulting in voter rebellion) because of conservatives' general approval of conformity and because of their relative lack of diversity.

* Putting a greater value on conformity is one of the big basic differences between conservatives and liberals. Attitudes toward equality are the biggest difference -- for liberals it's a top principle, with inequality believed to be wrong and a problem to be solved.
Conservatives tend to believe inequality is natural and if not overdone desirable and necessary.

Anyway, all this has big effects on how our representative government works.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Not for doing what he did. The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2019 #1
So we can't kick him out of the party? I'm sorry but I would say something about this and UniteFightBack Dec 2019 #3
I don't know if it's possible to kick someone out of a party, The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2019 #4
The point is he is casting his vote as a Democrat for a no on impeachment to make it look like there UniteFightBack Dec 2019 #5
No, that's his choice, AND HE'S THE CHOICE OF HIS VOTERS. Hortensis Dec 2019 #27
i thought he said he wasnt going to do that.. samnsara Dec 2019 #2
That was when he was dumb. He is smart now: dalton99a Dec 2019 #7
Why? kentuck Dec 2019 #6
Democrats don't have anything comparable to the wingnut welfare circuit that enriches failed GOP tblue37 Dec 2019 #8
If he switches, I suspect it's because Trump told him he'd have the backing of Trump and the GOP. Garrett78 Dec 2019 #18
This district elected a republican for 23 years until 2018 onenote Dec 2019 #25
Thankfully it takes a 2/3 vote to expel a member from the House. tritsofme Dec 2019 #9
your words are weirdly expressed. Majority party like yourself...not us? demtenjeep Dec 2019 #10
Hmm, you're right. "like yourself"? Catherine Vincent Dec 2019 #11
Thanks for your concern. Just pointing out that our system is setup to prevent tritsofme Dec 2019 #12
I think "like yourself" probably means "angry people" JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 2019 #14
That assumes we're all angry. pintobean Dec 2019 #15
No, it is a specific criticism of advocating to expel a member from the House tritsofme Dec 2019 #17
I think you mistook my reply as being directed at you. pintobean Dec 2019 #21
He was duly elected MFM008 Dec 2019 #19
I agree, but this isn't an argument for explusion. tritsofme Dec 2019 #20
A lot of voters chose him not because he was a Democrat onenote Dec 2019 #26
You mean, like, impeached? pintobean Dec 2019 #13
Let him leave - he's probably a liability anyway. Chances are he can't win the next time Vinca Dec 2019 #16
New Jersey Republicans not interested in party-jumping Jeff Van Drew as their candidate in 2020 Gothmog Dec 2019 #22
This idiot is losing his staff Gothmog Dec 2019 #23
He can be expelled from the House Dem caucus. lastlib Dec 2019 #24
Al 6 of his Staff Members Quit True Blue American Dec 2019 #28
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Can the Democrats expel t...»Reply #27