Finally, Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, has backed off on his self-serving rhetoric regarding "deficit spending" and let the 30-day extension of benefits for unemployed Americans go through. Why the turnaround? Some news sources say that Democratic chiding and criticism within his own party is what changed his mind. Bunning is no stranger to either of these situations, however, and I think the reason for the sea change is much simpler: He got what he wanted.
What was that, exactly? Attention, and a little revenge. He is leaving congress this year, so the effects of his filibuster will not impinge upon a re-election bid. Recent news articles have mentioned that he is "retiring" this year, but go no further than that. As it turns out, it is a forced retirement, engineered by his own party, with no other than Mitch McConnell at the helm.
Bunning, a former Baseball Hall of Famer, possesses an abrasive personality and lack of tact that has earned him few admirers, even within his own party. Michael Lindenberger of Time reported last July that Bunning, in his announcement that this term would be his last, placed the blame for this decision squarely in the lap of McConnell. The powerful Senate minority leader merely dropped a few hints regarding the prudence of another run by Bunning, and the money flow soon shut off. The Republican party, in true survivor fashion, was cutting out a cancer that could put the entire entity at risk, and it was done quietly and efficiently.
Bunning, apparently, doesn't feel the need to go quietly. In addition to pointing out the source of his political downfall, he has threatened to sue the Republican party. Truth be told, he barely won each election anyway, so the smallest of nudges was really all that was necessary. Nevertheless, Bunning seemingly saw his opportunity to annoy and embarrass not only Democrats, as any good GOP member is wont to do, but also those within his own party, who he views as traitors. The jobless bill, with its unusual agreement between the two parties that quick action was needed, worked very nicely. Who could argue against "fiscal responsibility" and a "ballooning deficit", phrases constantly trumpeted by Republicans these days?
The downside, of course, is that people in his own state would also suffer, and did. Surely Bunning knew this at the outset of his little public temper tantrum, though, and didn't care. He got the attention he craved, though his status as martyr is probably not secure. Probably a senator of this ilk would have failed re-election, anyway. The Republican party, however, not willing to chance it, took matters in its own hands. No one will miss this guy, and they know it. And the machine hums on.
What was that, exactly? Attention, and a little revenge. He is leaving congress this year, so the effects of his filibuster will not impinge upon a re-election bid. Recent news articles have mentioned that he is "retiring" this year, but go no further than that. As it turns out, it is a forced retirement, engineered by his own party, with no other than Mitch McConnell at the helm.
Bunning, a former Baseball Hall of Famer, possesses an abrasive personality and lack of tact that has earned him few admirers, even within his own party. Michael Lindenberger of Time reported last July that Bunning, in his announcement that this term would be his last, placed the blame for this decision squarely in the lap of McConnell. The powerful Senate minority leader merely dropped a few hints regarding the prudence of another run by Bunning, and the money flow soon shut off. The Republican party, in true survivor fashion, was cutting out a cancer that could put the entire entity at risk, and it was done quietly and efficiently.
Bunning, apparently, doesn't feel the need to go quietly. In addition to pointing out the source of his political downfall, he has threatened to sue the Republican party. Truth be told, he barely won each election anyway, so the smallest of nudges was really all that was necessary. Nevertheless, Bunning seemingly saw his opportunity to annoy and embarrass not only Democrats, as any good GOP member is wont to do, but also those within his own party, who he views as traitors. The jobless bill, with its unusual agreement between the two parties that quick action was needed, worked very nicely. Who could argue against "fiscal responsibility" and a "ballooning deficit", phrases constantly trumpeted by Republicans these days?
The downside, of course, is that people in his own state would also suffer, and did. Surely Bunning knew this at the outset of his little public temper tantrum, though, and didn't care. He got the attention he craved, though his status as martyr is probably not secure. Probably a senator of this ilk would have failed re-election, anyway. The Republican party, however, not willing to chance it, took matters in its own hands. No one will miss this guy, and they know it. And the machine hums on.
No comments:
Post a Comment