Next stop, impeachment? GOP intransigence is here to stay

Next stop, impeachment? GOP intransigence is here to stay

click link

snip


You don’t have to rely on mere anecdote, either. Public opinion polling has shown repeatedly that Republican voters value prefer politicians who will make an ideological stand over those they perceive as more willing to bite the bullet and strike a compromise. A September Gallup poll, for example, found that while only 25 percent of adults said it was more important for a politician to “stick to beliefs,” that number ballooned to 33 percent for conservatives and 36 percent for Republicans. A January Pew poll, too, found that while 59 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of Independents chose politicians who would make compromises with the other side, only 36 percent of Republicans did the same. 

So when Republicans threaten armageddon rather than compromise on their fundamental beliefs — and make no mistake, opposition to Obamacare has indeed become a fundamental GOP belief — it’s not an example of the system breaking down. It’s not a case of the Koch brothers thwarting the general will. It’s not about a bunch of crazy politicians acting like spoiled children. It’s something that’s arguably much scarier than that. It’s democracy in action, ensuring that for today, tomorrow, and well into the future, the fever that’s consumed Barack Obama’s presidency, and the nation with it, will not break.