I've Been Saying For Some Time That The "GOP" Is No Longer Any Of Those Words

The @GOP and MAGA movement is about money, self-aggrandizement, and power. This doesn’t make them a political party…it makes them a gang. @ReedGalen breaks it down with @TrygveOlson and @JeffTimmer on the latest pod: https://t.co/m4Pkv85qWr pic.twitter.com/3kkjpNgbKc

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) April 6, 2023

A political party serves a consituency and functions to put in office holders who will do the same. The constituency of the "GOP" is the same as the Tennessee House "GOP": an idea and an ideology, and people be damned.

LIVE: THE UNJUSTIFIED EXPULSION OF THE TENNESSEE THREE (It will happen towards the end of session) https://t.co/cBAIIwioIA

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 6, 2023

School children and their teachers were in the Tennessee House that day. Now the Speaker of the House calls it an "insurrection" and "worse than Jan6." Which has become the rallying cry of random nutballs:

'Peaceful' Jan. 6 is reason Tennessee Dems should be expelled for using a bullhorn: Ed Henry https://t.co/ydsBX5C3Mr

— Raw Story (@RawStory) April 6, 2023

Who know the only way to get a piece of the action is to claim membership in the gang.

And Trump wants to defund the police, while GOP legislatures across the country want to destroy public education from kindergarten through college.  Granted, U.S. House members can't decide whether this new demand from Trump means they have to shit, or go blind:

“I don’t support defunding law enforcement," Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) replied with a spokesperson for Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) didn't want to talk about it at all, stating, "Molinaro “has never and isn’t going to start responding to every Tweet from other politicians, presidents, and candidates for office. He was elected to address the issues facing Upstate NY — not to be a political pundit.”

As for others, Punchbowl was unable to get a response from the offices of Reps. David Schweikert (AZ), Juan Ciscomani (AZ.), John Duarte (CA), David Valadao (CA), Mike Garcia (CA), Michelle Steel (CA), Don Bacon (NE), Tom Kean (NJ), Nick LaLota (NY), George Santos (NY), Anthony D’Esposito (NY), Mike Lawler (NY), Brandon Williams (NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Jen Kiggans (VA)," with the report adding the offices, "didn’t provide any comment on whether they back Trump’s calls to defund the FBI and DOJ."

But recent history says they'll fall into place eventually.  Never go against the family, as Don Corleone said.