The real lasting damage the Freedom Caucus has done was teaching Republican appropriators that they too could whip up a gang Republicans and hook up with Democrats to stop any tax cut or spending reform in the future. (Courtesy: Evan Vucci/AP)
(Grover Norquist, Washington Examiner) – The biggest conservative crime the “Freedom Caucus” committed when they joined the House Democrats in killing the American Health Care Act (aka, the repeal of Obamacare and the block-granting of Medicaid) was not their intention to vote against a $1 trillion dollar tax cut. Nor was their greatest betrayal the refusal to cut spending by $1.2 trillion over the next decade. No, the real lasting damage was teaching Republican appropriators that they too could whip up a gang of 25 “Republicans” and hook up with Democrats to stop any tax cut or spending reform in the future.
The standing joke in Washington was — until the recent banning of earmarks — that there are three parties in Congress: Republicans, Democrats, and Appropriators.
In the past few years, party loyalty and a sense of shame has kept those appropriators from betraying Reagan Republican principles and party discipline.
