Sen. Orrin Hatch retiring at end of term

[fleshconsumed]

Read that another GOP Representative is also calling it quits after this term. Seems like a lot lately but to be honest, I haven't kept track in previous cycles of how many incumbents retire / quit before an election. Is this amount normal this year? Higher? Lower?

Just curious.....

I can't find the article where I read it, but from what I remember, the rate of retirement is unusually high, however the total number of soon to be retired congressmen is still within annual limits. So it is possible that congressmen who want to retire are simply announcing it early and that in the end the total number of retirements/resignations will fall within normal range. It is also possible that if the rate stays high, the total number will blow the norms out of the water. However, it is too soon to tell which one is it.

 

[UNCjigga]

That was before the "there are good people on both sides" nazi march thing. I'm pretty certain Mitt has been critical of Trump since then.
Regardless, I trust Mitt much more than Hatch if anything huge turns up from the suspected Russia stuff.

Or, you know, before POTUS decided that we don't need a State Department.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

My general opinion of Romney isn't as important that Romney loves Trump about as much as does Obama. Since AZ will elect a Republican I'd rather have someone who would tell Trump to take a flying leap whenever he pleases.

 

[zinfamous]

I can't find the article where I read it, but from what I remember, the rate of retirement is unusually high, however the total number of soon to be retired congressmen is still within annual limits. So it is possible that congressmen who want to retire are simply announcing it early and that in the end the total number of retirements/resignations will fall within normal range. It is also possible that if the rate stays high, the total number will blow the norms out of the water. However, it is too soon to tell which one is it.

It's some dude in PA who's seat is considered safely Rep. Well, we'll see I guess.

 

[BoomerD]

It's OK with me, i'll be happy to vote for whoever wins. In fact i've voted for both of them before.

Hey...we have something in common...I've voted against both of them before!

As far as Hatch retiring...it's about time America gets a win...even if it's a small one.

 

[trenchfoot]

Or, you know, before POTUS decided that we don't need a State Department.

Trump simply doesn't trust other people to speak for him or act on his behalf. He has his own very unique view of the world, a world that looks as if it is being heavily influenced by the numerous skeletons he has in his closet and those that know where those skeletons are and what tale each of those skeletons will tell. Even his handpicked SecState Tillerson is outside the very exclusive world that Trump has progressively retreated into.

From the very get-go of his term in office, Trump displayed his penchant for trusting his own family members first and foremost to run the ship of state despite the fact that his children had absolutely no experience in running even the most mundane daily chores that seasoned bureaucrats knew by heart. Trump also hand picked whatever cabinet members he could draw on from his own campaign staff and those who closely backed him where loyalty was obviously the most important qualification and being from the big business big money donor class the very next on the list.

Trump is also very suspicious, wary and very afraid of those gov't agencies that he cannot have personal control over. IMO, a lot of that fear is due to his not having anything like the connections and deep penetration into the workings and echelons of gov't that politicians with long gov't service would have established for themselves prior to running for office.

Trump has very much to hide from the nation he leads and the only way he can protect these closely held secrets of his is to have the least amount of people involved in the decision making processes of the policies his agenda dictates, especially where he has made personal commitments to others that involve his business dealings and how he is using his position as POTUS to maximize his potential for ROI.

 

[Puffnstuff]

My general opinion of Romney isn't as important that Romney loves Trump about as much as does Obama.

But he did go to kiss the ring did he not?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

But he did go to kiss the ring did he not?

Oh don't like Romney make no mistake. He's a Republican and he'll not make too much noise. He might be another Hatch, but I don't think he'll be as bad. Consider him my lesser of possible evils. I'd love to see a Dem get in, but if not then someone who doesn't like Donny. I don't think I know of any good Republicans anymore. Maybe a few decades ago.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I don't think I know of any good Republicans anymore. Maybe a few decades ago.

Even the Republicans of yore detest the current batch so hopefully the Democrats will field someone who is electable.

 

[SNC]

this is the guy who made that false 47% claim, after all

I never liked the guy but the 47% comment was taken the wrong way by everyone who was looking for a reason to knock him down a peg or two.
Unless you believe that the 47% he spoke of would actually have voted for him over whatever D would have been on the ticket. Just like there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 47% of people that would never vote for a D over whatever R was running, including a rapist, homophobe, white supreist. So while you can twist what he said, and perhaps it sounded better on paper than in a room full of millionaires on a phone recording, he was not wrong.

 

[Commodus]

I never liked the guy but the 47% comment was taken the wrong way by everyone who was looking for a reason to knock him down a peg or two.
Unless you believe that the 47% he spoke of would actually have voted for him over whatever D would have been on the ticket. Just like there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 47% of people that would never vote for a D over whatever R was running, including a rapist, homophobe, white supreist. So while you can twist what he said, and perhaps it sounded better on paper than in a room full of millionaires on a phone recording, he was not wrong.

The problem is that he directly, explicitly claimed that this 47% paid no income tax and was dependent on the government. He wasn't quite saying they were welfare queens, but he was definitely playing on the Republican fantasy that all who value social programs are lazy and dependent.

And here's the thing: in my experience, at least, Democrat supporters wouldn't say that all Republicans are racists or endorse sexual assault -- they just didn't see racism or sexual assault as serious enough to have avoided voting for Trump.

 

[SNC]

The problem is that he directly, explicitly claimed that this 47% paid no income tax and was dependent on the government. He wasn't quite saying they were welfare queens, but he was definitely playing on the Republican fantasy that all who value social programs are lazy and dependent.

And here's the thing: in my experience, at least, Democrat supporters wouldn't say that all Republicans are racists or endorse sexual assault -- they just didn't see racism or sexual assault as serious enough to have avoided voting for Trump.

But was he wrong about the number of people on government assistance and or pay no tax? I am not arguing his delivery, or what people thought he was trying to say, I'm talking about what he actually said. The tax policy center had that number at 47% - down to 43 today. So what was not liked about his comment was that he spoke the truth, and sometimes that is hard for people to handle. Again, I did not like him and did not nor would I ever vote for him. I just think that until we stop putting words, thought, emotions and meanings into peoples mouths, we can never have an honest conversation.

 

[fleshconsumed]

But was he wrong about the number of people on government assistance and or pay no tax? I am not arguing his delivery, or what people thought he was trying to say, I'm talking about what he actually said. The tax policy center had that number at 47% - down to 43 today. So what was not liked about his comment was that he spoke the truth, and sometimes that is hard for people to handle. Again, I did not like him and did not nor would I ever vote for him. I just think that until we stop putting words, thought, emotions and meanings into peoples mouths, we can never have an honest conversation.

What people didn't like was that it was an intentionally misleading statement to make, or in other words it was pondering to the base/audience.

He made it sound like 47% paid no taxes whatsoever, and that is a blatant lie. 47% did not pay federal taxes, but they still paid state taxes, they still paid property taxes, they still paid FICA taxes, and they still paid all the myriad of various local sales taxes whenever they purchased anything. To make it sound like they paid no taxes whatsoever is a bold bold lie.

 

[SNC]

What people didn't like was that it was an intentionally misleading statement to make, or in other words it was pondering to the base/audience.

He made it sound like 47% paid no taxes whatsoever, and that is a blatant lie. 47% did not pay federal taxes, but they still paid state taxes, they still paid property taxes, they still paid FICA taxes, and they still paid all the myriad of various local sales taxes whenever they purchased anything. To make it sound like they paid no taxes whatsoever is a bold bold lie.

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it -- that that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. ... These are people who pay no income tax. ... [M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." This was the statement, care to modify yours? He said "Income tax" not all tax.