Mediaboss Marketing

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens addresses attendees to his meet and greet event as part of Lincoln Days at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Mo. on Feb. 25, 2017.(Photo: Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader)Buy Photo

Signs for about two dozen successful Republican campaigns greeted crowds of conservatives assembling for the 2017 Missouri Lincoln Days inside the University Plaza Hotel on Saturday.

The annual Republican celebration was expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees, and state lawmakers, local party officials and private citizens were among those gathered to catch up with old friends and to hear what their leaders had to say.

Though speakers such as Sen. Roy Blunt, Gov. Eric Greitens and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft hit serious notes at times, the mood of the day was celebratory.

"We have these events in good years and bad years," said Todd Graves, chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. "Some of them are like funerals, and some of them are like weddings. This one's more like a wedding."

Protesters lining the street, demanding to inquire directly of Blunt and calling their gathering a "street town hall,"were visible from outside the door to the hotel's Kansas Room. Inside, the recently re-elected Missouri senator spoke at a breakfast co-hosted with the Missouri Pachyderms.

The News-Leader was not allowed to enter the Kansas Room during Blunts speech. A spokeswoman for the senator, Burson Snyder, said the breakfasts closed doors were not related to the chanting protesters outside.

Danette Proctor, chair of the Greene County Republican Central Committee, and her husband, Darrell Proctor, heard Blunt speak and told the News-Leader the gist of his message.

They characterized the speech as upbeat, fitting for a Republican Party that asserted political dominance in November. Blunt talked about fixing the Affordable Care Act (without echoing calls to repeal and replace Obamacare), needing to undo former President Barack Obamas executive orders and scaling back regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

In a brief interview later, Blunt said he didnt think the protest constituted a real town hall event. He said he didnt have a problem with peaceful protesting but didnt feel like the gathering outside the hotel was a good venue for conversation.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Asked whether he would do a town hall in Missouri, Blunt demurred.

"I think there are so many better ways to communicate now than that," Blunt said, adding that he didn't do town halls during his first six years in the Senate but still "had lots of chances for lots of people to have input. And I think I'm going to continue to communicate the way that I have been."

"We're in constant communication every day with people however they want to communicate, and I think that's a better way to do that now," he continued. "We still answer all our phones with a person. Many senators don't do that."

As for what he was hearing from constituents, Blunt cited national security issues, improving mental health care(including a pilot program in Missouri), being cautious about new regulations, and upcoming confirmations for vacant positions in the federal judiciary.

"I feel like I've got a pretty full plateand look forward to the next six years," Blunt said.

While Blunt spoke behind closed doors, the Republican National Lawyers Association hosted several politically minded attorneys, including Jay Ashcroft, House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, and several Springfieldians: Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, Assistant Majority Floor Leader Kevin Austin, and freshman Rep. Curtis Trent.

Ashcroft recalled attending former President Ronald Reagan's inauguration and not comprehending the meaning of Reagan's "Morning in America" tagline. After seeing his party's electoral successes in November, Ashcroft said he understands.

These wins filled Missouri's statewide offices with Republicans, and Ashcroft said this proved helpfulafter Missouri learned it would receive $10 million from Moody's Corp. as part of a nationwide settlement pertaining to inflated credit ratings.

But the night before the money was to go through, there was a "hiccup," Ashcroft said, an issue related to wording that led to a lack of agreement.

Ashcroft said he was able to call Attorney General Josh Hawley well after business hours, and the two newly elected officials were able to fix the problem.

The secretary of state fielded a question about Missouri's new voter identification law, and he downplayed concerns such as those raised by former Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander that voter ID would hinder people from casting ballots.

"This is not about disenfranchising anyone, and frankly, for those people that don't have IDs, we're bringing them into society," Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft put the cost of implementing voter ID at about $1.5 million about five times what was allocated in Greitens' budget recommendations for the next fiscal year but lower than what Kander's office estimated.

Later in the morning, Greitens held a campaign-style rally to give supporters an update and to shake hands and take photos with members of the audience.

"We are in a fantastic position, my friends," Greitens said. "...Because of you, because of strong conservative leaders throughout this state, we have the opportunity to put in place a strong, common-sense conservative agenda here in Missouri."

Greitens spoke about his time with Vice President Mike Pence, who visited Missouri last week to attenda business roundtable and to help the hundreds of volunteers, including Greitens, who cleaned up a vandalized Jewish cemetery in St. Louis.

President Donald Trump called while Greitens and Pence were in a car together and asked the governor to thank Missourians, Greitens said to an appreciative crowd. Trump and Greitens are expected to meet soonin Washington, D.C.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens visits with Janice and James Nolan after his speech during his meet and greet event as part of Lincoln Days at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Mo. on Feb. 25, 2017.(Photo: Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader)

Greitens also said Pence was committed to repealing and replacing Obamacare and to spurring economic activity in Missouri. He thanked his supporters for their work and implored them to continue their efforts.

"When we start getting attacked, you are going to be our first line of defense," said Greitens, a former Navy SEAL.

He said conservatives would have more success when they spread the Republican message themselves than when the job was left to"members of the media."

"We're going to bring strong conservative change to the state of Missouri, and we're going to make Missouri a shining light, a fantastic beacon for what is possible in this fantastic country, the United States of America," Greitens said to cheers.

True to his commitment to speak directly to the people of Missouri, Greitens met with a lengthy line of fans and avoided reporters who wanted to ask him questions. He also walked past Rep. Nate Walker, R-Kirksville, who could be heard expressing his displeasure to one of Greitens' staffers.

Later, there was an open discussion featuring four of Greitens cabinet members:

Graves, the state party chair, served as the moderator, and he pointed out an obvious but important fact: All four officials are women.

"This is a step forward," Steelman said. "To see more Republican, conservative women taking an active role in government that's one of the big things that I'd like to see change, and I think Gov. Greitens is taking a great step in the right direction to make that happen."

(On the topic of whether Greitens is making a concerted effort to hire women, senior adviser Austin Chambers said on Twitter earlier this month that the governor "is focused on finding the best & brightest to help take MO in a new direction. And he's proven that with fantastic hires.")

Graves later asked the panel for their thoughts on how Republicans could do better with women voters.

Chinn suggested getting young people involved by reaching out through social media. Comer, who previously worked for Pence in Indiana, praised the state's Lugar Series as a valuable networking tool for women in politics.

Also during the discussion, Precythe acknowledged that the state prison system had been the focus of bad press in recent days. In November, Kansas City's The Pitch magazine described a vulgar culture of harassment in the Department of Corrections that led to $7.6 million in settlement payouts to employees.

"There is no place for sexual harassment, workplace harassment or retaliation in today's society, and we are not going to tolerate that," said Precythe, who previously held a leadership role in North Carolina's prison system. "I have no problem saying that that is a zero-tolerance (policy) for not reporting and a zero-tolerance for not responding. ... It is not going to go unaddressed any longer."

The four cabinet members addressed several other issues including:

Before breaking to enjoy treats at an ice cream social, members of the Pachyderm club listened to Missouri Republican Party vice chair Kay Hoflander give an update on the state party's efforts.

"All eyes forward" was Hoflander's theme. She meant that Republicans should focus their energy on their goals and not be deterred by distractions, such as disruptive protests at town halls.

In 2018, Hoflander predicted there would be a "loaded" primary among conservatives jockeying to challenge DemocraticSen. Claire McCaskill. Republicans also will have a chance that year to unseat Democratic Auditor Nicole Galloway.

Hoflander urged her small audience of about a dozen to listen to criticism but to disregard disinformation. She said media coverage at the state level had seemed fair to her since Greitens was elected, but she could not say the same for national coverage of Trump.

"Republicans aren't really how they are portrayed," Hoflander said.

Saturday's events were bookended by keynote speeches by Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford on Friday and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis on Saturday. The last scheduled event was a prayer service Sunday morning.

Read or Share this story: http://sgfnow.co/2lHzihB

See the article here:
With 'all eyes forward,' Missouri Republicans converge in Springfield for Lincoln Days - Springfield News-Leader

WASHINGTON For Republicans on Capitol Hill, Vice President Mike Pence was supposed to be the calm, steadying hand in the White House, the seasoned former Indiana governor and congressman who would be their ears and mouth in the neophyte Trump administration.

Then Pence went on national television last month, before Donald Trump was even sworn in, to assure America that the man selected to be the national security adviser, Michael Flynn, never discussed sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador.

It wasnt true, of course. But Pence didnt know that it was false, and that Flynn had discussed sanctions with the ambassador the very day the Obama administration leveled them in retaliation for Russias attempts to manipulate the U.S. election.

Pence and his many GOP supporters didnt find out hed been misled until mid February, although other top officials in the White House were warned of Flynns dishonesty weeks earlier, in late January. Flynn was forced to resign.

Now, imagine being a Republican on Capitol Hill, and learning that sequence of events involving the man the GOP establishment sees as a sort of safety blanket in the volatile administration.

Um, said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), pausing a full five seconds before offering an uncomfortable laugh and trying to answer whether he was reassured that Pence was not part of the deception, or concerned that the GOPs voice in the White House was entirely out of the loop.

Let me say, I think Mike Pence is very much in the thick of things, and policy, in the administration, Wicker said.

He never really answered whether he was reassured or concerned. But he was clear that he still had confidence in Pence, who served with Wicker when they were both members of the House.

Indeed, all the Republicans HuffPost spoke to just before Congress went on its current recess expressed similar strong support for Pence, while struggling with the implications of a White House that kept him in the dark for two weeks.

Um... Well, said Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), another former House colleague of the vice president, who professed he was not up to speed on the reports of Pence being left out.

Still, it didnt sound good, in theory, to Boozman.

As a general rule, youd always want the vice president in the middle of whats going on, Boozman said especially Pence.

Hes a strong personality, hes a thoughtful guy, he understands Congress, so he really is a natural in regards to going forward, Boozman said. Ive got all the confidence in the world in him. So Id like very much for him to be a major part of the decision-making process, whatever it is.

Some Republicans who have been critical of Trump in the past were willing to express alarm.

Of course its concerning, said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

We dont know what was going on in the White House, as far as the decision-making process is concerned, McCain added. When we have things like the immigration order and we have the vice president saying things, given information, telling the American people that are not true, there is a certain lack of coherence there.

One thing they all agreed on Pence is not the problem.

Mike obviously is a good guy and a good friend, said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). Im kinda glad he wasnt part of it, but Im sure hes not seeking to be excluded. Hell be fine. and Im sure theyll correct the issues they have.

Perhaps the White House will correct the dysfunction, but over the past week, fresh reports have highlighted Russian ties to Trumps campaign.

One report revealed a possible attempt to blackmail former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who resigned after documents surfaced suggesting he was secretly paid millions by Russia-backed Ukrainians.

Other reports revealed that Trump White House officials attempted to influence the FBI, which is investigating aspects of Russian influence on the election. The officials, including Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, tried to get officials in the agency as well as overseers on Capitol Hill to deny news that Trump campaign contacts with Russian intelligence officials werenear constantfor a year.

Whether the federal or congressional investigations end up implicating Trump or any of his aides in attempts to collude with a foreign power to sway an American election is not a question that can be answered yet.

But for all the talk of chaos in the White House for the first month of Trumps reign, Senate Republicans were clear in expressing confidence in the person who would be first in line to replace the president.

Hes been actively involved in the political process and also the governmental process of making political decisions, but also the how-do-you-govern-day-to-day, said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). So thats something thats very valuable.

Asked directly if the administration had treated Pence well in cutting him out of the loop on Flynn, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made clear the value Republicans see in Trumps No. 2.

Mike Pence has been the indispensable player, McConnell told reporters just before the recess, which ends Monday. Yeah, hes a huge value added for us. We all know him. He has, I think well all stipulate, a very different kind of personality from the president.

See more here:
If Trump Implodes, Republicans Have A Silver Lining In Mike Pence - Huffington Post

Knoxville News Sentinel 3:03 a.m. ET Feb. 26, 2017

Letters to the Editor(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Obamacare repeal timeline is slipping away. Our representatives need to act. All Americans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act and those inother plans need to press our members of Congressto vote to repeal this act now.

We have all heard or personally experienced the horrors, lies and high costs that accompany this plan.

Democrats are stalling and will continue to create issues that cause Republicans to delay repeal,partly to support President Barack Obama's legacy.

With Republicans in charge of the House, Senate and White House, we must make it happen now, along with an effective cancellation date of at least two years. Then immediately form a replacement task force to put together the best parts of a replacement,drawing from the many attractive replacement bills submitted by members of Congress, some of whom were doctors. like Tom Price, newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services.

It is very important that in your contacts with your members of Congress, including U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, verbally and in writing stress that the bill must fully repeal Obamacareinstead of saying it must fully support repealing Obamacare. The latter wording leaves room for delay fostered by Democrats to creep in.

We need to help the president break the logjam holding up the ACA's repeal and as constituents continually press our representatives to act. Once this is accomplished, it will act as a very strong incentive to put together a suitable replacement.

The Washington phone numbers are 202-224-4944 for Alexander and 202-224-3344 for Corder.Your House of Representative member's phone number can be found at house.gov,page 19,.

We should all be delighted that we finally have the opportunity to repeal this horrible piece of legislation and help make America great again.

Michael Colicchio, Dandridge

Read or Share this story: http://knoxne.ws/2lIsS1L

Link:
Letter: Republicans must repeal Obamacare soon - Knoxville News Sentinel

Ledyard King, USA Today Network 6:10 p.m. CT Feb. 25, 2017

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz greets constituents on his way into an Open Gaetz Day event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017.(Photo: Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com)Buy Photo

WASHINGTON - The anger spilling out of town halls across Florida and other protests against GOP members of Congress might give Democrats hope that they can marshal that unrest into success at the ballot box in 2018.

Until you consider this:

Six of the 16 Republicans in Floridas 27-member Florida congressional delegation hail from districts where the last two GOP presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Donald Trump) won by an average of at least 20 percentage points: Matt Gaetz, Neal Dunn, John Rutherford, Daniel Webster, Tom Rooney, and Francis Rooney.

Four represent districts where the average GOP margin was between 10 and 20 percentage points: Ted Yoho, Ron DeSantis, Bill Posey, and Gus Bilirakis.

Four are in districts where the average GOP margin is between five and 10 percentage points: Dennis Ross, Vern Buchanan, Brian Mast, and Mario Diaz-Balart.

That leaves two who won districts captured by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the last two presidential elections: Carlos Curbelo and Iliena Ros-Lehtinen. The bad news for Democrats is both moderates found a way to win re-election by outperforming the top of the ticket.

Linda Fogg, a life-long Republican from Sumter County who opposes Trump, helped mobilize dissenters packing Websters town halls last week. Because Websters district is so red, Fogg said it will require GOP voters like her to pressure him and other GOP lawmakers to stand up to Trump or face their own demise.

The only ones who are going to be able to turn this around are the Republicans, she said. We have to do this. Its not going to happen on the other side.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Dont be surprised if GOP Sen. Marco Rubio isnt the most enthusiastic advocate for Rick Scott if the Republican governor tries to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson next year.

For starters, Scott opted not to endorse home state candidate Rubio (or former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for that matter) in last years presidential primary, choosing instead to get behind Donald Trump.

Then, when Rubio announced in June hed run for re-election to the Senate, Scott declined to endorse Rubio in his primary race against businessman Carlos Beruff, whom the governor described as a good friend.

And theres also this: Rubio and Nelson have gone to bat for each other despite their political differences.

When Scott came to Washington last summer to push for Zika funding, he accused Nelson of abandoning his constituents by voting against a controversial Zika bill. Rubio on the Senate floor defended Nelson as an important ally in the push for Zika funding.

A few days earlier, Nelson undercut Democratic attacks characterizing Rubio as an impediment to Zika funding. When Rubios Senate challenger Patrick Murphy hammered the GOP incumbent for not doing more to pass President Obamas $1.9 billion Zika bill, Nelson reminded opponents Rubio was the first Republican to back the plan.

Nelson often has kind words for Rubio, saying their partnership is key to achieving the states priorities.

He has always been a gentleman with me, Nelson said recently. My relationship is very good. And that is important for Florida that the two senators get along. And therefore I will not make any negative comments about him if I had em.

Al Cardenas, a former chairman of the Florida GOP, said he expects Rubio will weigh several factors in deciding when and whether to endorse Scott if he runs for the Senate: his relationship with Nelson; the state of the race; the importance of a Florida victory to keep the Senate in GOP hands; and the level of pressure his Senate colleagues are applying on him to endorse Scott.

Ultimately, Scott may not be that interested in Rubios blessing anyway, considering how he became governor on an anti-establishment platform.

I dont think he loses sleep over who supports him and who doesnt especially now that Donald Trump won without any (establishment) support, Cardenas said of the governor. Gov. Scott won without the endorsement of the party brethren. If theres one thing that both (he and Trump) proved, its that they can go directly to the voters and plead their case.

People have a conversation with Bikers for Trump outside U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz's "Open Gaetz Day" event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

Florida Republicans remain smitten with Donald Trump.

A new survey by the Associated Industries of Florida of GOP voters finds that 81 percent approve of his performance as president including 56 percent who strongly give him a thumbs up.

The poll by the conservative business group that often tracks political sentiment in the Sunshine State surveyed 800 voters who had voted in at least one of the last three non-presidential Republican primaries.

Thats in line with national polls that show Trump faring exceedingly well among his conservative followers even as the vast majority of Democrats and a large number of independents rate him poorly. Only 14 percent of Florida Republicans gave him a poor rating.

Even with an endless, round the clock bombardment of negative coverage in the main stream media, the base remains unfazed in their approval of the president, according to the analysis from the GOP-leaning trade group. These numbers shouldnt come as a surprise because (A) these are primary voting Republicans and (B) the president is only doing what he told the voters he would do.

Thats good news for Republican Gov. Rick Scott if he decides to take on Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson next year. Scott would already be the favorite to win the GOP nomination in the Senate race and his close ties to Trump would probably make him a lock for the primary.

Scott himself does very well in the AIF survey, with 81 percent also approving his job performance though the 41 percent giving him strong approval means he doesnt quite enjoy the same level of enthusiasm from the base that Trump has.

GOP Sen. Marco Rubio doesnt do too badly either, with 69 percent approving of his performance, though only 25 percent strongly applauded him.

Other high-profile Florida Republicans are still trying to connect with conservatives.

Attorney General Pam Bondi had a favorable rating of 54 percent while 12 percent gave her a thumbs down.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam had a favorable rating of 38 percent compared to 3 percent who had an unfavorable review.

Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran had a favorable rating of 16 percent compared to 4 percent who viewed him negatively.

Florida Senate President Joe Negron was viewed favorably by 14 percent and unfavorably by 3 percent.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Pam Bondi, once seen as a sure bet to leave the Sunshine State and work for President Trump, doesnt even get asked about a slot in the White House anymore.

Asked repeatedly by reporters a couple of weeks ago about a move to Washington, Floridas Attorney General repeatedly insisted she was not taking a job under the administration of President Donald Trump.

So when Bondi held an event honoring Floridas police officer of the year in Tallahassee Wednesday, reporters didnt even bother to ask her about a job with Trump.

Thats not to say it absolutely wont happen.

It was only last month that speculation burned about an impending gig in the West Wing, perhaps as a special counsel in charge of issues shes passionate about such as efforts to stop prescription drug abuse. Around the same time, then-Trump transition team spokesman Sean Spicer described her as someone who has a very valued opinion in the president-elect's world right now.

And Trump, who has been facing Democratic opposition in filling out his Cabinet, still has plenty of jobs to fill.

Contributing: Arek Sarkissian, The Naples Daily News

Contact Ledyard King at lking@gannett.com; Twitter: @ledgeking

Trump Supporters and Opponents have a heated discussion following the U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, FL.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz answers a question about Donald Trumps attack on the media during an "Open Gaetz Day" event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz enters an "Open Gaetz Day" event to a sea of protesters and supporters at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz answers a question about cutting entitlement programs to pay for defense spending during an "Open Gaetz Day" event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz answers a question about Muslims during an "Open Gaetz Day" event at Grover T's BBQ in Milton, Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

Read or Share this story: http://on.pnj.com/2lHv6yk

Link:
Safe districts may protect Republicans from voter anger - Pensacola News Journal

In the summer of 2001, the late Sen. Jim Jeffords from Vermont left the Republican Party, declared himself an independent and caucused with the Democrats, giving the Dems a 51-seat majority in the upper chamber. Jeffords, a lifelong Republican who had served seven terms in the House before winning three Senate races, told supporters that he had struggled with "the changing nature of the national party" and that "in order to best represent my state of Vermont, my own conscience and principles that I have stood for my whole life," he would leave it.

Today, the proximate causes of Jeffords' break with the GOP seem downright quaint. He strongly opposed what he saw as the fiscal recklessness of President Bush's mammoth tax cuts, and was appalled when Senate Republicans refused to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which he had supported as a member of the House back in 1975.

Sixteen years later, many Republicans privately express deep concerns over Donald Trump's temperament, lack of experience and propensity for sparking diplomatic crises with impromptu rants on Twitter. Some are as concerned as their Democratic counterparts about signals that the administration is bent on undermining the Atlantic security alliance and forming closer ties with Russia. Others are alarmed by his attacks on the judiciary, and the perception that he's a thin-skinned, self-obsessed authoritarian.

Some have come forward to offer public statements condemning Trump's travel ban or some of his more inflammatory tweets, but the usual political incentives keep them from going further than that. While Trump's the least popular newly elected president in the history of polling, nearly nine in ten Republicans either "approve" or "strongly approve" of the job he's done so far, according to the latest Politico/Morning Consult poll. As long as the base remains behind the president, Republican officeholders can grumble, but they're constrained from voting against his less qualified nominees or otherwise standing up to his agenda. This is true for the party as a whole; as long as they have unified control of the federal government, and the base is behind Trump, aggressive oversight of the administration will prove elusive.

But this is a moment in history that provides some unusual incentives. If just three GOP Senators had the courage to cross the aisle and caucus with Democrats, they would find themselves in a position to defend our institutions and the norms that have made them more or less functional for more than 200 years, protect the international alliances that have served American interests well in the post-World War II era and assure that our federal agencies are headed by competent, qualified people. (It must have been somewhat embarrassing to confirm Ben Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development only eight weeks after Carson said through a spokesperson that he was unqualified for the job.)

Just three individuals could restore the checks and balances that are clearly so necessary with an administration headed by a reality-TV star who seems to have little knowledge of, or interest in, public policy. The resignation of Michael Flynn, Trump's erstwhile National Security Advisor, for discussing U.S. sanctions with Russia before the president was sworn in, only highlights the vital need for independent oversight of this White House. Important questions remain, but the chairmen of both the House Oversight and Intelligence Committees indicated that they have little interest in investigating the matter, and Politico reported that Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, "largely responded to Flynn's resignation by highlighting the retired lieutenant general's record of public service and offering deference to Trump."

A Senate controlled by Democrats wouldn't reflexively defer to Trump. It would investigate Trump's alleged conflicts of interests and assure that he isn't violating the Constitution's Emoluments Clause. It would check those items on Trump's agenda that fall outside the mainstream. At the same time, as "independent Republicans," lawmakers who were to cross the aisle could still join their GOP colleagues in supporting traditional Republican priorities. In the 107th Congress, Democratic leaders released Jim Jeffords to vote as he wished.

John McCain would be an obvious candidate to flip. The traditional foreign policy realist already enjoys the "maverick" brand. His feuds with Trump are well-documented. Last October, he renounced his support for his party's nominee following the release of Trump's recorded comments about grabbing women by their genitals, saying, "It's not pleasant for me. But I have daughters. I have friends. ... They cannot be degraded and demeaned in that fashion." Or Lindsey Graham, who responded to Republicans' embrace of Trump by calling him "the most dishonest person in America," and lamenting that his party had "gone batshit crazy." What about Susan Collins, who refused to vote for Trump because she was so worried that his "lack of self-restraint and his barrage of ill-informed comments would make an already perilous world even more so"? Or Lisa Murkowski, who overcame a primary loss to a Tea Party challenger to win re-election as a write-in. She resigned a leadership position in the state party because she couldn't stomach supporting Trump.

These are only a few of the GOP senators who have expressed deep misgivings about where the country is headed, and the majority of Americans who don't support Donald Trump or the movement he leads need at least three of them to put country before party and stand up to the administration. At a minimum, one would hope that a handful of Republican Senators are thinking hard about what Trump would have to do to force their hand.

Jim Jeffords was the first senator in history to change the balance of power in the upper chamber, but it's not unprecedented in state capitals. Eight New York state senators who were elected as Democrats currently caucus with the Republicans, giving the Grand Old Party a veto on policy that the solidly blue state's electorate never voted for.

It would take guts to do the same in D.C.'s hyper-polarized environment. Many Republicans would see it as treason. When Jeffords retired after three decades on Capitol Hill, only one of his former colleagues took the floor to praise him in keeping with the tradition in the upper chamber.

But today, some Republicans who are skeptical of Trump would understand and even applaud the move. And of course they would become heroes to millions of Americans who fear for their futures under this president. It's also very likely that in the future, history would look back kindly on their courage in defense of the republic.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive breaking news directly in your inbox.

See more here:
Wanted: Three Principled Republicans to Save America From Trump - RollingStone.com