Thread. This is so true.
1. Let's tease this out. Most of what the GOP Congress has actually passed (legislation, judges) under Trump has been conventional conservative policy. Will is asking conservatives to give that up - ie, the redeeming features of being stuck with Trump.
2. Many of the worst aspects of Trump are the things Congress has the least control over, like his mouth. Dumping the GOP Congress won't change that.
3. The most vulnerable in the GOP House & Senate are from the Ryan/Rubio wing, or establishment Rs, or liberal Rs, or in some cases Cruz-style conservatives. Wipe them out, Trump & the MAGA faction are ascendant within GOP.
4. GOP offered a check on Obama & Clinton because GOP Congress could stop them passing liberal legislation. But conservatives don't want a check on conservative legislation.
5. Did Bill Clinton have less influence within the Democratic Party in 1995-2000 than in 1993-94? Quite the contrary! The base rallied around him bc he was the only one left. Ditto Obama after 2010. I don't want Trump to be like that.
6. Arguing for running the GOP Congress out of town is telling conservatives "keep all the worst parts of Trump, get rid of all the parts you like." Of course we are not gonna jump at that.
7. Now, there *are* policy areas where I want Congress to stand up more to Trump, especially on tariffs. But I don't see much prospect for that actually changing with the Democrats in charge.
8. Last time Democrats took over was 2006. Was America really that much better off in November 2008 than in November 2006?
9. And yes, I take George Will's advice on this less seriously because he was effectively siding with Obama against McCain in the fall of 2008, which to me is a permanent disqualifier of your judgment of the consequences of elections.
10. GOP Congress checked Bill Clinton on taxes, healthcare, energy - ie, liberal policy. It was unable to stop him from diddling interns, abusing the pardon power, or shaking down foreigners for campaign cash.
11. In short: divided government will give us less conservative policy, and more liberal policy. It will *not* give us less of the things that Never Trump and Reluctant Trump conservatives dislike about Trump.
