# Devin Nunes spills the beans on the Republican civil war **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 3, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269 "2013-10-03T16:09:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/1 "2013-10-03T16:09:03Z")
[Last night](http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2013/10/03/lead-intv-rep-devin-nunes-obamacare-shutdown.cnn.html) on CNN. This was near midnight and most people probably missed it, but wow this is devastating. Basically everything we thought and more. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/2 "2013-10-03T16:20:03Z")
Rep. Nunes calls the Fightin’ Tea Partiers lemmings, but says the reason he won’t press Boehner for an up-or-down vote is because there are still a minority of people in the House (the lemmings) that believe they can push Obama and Reid to repeal or delay the ACA, even though he knows this strategy to be a completely failed one in which the math just isn’t there. So he sits back and watches the government closure continue. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/3 "2013-10-03T16:20:11Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > [Last night](http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2013/10/03/lead-intv-rep-devin-nunes-obamacare-shutdown.cnn.html) on CNN. This was near midnight and most people probably missed it, but wow this is devastating. Basically everything we thought and more. Can you be a bit more specific? I can’t watch the video. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/4 "2013-10-03T16:31:49Z")
I cannot wrap my head around the fact that Republicans are afraid of a pipsqueak freshman senator from Texas, let alone that they are so afraid of him that they would agree to shut down the entire United States Federal Government in what they know is a vain attempt at getting him what he wants. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/5 "2013-10-03T16:36:56Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Can you be a bit more specific? I can’t watch the video. He calls the tea party wing “lemmings with suicide vests”. He says about 200 republicans are against what is currently happening, but it is the crazy ones that are in control. That basic math should tell you that this strategy has no chance of working. That the tea partiers have been blocking the leadership for three years and he is going along with this plan because he doesn’t want to be like them. Basically going against the leadership and blocking what they actually want to do is what the tea party does so he is not going to do that. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/6 "2013-10-03T16:38:47Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > He calls the tea party wing “lemmings with suicide vests”. He says about 200 republicans are against what is currently happening, but it is the crazy ones that are in control. That basic math should tell you that this strategy has no chance of working. That the tea partiers have been blocking the leadership for three years and he is going along with this plan because he doesn’t want to be like them. Basically going against the leadership and blocking what they actually want to do is what the tea party does so he is not going to do that. Thank you! I’m not sure that this is what I thought was going on, since I don’t really understand the math, as Happy Lendervedder also points out. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/7 "2013-10-03T16:41:14Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Rep. Nunes calls the Fightin’ Tea Partiers lemmings, but says the reason he won’t press Boehner for an up-or-down vote is because there are still a minority of people in the House (the lemmings) that believe they can push Obama and Reid to repeal or delay the ACA, even though he knows this strategy to be a completely failed one in which the math just isn’t there. So he sits back and watches the government closure continue. > > What am I missing? He won’t push the leadership because he doesn’t want to be like the tea partiers. It made little sense to me too. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/8 "2013-10-03T16:41:46Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Thank you! > > I’m not sure that this is what I thought was going on, since I don’t really understand the math, as Happy Lendervedder also points out. He is saying the math is that ultimately you’d have to have 67 senators vote to repeal/reduce/postpone Obamacare for the republican strategy to work, and that ain’t going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/9 "2013-10-03T16:46:40Z")
> [@nate](#): > > He is saying the math is that ultimately you’d have to have 67 senators vote to repeal/reduce/postpone Obamacare for the republican strategy to work, and that ain’t going to happen. Well, agreed. So why is he going along with the Tea Partiers? He’s going along with them in order not to be like them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/10 "2013-10-03T16:58:43Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Well, agreed. So why is he going along with the Tea Partiers? He’s going along with them in order not to be like them. Right, basically he said “for three years the tea partiers have blocked the leadership from doing what it wanted, this is the course the leadership has decided to take and even though i think it is insane and has no chance of working i will go along with them because that is the way it should be”. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/11 "2013-10-03T18:08:16Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Right, basically he said “for three years the tea partiers have blocked the leadership from doing what it wanted, this is the course the leadership has decided to take and even though i think it is insane and has no chance of working i will go along with them because that is the way it should be”. I’ve mostly outgrown my anarchist days, but nonsense like this makes me want to break out the circle-A. Seriously, you think that standing up to a leader is such a naughty thing to do that you’ll go along with an insane plan instead? Black flag, man, black flag. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/12 "2013-10-03T18:17:27Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Basically everything we thought and more. Emphasis added. So, there is an SDMB hive mind after all! ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/13 "2013-10-03T18:39:38Z")
Actually, I think this quote is more revelatory: > [@](#): > > “We’re not going to be disrespected,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) told The Washington Examiner. “We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.” [![](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/d8b63649d6adfab1b3086813fb2afa0f-scaled.jpg) ](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/d8b63649d6adfab1b3086813fb2afa0f-scaled.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/14 "2013-10-03T18:45:35Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Actually, I think this quote is more revelatory: > > [http://washingtonexaminer.com/gop-stands-firm-against-funding-bill-will-link-to-debt-ceiling-fight/article/2536750](http://washingtonexaminer.com/gop-stands-firm-against-funding-bill-will-link-to-debt-ceiling-fight/article/2536750) If we give him two tickets to Disneyland and a new puppy to kick, will he cut this crap out? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/15 "2013-10-03T18:56:39Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I cannot wrap my head around the fact that Republicans are afraid of a pipsqueak freshman senator from Texas, let alone that they are so afraid of him that they would agree to shut down the entire United States Federal Government in what they know is a vain attempt at getting him what he wants. They aren’t afraid of him they are afraid of being primaried in a gerrymandered district where about half of GOP primary voters identify with the tea party. This civil war (if it breaks out) should be good. The ‘moderate’ republicans backed up by business interests (who realize totally dysfunctional government is bad for business) and GOPers who realize this idiocy is going to cost them more elections vs the true believers and their funding mechanisms. Should be fun. Then again people have been predicting this GOP civil war since 2008. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/16 "2013-10-03T19:04:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Emphasis added. > > So, there is an SDMB hive mind after all! At least we have a functioning mind. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/17 "2013-10-03T19:34:22Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > This civil war (if it breaks out) should be good. Especially if fought with real guns and live ammunition. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/18 "2013-10-03T19:35:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Emphasis added. > > So, there is an SDMB hive mind after all! Resistance is futile! Prepare to be enDopulated! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/19 "2013-10-03T19:38:39Z")
I like the part where he says he’s made a career out of being honest with his constituents, then says he was forced to take this stand because someone leaked a private conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269/20 "2013-10-03T23:50:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Especially if fought with real guns and live ammunition. The tea partiers will go on a war against liberals or the government before they go into an actual physical war with moderate republicans. Of course they would target those people (the same way Islamic extremists target moderate muslims or communists target social democrats). But they wouldn’t be the first target in an actual civil war IMO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devin-nunes-spills-the-beans-on-the-republican-civil-war/670269.md?page=2)