# Victory at Any Cost to the Country **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 28, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753 "2014-08-28T14:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/21 "2014-08-29T01:27:14Z")
As I see it, the difference is this: Reid set out the issues that he is concerned about- the future of Medicare and the fate of the middle class. Then he says to protect these issues, the number one priority is to retain control of the Senate. Keeping the majority is the means necessary to the end of protecting Medicare and the middle class. This was to let potential donors know what the stakes are in the coming election. McConnell said early in Obama’s first term, far removed from election seasons that the Republicans’ number one priority is to make Obama a one term president. Not for the sake of any issue, but simply for the sake of getting the White House back for their party. A parallel situation to Reid would be a college football coach telling recruits that his number one goal is to get good recruits to beat his rival school. A parallel to McConnell would be a college football coach saying in March that his number one goal is to make sure that no players ever sign for that rival school. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/22 "2014-08-29T02:40:39Z")
It’s very telling that McConnell didn’t say “we must retake the presidency”, it’s that they had to ruin Obama. One-term presidents and their electoral failures are seen as historically illegitimate… witness Republicans’ hysterical glee when the subject turns to Jimmy Carter. That’s what they want for Obama. McConnell had no important ideas, no pressing agenda, no priority other than to ruin Obama. And I don’t blame him for that… personally, I hoped for the ruination of the Bush presidency, for exactly the same reasons. But if I had my choice between ruining a presidency and getting my legislation passed, the smart choice would be to hold tight to the legislative branch. The fact that the Republicans repeatedly make the other choice is evidence that something much more personal and spiteful is in play. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/23 "2014-08-29T03:27:26Z")
The OP appears to be laboring under the misapprehension that there could be anything worse for the country than having the Republican Party in charge. ---
**Author:** ![bbonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@bbonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbonden)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/24 "2014-08-29T14:30:01Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > One-term presidents and their electoral failures are seen as historically illegitimate… That’s quite a statement. Half of the Presidents since 1900 “are seen as historically illegitimate”? And we better start dynamiting a quarter of Mount Rushmore! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/25 "2014-08-29T15:10:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > The OP appears to be laboring under the misapprehension that there could be anything worse for the country than having the Republican Party in charge. Thank you for posting this. It saves trouble. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/26 "2014-08-29T15:13:53Z")
> [@bbonden](#): > > That’s quite a statement. Half of the Presidents since 1900 “are seen as historically illegitimate”? > > And we better start dynamiting a quarter of Mount Rushmore! 😕 Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, TR – all two-termers. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/27 "2014-08-29T16:33:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [Cite.](http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/06/senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-solicits/) > > Obviously Reid is saying that he is willing to do anything - lie, murder, betray his country - in order to hang onto power. Every Senator does get two secret murders. If they don’t use them by the end of their term, they end up lost. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/28 "2014-08-29T16:53:59Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Every Senator does get two secret murders. If they don’t use them by the end of their term, they end up lost. Their plan doesn’t include roll over murders? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/29 "2014-08-29T17:39:56Z")
Makes the limos all messy, what with the gore, and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/30 "2014-08-29T17:43:51Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 😕 Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, TR – all two-termers. Lincoln didn’t finish his second term, lousy Palinny quitter… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/31 "2014-08-29T20:09:23Z")
And T.R. ran and won only once in his own right, in 1904; he first served most of McKinley’s second term. He chose not to run again in 1908, even though he would’ve been reelected in a landslide. He was defeated when he ran again in 1912. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/32 "2014-08-29T20:18:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [Cite.](http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/06/senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-solicits/) > > I look forward to the universal condemnation of liberals on the SDMB for this open statement by Reid that he valued political advantage over the business of the country. > > Obviously Reid is saying that he is willing to do anything - lie, murder, betray his country - in order to hang onto power. > > Since McConnell was interpreted on the SDMB as he was when he stated his number one priority, and since Reid has stated what his greatest priority is, it stands to reason that both statements ought to be interpreted in the same way. > > Regards, > Shodan The alternative of having a Republican majority in the Senate would be worse. McConnell has said he would: > [@](#): > > . . . strong arm President Obama into adopting a host of Republican policy priorities, from repealing the Affordable Care Act to undoing environmental regulations, should Republicans take back the senate in November. In the process, the Kentucky senator appeared to undermine his pledge to avoid future government shutdowns. [http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2014/08/20/3473646/mitch-mcconnell-threatens-another-government-shutdown/](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2014/08/20/3473646/mitch-mcconnell-threatens-another-government-shutdown/) So he’ not exactly saying he would cause a shutdown. He wouldn’t, for example, if Obama caved on everything, but he probably would cause one unless he got his way, including a repeal of the ACA. So, yes, it is very important for the Democrats to maintain their majority in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![bbonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@bbonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbonden)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/33 "2014-08-29T23:41:45Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 😕 Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, TR – all two-termers. As **Elendil’s Heir** explained, Teddy Roosevelt was - in electoral terms - a one-term President who also managed to lose a (non-consecutive) subsequent Presidential race. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/34 "2014-08-30T21:08:13Z")
This is the sort of the ridiculous hyper-literal interpretation that the lower level of internet atheists (of the reddit/Atheismblob types) engage in. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/35 "2014-08-31T03:15:36Z")
It’s something up with which you should not put. ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/36 "2014-08-31T06:58:31Z")
Context. Reid’s statement seems to refer to electoral priorities, assuming it is from a fundraising email (didn’t bother to check). Wasn’t McConnell’s from a legislative strategy meeting? How’s that the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/37 "2014-09-01T13:46:36Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > So, yes, it is very important for the Democrats to maintain their majority in the Senate. They won’t. BWAHAHAHAHA. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/38 "2014-09-01T15:17:38Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > They won’t. > > BWAHAHAHAHA. Your overwhelming confidence just tickles me. Not that the odds aren’t in the Republicans favor – they are, by a small but significant margin, right now. But they certainly don’t support your overwhelming confidence. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/39 "2014-09-01T15:34:19Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > They won’t. > > BWAHAHAHAHA. And then what? What else that Congress isn’t doing are they going to not do? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753/40 "2014-09-01T16:59:41Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > They won’t. America has my pity if they don’t. And that’s the last time I’ll reference such until the election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/victory-at-any-cost-to-the-country/696753.md?page=3)