Logos Stick said:

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Is there any chance this puts pressure on Thune to pass the SAVE act?

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There's always a chance. Thune's seat is up for reelection in 2028. Thune knows Trump's approval or disapproval will be massive.

Logos Stick said:

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Is there any chance this puts pressure on Thune to pass the SAVE act?

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I think there are only 4 Senator's, other than Thune, blocking it: McConnel (KY), Murkowski (AK), Collins (ME), and Tillis (NC).

McConnel and Tillis are both retiring and have no reason to change their minds.

Maine's primary is June 9th, but Collins is running unopposed.

Murkowski's term is up in 2028.

Lindsey Graham on Sen. Cassidy's defeat: "If you try to destroy President Trump, you're gonna lose, because this is the party of Donald Trump" pic.twitter.com/cpVBWebcLB

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 17, 2026

Good or bad, he's not wrong!

Joey is right, it's trumps populist Conservative Party. For better or worse that's what it is right now and has been for a while now.

Fiscal conservatives are not going to like it, but they really really need to understand that fiscal conservatism is important to Rs and it's been a priority of Trumps (DOGE, antifraud, etc) but the Massie/Paul construct of fiscal conservatism is NOT as popular as some think it is.

As with those two cats, people think their "defund the government" is a grand idea in the same way libs cheered "defund the police".

People will be watching to see if the primary defeat and Trump's subsequent goading celebratory tweet will have any effect on Senator Cassidy's voting going forward.

Cassidy still has 7.5 months remaining in office. He won't want to burn any bridges with Thune or the other Senate members he considers his allies and friends. But he might be more willing now to do like fellow lame duck Republican Senator Tom Tillis has been doing: use his Senate powers and vote to make an occasional principled stand.

deddog said:

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aggiehawg said:

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Sounds to me like Louisiana made a good move yesterday.

The Senate to now lose an exceptionally brilliant and creative mind, an MD who chairs healthcare, and a person of character. Bill Cassidy’s departure is a loss for the country.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 17, 2026

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The right pigs are squealing

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And FWIW the 2nd place finisher who will be in the runoff - John Fleming - is also a doctor who served in the Navy.

So RINO Cassidy does not have the market cornered on MD and character, as Mittens would suggest.

Except trumpnhas not been any form of fiscal conservative, and the vague handwaving to cut a tiny portion of the budget while spending like a typical liberal has been the tone of the day.

Trump's populist party are a bunch if liberals with a social agenda.

Ag_of_08 said:

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Except trumpnhas not been any form of fiscal conservative, and the vague handwaving to cut a tiny portion of the budget while spending like a typical liberal has been the tone of the day.

Trump's populist party are a bunch if liberals with a social agenda.

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sure buddy.

flown-the-coop said:

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Ag_of_08 said:

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Except trumpnhas not been any form of fiscal conservative, and the vague handwaving to cut a tiny portion of the budget while spending like a typical liberal has been the tone of the day.

Trump's populist party are a bunch if liberals with a social agenda.

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sure buddy.

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You don't agree? Fiscally, Trump is as liberal as they come. He's stolen the Democrat party's populist platform which is why they are stuck with issues like transgender rights and Trump bad.

deddog said:

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flown-the-coop said:

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Ag_of_08 said:

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Except trumpnhas not been any form of fiscal conservative, and the vague handwaving to cut a tiny portion of the budget while spending like a typical liberal has been the tone of the day.

Trump's populist party are a bunch if liberals with a social agenda.

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sure buddy.

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You don't agree? Fiscally, Trump is as liberal as they come. He's stolen the Democrat party's populist platform which is why they are stuck with issues like transgender rights and Trump bad.

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Not even in the least. He is not a true fiscal conservative, but he's not a liberal spend it all either. He loves to spend money, particularly in the pursuit of making more money. He's for better (some say worse) applied a similar approach to the US economy.

He is not a Rand Paul and Dave Ramsey acolyte, but there are more than a few ways to work a a budget.

And as we all know, Congress has the power of the purse. And the appetite for DOGE cuts depends on the filibuster and even then I am not sure you get enough congress critters to do it.

Until Trump vetos a spending cut bill, saddling him with debt is a fools errand.

No, Trump is not a conservative. He is a populist/nationalist. And in today's political climate, I am 100% fine with that.

He can hit a few conservative points, don't cut him short.

To you comment, sometimes we need a true populist to keep either extreme from ruling the roost.

But Trump does more than that. Rather than simply ruling from just slightly left or right of neutral, he challenges the norms all around. And we really needed that.

And yea, for some of the other folks. I did say ruling. Cause when Congress and the courts become feckless or worse failing to fulfill their constitutional roles, i am glad Trump is there to take up the slack.

Romney covering for his swamp buddy.

deddog said:

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aggiehawg said:

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Sounds to me like Louisiana made a good move yesterday.

The Senate to now lose an exceptionally brilliant and creative mind, an MD who chairs healthcare, and a person of character. Bill Cassidy’s departure is a loss for the country.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 17, 2026

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The right pigs are squealing

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That's absolutely beautiful. Next, Massie, then Cornyn. What a month!

nortex97 said:

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deddog said:

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aggiehawg said:

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Sounds to me like Louisiana made a good move yesterday.

The Senate to now lose an exceptionally brilliant and creative mind, an MD who chairs healthcare, and a person of character. Bill Cassidy’s departure is a loss for the country.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 17, 2026

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The right pigs are squealing

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That's absolutely beautiful. Next, Massie, then Cornyn. What a month!

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The reported death of MAGA may have been a bit premature.

The doge cuts wouldn't cut a full percent of the budget, and ended up being a way to target federal agencies he didnt like.

Meanwhile he has approved or encouraged covid level spending and raising taxes. Hes not a conservative, at all.

I don't know why some of y'all are so afraid to admit you're fiscal liberals and that you vote for fiscal liberals. Youve put a new shad of lipstick on the pig, but you're still fiscal liberals...

Actual conservative is the same as it has been.

We just continue to see two big govt, fiscally liberal parties rule the country and ignore any form of conservative govt.

We get that some people only view conservative through a fiscal lens.

Hell, I even made a page long post about it.

If ALL you care about is fiscal conservatism, I suggest getting together with Massie, Randy, Tea Party and others and giving the Libertarian party your support.

Or you can buckle up and work with the party that shows at least some focus and desire for budget reform, entitlement cuts, cutting FWA.

Or you can toddler tantrum on Trump and be mad at everyone and everything until the "debt bomb" gets ya.

You have choices.

coconutED said:

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No, Trump is not a conservative. He is a populist/nationalist. And in today's political climate, I am 100% fine with that.

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I think this, while obviously a 30,000 ft perspective, is a good representation of what we are seeing. The pendulum follows a path, typically. It does not usually make eratic jumps one way or the other (although 2016 was likely an example of just that).

Conservative voters, in my opinion and based on my sphere of interaction, are willing to compromise in an effort to reign in a radical agenda the has given us open borders, men in womens sports/bathrooms, communist mayors, activist judges, etc.

I know several folks who voted DJT in 2016, against in 2020, and again DJT in 2024. Stop the bleeding. See what the post DJT GOP atmosphere looks like and continue that pendulum path back to a more fiscal conservative ticket.

The question still remains if we as a country have it in us to keep that path. TBD... But, the only way back is to keep the Rs (even the ones you are tired of) in office if for no other reason than to never allow another leftist lunatic back in office.

One thing is for certain... If the Ds do gain control, they are coming hard in the paint and it will be transformational.

flown-the-coop said:

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deddog said:

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flown-the-coop said:

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Ag_of_08 said:

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Except trumpnhas not been any form of fiscal conservative, and the vague handwaving to cut a tiny portion of the budget while spending like a typical liberal has been the tone of the day.

Trump's populist party are a bunch if liberals with a social agenda.

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sure buddy.

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You don't agree? Fiscally, Trump is as liberal as they come. He's stolen the Democrat party's populist platform which is why they are stuck with issues like transgender rights and Trump bad.

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Not even in the least. He is not a true fiscal conservative, but he's not a liberal spend it all either. He loves to spend money, particularly in the pursuit of making more money. He's for better (some say worse) applied a similar approach to the US economy.

He is not a Rand Paul and Dave Ramsey acolyte, but there are more than a few ways to work a a budget.

And as we all know, Congress has the power of the purse. And the appetite for DOGE cuts depends on the filibuster and even then I am not sure you get enough congress critters to do it.

Until Trump vetos a spending cut bill, saddling him with debt is a fools errand.

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If the senate and house came up with a balanced budget I guarantee you Trump would sign it, do you agree?

If the house and senate came out and said that was their main goal you think Trump would be against it? NO

Trump has a team together that will likely find over a trillion in waste and fraud, which can be cut from the budget. That is a start

Will they cut it from the budget? IDK doubt it, and that will not be on Trump

🚨For the first time, the Senate has voted to hold a debate on a war powers resolution to end the Iran war.
4 GOP 'Yes' votes: Cassidy LA, Collins ME, Murkowski AK, & Paul KY
1 Dem 'No' vote: Fetterman PA
A defeat for Trump and GOP leaders. pic.twitter.com/F3qjZFFmgF

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 19, 2026

Hell hath no fury….

Weak people.

Cassidy can go after Trump as hard as is humanly possible, but that doesn't change the fact that his electorate voting him out is the reason he's losing his gig. You're out because YOU suck at representation, not because of anything Trump said. But thanks for this last minute reminder, I guess...

That is why those of us in LA happily booted Cassidy out.