McConnell’s retirement ends the disastrous Bush era

Mitch ​McConnell ⁤and his associates are‌ eager to portray the outgoing majority leader as the culmination of the Age of Reagan. Even some of​ his liberal adversaries are willing to repeat ⁣this cliché,⁤ if only to contrast the nostalgic 1980s with the populist ‌conservatism‌ of the ​new right.

While it may be‌ pleasant to ‍reminisce about ‍McConnell’s marriage on Ronald Reagan’s‌ birthday, a serious examination of⁢ the longest-serving Senate leader in history ‌must⁢ focus‍ on the era in which he rose to power: the eight years⁢ of Republican rule in the early 2000s. McConnell may have ⁤won his first Senate race during the Reagan years, but by the time he became minority leader, those days were long gone. Above all else, Mitch McConnell was a Bush Republican.

He ‌is not alone​ in this regard. Many alumni of the⁢ Bush era‍ prefer to cloak their criticism of the new right in‌ Reagan’s mantle. This is understandable. It would be hollow to acknowledge the truth that those Republican elites ‌who clash with ​the new right ‍represent the Bush wing‌ of the GOP, which was ​publicly rejected ‍by their own voters. Few Americans, regardless of ⁤party affiliation, feel nostalgic about the George W. Bush presidency, and former Rep. Liz Cheney’s descent into obscurity does not inspire imitators. It is better‍ to draw authority from a deeper well.

The headline at Politico reads, “McConnell departure leaves GOP’s Reagan wing reeling.” One Bloomberg columnist echoed, “Ronald Reagan’s wing of the party is moribund, and Trumpism ​has swept‍ past a once formidable — ⁤and ruthless — political player.” The‍ AP⁤ reported, “His decision punctuates a powerful ideological transition underway in the Republican Party, from Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and strong international alliances, to the fiery, often isolationist populism of former ​president ⁢Donald⁣ Trump.”

An anonymous Senate staffer told ⁣The Hill, “It’s the end of the Reagan era. And now the ⁣MAGA era.”

So who was⁣ Kentucky’s longest-serving representative? ⁤The man NPR​ says “long ⁤embraced Reagan’s conservatism”? When​ he had the opportunity to lead, ​how did he use it?

Mitch McConnell assumed leadership of the Senate GOP in 2006, coming off three years ‌of⁢ controlling the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives. During this time, they focused on business-friendly reforms but failed to achieve lasting impact.

The ⁤defining issues of the day were bailouts ‌for Wall Street, the president’s promised amnesty for illegal ⁤immigrants, and the⁣ increasingly unpopular Iraq War. ⁢McConnell supported all three.

More contentious issues, such as George W. Bush’s proposed law enshrining marriage within the context of a family, took a backseat as‌ the president’s popularity declined.​ McConnell was content to defer society’s thornier problems to the executive and judiciary, allowing Republicans to focus on ⁢blocking campaign finance reform and‍ winning elections.

In line with this​ approach, he​ pursued a strategy of appointing libertarian, pro-business ‌judges to the courts, for ⁣which he ‌is credited. However, this strategy failed to serve as a bulwark against Obamacare, attacks on the institution of marriage, and the erosion‌ of gender distinctions. While the ‍Dobbs decision is praised for ending 50 years of abortion precedent, McConnell hesitated in the face of this moment. Instead, he chose to focus on President Joe Biden’s economic record and foreign policy failures.

Within the Senate, McConnell often​ operated as a ⁣sort of third party. His knowledge of the institution and⁣ ability to deliver GOP votes on Democratic ⁢priorities gave him greater influence over outcomes than his minority status would suggest. While he could occasionally persuade a few ​Republicans to join Democratic majorities, he had virtually no success in convincing Democrats to join Republican majorities. As a result,​ he achieved his own priorities while conservative priorities were neglected. In ⁢the fusionist coalition ⁤of defense hawks, tax cutters, and social ⁣conservatives, there was no doubt who was in charge ⁤and who had no power at all. Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., ⁤recently learned this the hard way.

While McConnell’s legacy is‍ complex and cannot be easily dismissed, it was not “Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism.” McConnell’s perspective on leadership was shaped by his role as an appropriator. His legacy epitomizes the⁣ Republican Party of the 2000s: ⁤corporate tax ​cuts, unchecked spending on defense and liberal programs, and the ⁢abandonment of serious​ legislative efforts on cultural issues, from abortion to marriage to immigration.

It is fitting that, after four decades in ‍the Senate, McConnell hopes that ⁢funding the war in Ukraine will solidify his legacy. It is priorities like these, and individuals like him and‌ other Bush Republicans, that ‌paved the way for the rebellion of the new ‍right‍ within the party.

When he retires, his records will likely be housed at​ the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville, a project funded by tax dollars earmarked by McConnell.

But‌ let’s‌ not allow that to hinder our fond reminiscences.

Who is the⁢ minority leader of the Senate?

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is an institution in Kentucky. He has been the Senate leader for his party since 2007. Stitution of marriage, and other⁤ conservative causes. McConnell’s legacy as a Senate leader is not one of advancing Reagan’s conservatism but rather one ⁣of prioritizing ‍partisan politics and⁢ maintaining power within the Republican Party.

Throughout his tenure, McConnell aligned‍ himself with the Bush wing of ‌the GOP, which prioritized business-friendly policies and alliances abroad. While some may try to portray ‍McConnell as⁢ a product of the Reagan era,‌ it is important to recognize⁢ that he rose to ⁤power during the early 2000s when the Republican Party was facing different challenges and priorities.

During this time, McConnell supported controversial policies⁤ such as bailouts for ​Wall Street, amnesty for illegal immigrants, and the Iraq War, all of​ which were met with increasing public disapproval. ‍He also chose⁤ to defer to the executive and‍ judiciary on contentious issues like marriage, instead focusing on blocking campaign finance​ reform and winning elections.

McConnell’s strategy of appointing libertarian, pro-business judges to the courts highlighted his approach to conservatism. However, ⁢this strategy did not effectively counteract the implementation of Obamacare or the erosion of traditional conservative values.

As McConnell’s ⁤tenure⁣ comes to an end, there is a significant ideological⁢ transition underway within the Republican Party. The departure of McConnell, who has long been associated with ⁣Reagan’s conservatism, ​signifies⁤ the decline of the Reagan wing of ​the party.​ Trumpism, with its fiery ⁢populism and ‍isolationist tendencies, has become ⁢the dominant​ force within the GOP.

In conclusion, it is clear that McConnell’s ⁢legacy ‌as Senate Majority Leader⁣ is not one that aligns with the Age of Reagan. Rather, he represents the Bush wing of the GOP and prioritized partisan politics over advancing conservative principles. As​ the Republican Party transitions to the era of Trumpism, McConnell’s tenure is seen as ⁤the ⁢end of the Reagan‌ era and the beginning of the MAGA‌ era.

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