how does a tom cotton win change the composition of the senate?

[ronaldo23]

we all know libertarian views on foreign policy are finally winning out in the marketplace of ideas, at least among the American public. The John McCains, Grahams, and Peter Kings are considered old generation hawks that no one takes seriously. And Rubio has proved himself to be a complete doofus on the national stage. But if Cotton gets elected, this could be more problematic. The right-wing media (limbaugh, hannity etc) is going to LOVE a young, harvard undergrad and law grad who served in Iraq and who is an aggressive war hawk.

I fear it may remind those billionaire donors rand is trying to court that there still is hope for a new generation of young, articulate neoconservatives who would love to bomb Iran and kill as many muslims as possible to promote US interests. Hopefully I'm wrong, but it seems an articulate vocal neocon is somewhat of a threat to us, and personally I think if the democrat wins that senate race it will be better for us overall in 2016.

 

[Tywysog Cymru]

Cotton would be a greater influence on Republicans when it comes to foreign policy than Pryor with Democrats.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

There's a big difference on the issues between Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz. If Cotton is like Cruz, he would be helpful on many issues. If he is like Graham, well, that is nothing but a neoconservative Democrat anyway.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

we all know libertarian views on foreign policy are finally winning out in the marketplace of ideas, at least among the American public. The John McCains, Grahams, and Peter Kings are considered old generation hawks that no one takes seriously. And Rubio has proved himself to be a complete doofus on the national stage. But if Cotton gets elected, this could be more problematic. The right-wing media (limbaugh, hannity etc) is going to LOVE a young, harvard undergrad and law grad who served in Iraq and who is an aggressive war hawk.

I fear it may remind those billionaire donors rand is trying to court that there still is hope for a new generation of young, articulate neoconservatives who would love to bomb Iran and kill as many muslims as possible to promote US interests. Hopefully I'm wrong, but it seems an articulate vocal neocon is somewhat of a threat to us, and personally I think if the democrat wins that senate race it will be better for us overall in 2016.

I think he's the most dangerous person to liberty. He'll be Lindsey Graham's sock puppet.

 

[whoisjohngalt]

I think he's the most dangerous person to liberty. He'll be Lindsey Graham's sock puppet.

Does that make Marco Rubio, John McCain's?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I think he's the most dangerous person to liberty. He'll be Lindsey Graham's sock puppet.

Does he have enough hands? He's already wearing Ayotte and Rubio...

 

[sl7yz0r]

the debate on the house floor over Justin Amash's bill,
with each side getting a total of 10 minutes to speak,
this asshole spoke against it for several minutes.

 

[sl7yz0r]

Hopefully Rand's strong relationhip with McConnell will keep this jackwagon off of any important foreign policy committees. >.<

 

[FriedChicken]

Part of the reason that the neocon ideas are on the decline is because currently they only have unlikable mascots to sell the ideas. I'm not familiar with Cotton but I'm concerned he might be able to change that.
The more Graham and McCain attack our ideas the better in many ways, Cotton could be a different story. I'm not sure.

If your goal is winning the senate for the GOP (which in turn would by default be at least somewhat more conservative than its current condition) than Cotton is a good thing. If your goal is winning the GOP to the liberty movement he isn't a net positive. Probably a negative.

 

[James Madison]

Cotton is despicable and should be stopped at all costs.

 

[compromise]

Cotton is pretty much ensured victory. If he does not win, that means the GOP wave definitely won't be big enough for Brannon to. I'd rather Brannon and Cotton than neither.

Sure, he will oppose Rand, but I don't think it will be a huge issue. He's not an immediate threat in 2016.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

There's a big difference on the issues between Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz. If Cotton is like Cruz, he would be helpful on many issues. If he is like Graham, well, that is nothing but a neoconservative Democrat anyway.

Cotton is/would be worse than Graham.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

the debate on the house floor over Justin Amash's bill,
with each side getting a total of 10 minutes to speak,
this asshole spoke against it for several minutes.

You should post that video. An articulate, neocon with military experience is a formidable opponent; especially in the eyes of the average voter.

 

[RandallFan]

He is against amnesty and probably won't confirm any of Obama's judges. Is there any other neocon veterans in the Senate? Inexplicably Hagan, Landrieu and Pryor voted for amnesty for illegals in 2013 because Schumer wanted 70 votes for momentum.

I don't think Cotton will win over Democrats to back war since he will break their hearts by defeating Pryor.

The southern senators could go completely Republican. Right now Vitter and Sessions are the dominant senators as was DeMint. Broun, Brannon and Cotton could change that. Cassidy I guess will be a less confrontational version of Vitter. Vitter runs in 2015 for governor on the coat tails of all these southern victories. Maybe Maness or Fleming will replace Vitter in 2015.

He might get on the judiciary as well instead of Graham or Jeff Flake or Hatch.

 

[boneyard bill]

Cotton is pretty much ensured victory. If he does not win, that means the GOP wave definitely won't be big enough for Brannon to. I'd rather Brannon and Cotton than neither.

Sure, he will oppose Rand, but I don't think it will be a huge issue. He's not an immediate threat in 2016.

All races are individual. Sure a Republican wave would help liberty Republicans, and it would also help Cotton, but that doesn't mean that liberty Republicans shouldn't do all they can to defeat Cotton. Vote Pryor in Arkansas. Reid as Majority Leader for another two years would still be better than Cotton in the Senate.

 

[boneyard bill]

He is against amnesty and probably won't confirm any of Obama's judges. Is there any other neocon veterans in the Senate? Inexplicably Hagan, Landrieu and Pryor voted for amnesty for illegals in 2013 because Schumer wanted 70 votes for momentum.

I don't think Cotton will win over Democrats to back war since he will break their hearts by defeating Pryor.

The southern senators could go completely Republican. Right now Vitter and Sessions are the dominant senators as was DeMint. Broun, Brannon and Cotton could change that. Cassidy I guess will be a less confrontational version of Vitter. Vitter runs in 2015 for governor on the coat tails of all these southern victories. Maybe Maness or Fleming will replace Vitter in 2015.

He might get on the judiciary as well instead of Graham or Jeff Flake or Hatch.

Of course there are neo-con veterans in the Senate. Start with McCain and Graham, if you are referring to military veterans, and add Ayotte and Rubio at a minimum if you are talking about political veterans. Most politicians, of course, will sway with the winds, but these probably will not, and you could add Cotton to that list.

From what I have read, however, Cotton hasn't been all that conservative on spending issues so he really is a typical neo-con: authoritarian on civil liberties, war-minded on foreign policy, and liberal on domestic policy.

 

[lib3rtarian]

Given the 2 unpalatable choices of Pryor and Cotton, libertarians should vote for Pryor over Cotton, even if it's only one single issue of foreign policy that they disagree with Cotton over, because that single issue is so important that it overshadows every other issue, in this case.

If Cotton gets in the senate, it will be very detrimental to a Rand 2016 campaign and momentum. The knee-jerk reaction of every authoritarian "conservative" (which would be 99% of the base, the other 1% is us) is still to bomb Muslims any way which way they can, and a young handsome guy telling them "yes, we can" on that issue is going to constantly remind them of that. The conservative base hates McCain not because of his warmongering, but because of amnesty. Cotton will tilt the whole party hawkish again a la the Bush era. Do we want one more young senator (the other one being Cruz) pushing the "Rand is an Isolationist" theme?

Even if Brannon gets into the senate, his FP will only serve to barely counterbalance Cotton's, because the base agrees with Cotton's FP, not Brannon's or Rand's.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

Given the 2 unpalatable choices of Pryor and Cotton, libertarians should vote for Pryor over Cotton, even if it's only one single issue of foreign policy that they disagree with Cotton over, because that single issue is so important that it overshadows every other issue, in this case.

If Cotton gets in the senate, it will be very detrimental to a Rand 2016 campaign and momentum. The knee-jerk reaction of every authoritarian "conservative" (which would be 99% of the base, the other 1% is us) is still to bomb Muslims any way which way they can, and a young handsome guy telling them "yes, we can" on that issue is going to constantly remind them of that. The conservative base hates McCain not because of his warmongering, but because of amnesty. Cotton will tilt the whole party hawkish again a la the Bush era. Do we want one more young senator (the other one being Cruz) pushing the "Rand is an Isolationist" theme?

Even if Brannon gets into the senate, his FP will only serve to barely counterbalance Cotton's, because the base agrees with Cotton's FP, not Brannon's or Rand's.

That's exactly my thoughts on the matter. Cotton is absolutely atrocious and will be a rock in our shoe for 20+ years.

 

[compromise]

All races are individual. Sure a Republican wave would help liberty Republicans, and it would also help Cotton, but that doesn't mean that liberty Republicans shouldn't do all they can to defeat Cotton. Vote Pryor in Arkansas. Reid as Majority Leader for another two years would still be better than Cotton in the Senate.

The problem is A) there aren't enough libertarians in Arkansas to make a difference and B) Cotton is the most likely GOP Senate pick up, it will take a lot to stop him - like a national Dem wave, and that isn't happening. I think we just need to come to terms that Cotton will be part of the 114th Senate.

Even if Brannon gets into the senate, his FP will only serve to barely counterbalance Cotton's, because the base agrees with Cotton's FP, not Brannon's or Rand's.

I highly doubt the base agrees with Cotton on Libya and Syria.

 

[Tywysog Cymru]

I hope Cotton isn't the type to primary Rand in 2020.