DeMint: "We don't have shared goals with the Democrats"

Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla

WASHINGTON -- President Obama and his party should give up any hope of working with conservatives in Congress, Republican Sen. Jim DeMint warned Thursday, at the opening of a conservative conference in Washington.

"Compromise works well in this world when you have shared goals," DeMint told the activists gathered for the four-day Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). "When you have a shared goals, you can sit down together. We don't have shared goals with the Democrats."

Likening the 2012 elections to the Super Bowl, the senator said, "I can guarantee you Coach Coughlin did not tell his Giants to go out on the field and work with those other guys. They weren't cooperating with Tom Brady... The two teams had different goals. The Patriots were there to beat the other guys."

Similarly, the conservative agenda to cut spending is incompatible with Democratic goals, said DeMint, a firebrand senator well-liked among conservatives. "When you talk about a balanced budget, it's like putting kryptonite in front of Superman," he said.

"If you're in a deep hole of debt and you keep spending more than you take it, something bad will happen," he continued. "It will unless we stop this Democratic president and his party."

DeMint excoriated the president for rejecting the planned Keystone XL pipeline project and for signing legislation that grows the size of government. He commended all four Republican presidential candidates for having "very improtant things" to say and said that the ongoing primary will make the eventual GOP nominee stronger.

Winning back control of the Senate will be just as important as winning the presidency in November, he said.

"We can have Ronald Reagan as president, but if Harry Reid is majority leader in the Senate, it's a waste of a good president," he said.

[windrider160]

Since conservatives have publicly announced that they will not do their jobs, they should all resign immediately. Not working with Democrats means blocking full representation in Congress for ALL Americans, not just those who vote Republican. Every Republican in Congress is REQUIRED to represent the interests and goals of ALL his constituents, not just the ones who voted for him. Putting party before country comes perilously close to treason, and that is what DeMint is promising to do on the behalf of all conservatives in office.

[BaraksGonnaWin]

toby - any idea of how much the last 2 wars cost us? how about the tax reduction for the rich - do you think that came for free? did it create jobs? no - job growth sank to it's lowest since WWII after bush gave it up - the rich however did increase their income by 256% as a result. how about the republicans repeal of glass-steagall? get it straight - Mr Obama has pulled us out of the mess the republicans created and he will be here for another 4 years. hope i didn't use too many big words for you.

[tsigili]

The shared goal, is that both parties want to dictate to America, how they should live.

The Democrats just are far worse about their dictatorship.

[GravitySailor]

Wow, this is quite disturbing to hear; a ridiculous analogy if I ever heard one. The Giants and Patriots are not elected representatives with a sworn duty to uphold the Constitution, nor are they charged with representing the entire constituency of their respective State. Better take another look Jimmy Boy, and get a grip!

" I, ___ ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

* I don't recall anyone in the NFL taking this oath.

The Admiral
www.gravitysailor.com

[jstengren]

What an idiot, and a completely awesome representative of why our political system is so broken. If the only "goals" the Republican party has (according to DeMint) is to beat the other side, then all those supposed "American people" that they constantly use to prop-up their ideas are merely pawns in a giant football match. Perhaps it'd serve both parties to remember that their common goal is to serve the American people, not their party-interests. The livelihood and well-being of the average American citizen is more important than pushing your party's dogma on the very same people you're supposed to be representing. We've seriously lost our way as a democracy.

[BaraksGonnaWin]

Toby,
Bet you are against universal healthcare too - first proposed by the republicans in the late '80's and supported by them until our President made it happen. This is a good example of the republicans fooling those who will listen. Romney supported it, Gingrich supported it - it was a republican idea - look it up - now they they whine that it'll ruin us. Bet you didn't know Obamacare was a republican proposal did you!

[sharp_stick]

Every time Jim Demented opens his yap he reminds everyone why he so richly deserves the nickname.

[fstopme]

... And the GOP wonders why they can't gain any ground?

[Jasmine261]

The absolute gall of these politicians! I don't care what party you are in, they are a bunch of hypocrites and thieves the whole lot of them. How dare anyone of them say "We don't have shared goals".. How about taking care of the country! Last I heard this was the United States Of America, not the united states of DeMINT! Roll up your sleeves and work with everybody to make this country better. I am sick and tired of the infighting in Washington, worse than a bunch of toddlers. Perform your duties or resign. Not even with both chambers filled with like party would these numskulls get anything done, unless its about them! Out with the whole lot! I'm sick of them. There i feel better now..

[holalanemeir]

America is NOT BROKE. The 1% has been changing all the tax laws to their benefit. Thus lowering their fair share and robbing the treasurey for the last 30 years. Trickle down doesn't work, is not working and will never work.

[RN4Truth]

Unless the trickle down is s... from their millions contributed to the GOP super pacs buying negative ads (mostly against other GOP candidates.

[AOCGUY]

I'm not even sure wher to begin on this one. There are alot of ways Sen DeMint could have argued that Republicans and Democrats were at an impasse but to say that the two parties did not have shared goals is so far out in the ozone as to be unbeliveable. Evryone in the Congress swore and oath to protect and defend the United States. Shared goals would be security, economic prosperity, etc. If you read the platforms of both parties (which apparantly Sen DeMint has not) both have those has goals. Where the parties differ is in there view of how best to achieve those goals.

And to compare the DEM/GOP debate in Congress to a friggin football game would suggest to me that Sen DeMint has truely lost tough with reality.

[MTATL670]

I just read you comment "We don't have shared goals with the Democrats." He is one of the most un-American extremists in Congress. His words are reminiscent of Nazi speeches I watched in history class. It is clear to me that he does not know why our government has worked for over 200 years. It's simple "Compromise". Keystone does not add as many jobs as the Republicans obstruction agenda has cost. It is transparent that the Republican party is in crisis. With the lowest approval rating in history confirms the leadership of the Republican party has been a complete failure.