Why Trump Hates Jeff Flake [Podcast]

Reason editors discuss the president's attack on the Arizona senator, Steve Bannon's exit, and what's next in Afghanistan.

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Why Trump Hates Jeff Flake [Podcast]

President Trump is heading to a rally in Arizona tomorrow, and the whole reason for the trip might be to skewer libertarian-leaning Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona). "It's illustrative that [Flake] is the person that Trump is going after," says Nick Gillespie, "because he disagrees with Donald Trump about the aspects of Donald Trump that are absolutely the worst."

On today's podcast, Reason editors Gillespie, Matt Welch, and Katherine Mangu-Ward join Andrew Heaton to discuss what meaningful opposition to President Trump looks like, and if the Democrats will ever get their act together.

Steve Bannon has been jettisoned from the White House, but his ousting could eliminate restraints on the president's military adventures.

Plus what to expect in the Afghanistan War, why Switzerland should pull down its Freddie Mercury statue, and a look back at when Mangu-Ward's infatuation with Jeff Flake all began.

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Comments

[Chinny Chin Chin]

[Flake] disagrees with Donald Trump about the aspects of Donald Trump that are absolutely the worst."

So... the hair?

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

Fake tan in close competition.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

More like Flake tan, amirite?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Flake-Tan ga kawaii desu.

[SIV]

libertarian-leaning Senator Jeff Flake

Flake is a 2nd Amendment compromising, Patriot Act supporting foreign interventionist who voted to add LGBT a new protected class under federal employment law "libertarian-leaner".

[esteve7]

so sayith the Cosmos

[Brandybuck]

Compared to 99.7% of politicians in office today, he's a radical mad anarchist who wants to shove the government down a woodchipper.

[SIV]

Flake's in the Lindsey Graham/John McCain wing of the GOP.

[The Last American Hero]

Who cares about those things? Libertarianism is about pot, Mexicans and ass sex.

[SIV]

That's so last 10 years. Censorship, desecration, and no-platforming are the hot cosmo topics now.

[Chocolate Starfish ( . )]

"Libertarianism is about pot, Mexicans and ass sex."
Word!

[Domestic Dissident]

...and if the Democrats will ever get their act together.

This is the part the Reason "libertarians" really care about above all else by the way.

[WakaWaka]

Better question: "Why does Reason suddenly love Jeff Flake?" Pretty much answers your original question

[Eric Bana]

Jeff Flake was considered libertarian-leaning for years due to fiscal conservatism especially while he was a Representative, I believe. Don't know how much of that was warranted. Don't really care.

[Liberty =><= Equality]

He made a name for himself as a "fiscal conservative" by complaiing about porkbarrel spending in the House, while ignoring the elephant in the room (entitlement spending) almost entirely.

Now he's trying to take up the mantle of John McCain as the Arizona "maverick".

[AlmightyJB]

I wouldn't call him libertarian by any means. More right conservative. Loves the security state:( Ok on a number of other issues. He's better than McCain, and I'm sure better than whatever Democrat runs against him next time, but those are pretty low bars.

[Sprague Pond]

Libertarian? Eyewash. More a tool of the Chamber of Commerce underwriting the deeds necessary to keep labor cheap and plentiful. Including his ranch hands, nannies and maids.

[AlmightyJB]

You make him sound a lot better than I did.

[Jerryskids]

Trump hates Flake because Flake said something mean about Trump and made Donnyboy cry like a little bitch, and that's all there is to that. Say what you want about Flake's politics, that ain't got shit to do with nothing over why Donny doesn't like Flake, it's just post facto rationalizations. Donny likes people who say nice things about him, he doesn't like people who say bad things about him. Like a fucking 4-year old.

[AlmightyJB]

Watch Trump pull the anti-war left out of his arse.

[SIV]

I'd rather see him pull the interventionist hawk left out but everyone claims to know he's going to slightly escalate the Afghan war.I'm still hoping he sets a firm deadline, at the least.

[AlmightyJB]

There's no end game, GTFO. That's my two cents.

[Elias Fakaname]

If he sets a deadline, it won't be made public.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I like Heaton. I wish he wasn't so nervous though. He seems afraid to disagree with the others.

[I can't even]

libertarian-leaning Senator Jeff Flake

Citations needed because left-leaning seems more accurate.

[AlmightyJB]

I know you can only gather so much from these things but I'm not really seeing it.

http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Jeff_Flake.htm

[Chocolate Starfish ( . )]

HA! proof he's a libertarian in the classic sense (Libertarianism is about pot, Mexicans and ass sex.)

Voted NO on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Nov 2007)

[Liberty =><= Equality]

If you look at the archives Reason has loved Jeff Flake long time.

[SIV]

I remember back when this wasn't a garbage site Reason would have a recap and analysis of a president's policy speech up promptly. Now Trump just delivered a vague outline of "more of the same" and "shit Lindsey Graham likes" which should be ripe for a good ol' fashioned libertarian takedown, and we get NOTHING.

Hell, maybe you guys are cool with a neverending War in Afghanistan now. Your Never
Trump Republican-resistance buddies are.

[Charlie P]

TLDL

[Tom Bombadil]

I'm bored with Flake-news

But... seems like a great time to remind everyone of this guy, Leach, a State Senator in Pennsylvania. When Trump threatened to make life tough for a Texas Senator who challenged asset forfeiture, Leach tweeted this:

"Hey @realDonaldTrump I oppose civil asset forfeiture too! Why don't you try to destroy my career you fascist, loofa-faced, shit-gibbon!"

I posted here for a while under that moniker (F,l-f,s-g) out of respect.
This guy should be in some kind of Hall of Fame.

[Chocolate Starfish ( . )]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bro.....ealed.html

[Africanis]

Why he hates Jeff Flake!!! It's tough to like a guy stabbing you in the back and twisting the knife every chance he gets. You are supposed to like cry on your knees with quivering lips asking why Jeffy doesn't like me or you can do it Trump style. Verbally shank the guy in the ass with the piece of metal you fashioned in the machine shop.

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