Hostile Takeover of the Republican Party? What Should Happen Now?

[Foxfyre]

Anybody who has read some USMB posts with objectivity, or who have noted the trends on other boards, know that many even lifelong Republicans have not been happy with the GOP over the last several years.

Anybody reading with objectivity now can't miss that conservative Republicans are holding the GOP's feet to the fire now and, if it is business at usual, a third party by 2012 is almost inevitable. The GOP will be done.

Eric Erickson at Redstate outlines some of the immediate issues:

Will The House GOP Break Apart the GOP-Tea Party Coalition
Erick Erickson)
Friday, November 5th

It is undisputed that the Tea Party Movement helped drive the renewed Republican momentum this past year. But for that energy, the Republicans would not have seen the gains they saw. The exit polls reflect that data.

So now the House Republicans have some crucial decisions to make. They, unlike the Senate GOP, which appears to have learned nothing and forgotten nothing from their 2006defeat, are going to embrace an earmarks moratorium. Incoming Speaker Boehner. . . . announced the House will definitely have an earmarks moratorium. Mitch McConnell says no way in the Senate.

But an earmarks moratorium is only one sign that the GOP gets it in the House. It is time for some fresh faces.

Jeb Hensarling as Conference Chair is a great start given his conservative bona fides and economics based background. I am hearing today that MIchelle Bachmann wants that too, but I hope she might be pursued to go for Vice-Chair and tag team with Hensarling. Having Rep. Bachmann in that position over Cathy McZero Rogers would be a wonderful thing.

A good fit at Policy would be Dr. Tom Price. Given that healthcare helped elect Republicans, having a doctor in that position over Connie Mack, whose wife voted for Cap & Trade, would be a good sign the GOP is serious about getting us out of the Obamacare hole.

. . . . (on the). . . .Appropriations Committee. Jerry Lewis is term limited. They should give him no waiver and consider instead someone like Jack Kingston. The alternative would probably be someone like Harold Rogers of Kentucky, who would not, given his record, be a good shift right from Lewis. Likewise, Kingston is the only man on the committee who, as an Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, delivered a balanced budget, or one in surplus.

But that’s not enough. With new seats open, tea party backed members like Jeff Flake, Tom Graves, and others should have seats on the Appropriations Committee.

Then, of course, there is the House Energy and Commerce Committee. I do not believe in Committee waivers, which means Joe Barton should not be allowed to stick around.

Unfortunately, Fred Upton is lobbying heavily for the seat and that choice would be absolutely atrocious. Upton is a union lackey. . . .

Will The House GOP Break Apart the GOP-Tea Party Coalition | RedState

So major gains in the House and Senate aren't enough. If they don't keep the Tea Party coalition intact and let them do the work--if they keep the old guard GOP in chairmanships--it will quickly revert to the status quo and we won't have moved any closer to the ideals we hope for.

This is going to be interesting to watch though.

 

[loosecannon]

Two thoughts:

Kudos and WTF?

 

[Foxfyre]

Two thoughts:

Kudos and WTF?

Yeah that was my initial reaction too and I read Eric's post several times to decide what I thought about it.

But then i realized that the Republican gains in the House will indeed be largely ineffective for any long term benefit if the Tea Partiers, of whom Boehnor has become one, if the RINOs now in power in the House are not replaced with Tea Party minded Republicans. And to replace the big guns like Joe Barton and Lindsay Graham with Tea Partiers will indeed be a hostile takeover.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

The point of the Tparty is the point of the election of 94 and 06. The electorate is not ideologically bound, but is mostly interested in eliminating back room deals and government by purchase. In 94 there was the house bank, and the bribery scandals that never seemed to end. The Democrats refused to get it, and the GOP promised more open government, and delivered for a short while. In 2006 the Republicans obviously forgot the message, and they were reminded by the voters about what is truly important. And the Democrats went back on their pledges as well.
Which is why so many lost this time.

 

[Foxfyre]

The point of the Tparty is the point of the election of 94 and 06. The electorate is not ideologically bound, but is mostly interested in eliminating back room deals and government by purchase. In 94 there was the house bank, and the bribery scandals that never seemed to end. The Democrats refused to get it, and the GOP promised more open government, and delivered for a short while. In 2006 the Republicans obviously forgot the message, and they were reminded by the voters about what is truly important. And the Democrats went back on their pledges as well.
Which is why so many lost this time.

This I think is Erickson's whole point and why I used the 'hostile takeover' analogy. As he said, Mitch McConnell hasn't learned a damn thing and intends to be business as usual in the senate. When he rejected a call for a moratorium on earmarks, that said volumes. He's still in it for the benefit of Mitch McConnell which seems to be a chronic syndrome with too many of our fearless leaders.

But we do have opportunity to make some important inroads in the House and that starts with putting people into key positions who are likely to walk the walk. And it will appear to be a 'hostile takeover' to replace some of the old guard with the new visionaries.

 

[barenakedislam]

The GOP needs to morph itself into the Tea Party or vice versa. No need for a third party, just keep replacing RINOS with conservatives.

 

[Foxfyre]

The GOP needs to morph itself into the Tea Party or vice versa. No need for a third party, just keep replacing RINOS with conservatives.

Of course I agree, but the observation here is that the RINOs won't go without a fight. I agree that the GOP can stop the runaway train and put us back on a road to balanced budgets, full employment, and prosperity again IF they embrace the Tea Party ideals. If they return to the 'liberal light' mentality that has cost them much of their base, I really do think they'll be done and we can stick the fork in them in another two years.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Those who barenakedislam call RINOS are going nowhere but are committed to eliminating neo-conservatism, corporatism, and social values ideology in the party. If the Tea Party right are willing to do that, then the center and left in the party will join them.

 

[edthecynic]

I love it, every time the extremist right wing GOP fails the CON$ claim the GOP was not CON$ervative enough. I can remember KrautHammer&Sickle telling us that the GOP had purged the last vestiges of the Rockefeller Republicans in 2006 and moved to the Right. When will the GOP ever be CON$ervative enough?????

Charles Krauthammer - Only a Minor Earthquake - washingtonpost.com
Only a Minor Earthquake
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, November 10, 2006; Page A31

This is not realignment. As has been the case for decades, American politics continues to be fought between the 40-yard lines. The Europeans fight goal line to goal line, from socialist left to ultra-nationalist right. On the American political spectrum, these extremes are negligible. American elections are fought on much narrower ideological grounds. In this election the Democrats carried the ball from their own 45-yard line to the Republican 45-yard line.

The fact that the Democrats crossed midfield does not make this election a great anti-conservative swing. Republican losses included a massacre of moderate Republicans in the Northeast and Midwest. And Democratic gains included the addition of many conservative Democrats, brilliantly recruited by Rep. Rahm Emanuel with classic Clintonian triangulation. Hence Heath Shuler of North Carolina, antiabortion, pro-gun, anti-tax -- and now a Democratic House member.

The result is that both parties have moved to the right. The Republicans have shed the last vestiges of their centrist past, the Rockefeller Republicans. And the Democrats have widened their tent to bring in a new crop of blue-dog conservatives.

 

[barenakedislam]

Those who barenakedislam call RINOS are going nowhere but are committed to eliminating neo-conservatism, corporatism, and social values ideology in the party. If the Tea Party right are willing to do that, then the center and left in the party will join them.

Social values - like what? Is corporatism another word for capitalism? But seriously, get rid of all that and the RINOS should just become Democrats. The RINOS have ruined the GOP and now they are on their way out. Just as the left is getting rid of their blue dogs, we will get rid of the RINOS.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

The GOP needs to morph itself into the Tea Party or vice versa. No need for a third party, just keep replacing RINOS with conservatives.

The Republicans need to remain attractive to independents and centrists otherwise they will marginalize themselves. If they follow a strong economic and fiscally conservative agenda then they will be able to do that. However, if they start traveling down the road of social conservative zeal they will eventually lose the majority.

Telling Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Scott Brown that they aren't welcome will be a very foolish thing to do. They are the type of Republican that can win in that part of the country. I was born and raised in Boston. Massachusetts will never elect the kind of Republicans that get elected here in South Carolina.

 

[barenakedislam]

The GOP needs to morph itself into the Tea Party or vice versa. No need for a third party, just keep replacing RINOS with conservatives.

The Republicans need to remain attractive to independents and centrists otherwise they will marginalize themselves. If they follow a strong economic and fiscally conservative agenda then they will be able to do that. However, if they start traveling down the road of social conservative zeal they will eventually lose the majority.

Telling Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Scott Brown that they aren't welcome will be a very foolish thing to do. They are the type of Republican that can win in that part of the country. I was born and raised in Boston. Massachusetts will never elect the kind of Republicans that get elected here in South Carolina.

I can live with their being liberal on a few of the social issues. But if they are not conservative fiscally or on things like Deathcare, they are better off gone.

 

[Foxfyre]

Those who barenakedislam call RINOS are going nowhere but are committed to eliminating neo-conservatism, corporatism, and social values ideology in the party. If the Tea Party right are willing to do that, then the center and left in the party will join them.

Social values - like what? Is corporatism another word for capitalism? But seriously, get rid of all that and the RINOS should just become Democrats. The RINOS have ruined the GOP and now they are on their way out. Just as the left is getting rid of their blue dogs, we will get rid of the RINOS.

The difference being that the RINOS are simply liberal light and therefore diluted and distorted and diverted opportunity for real reform as the Tea Party promotes. Social values for the Tea Partiers are respect and adherance to Constiuttional principles, personal liberties, fiscal integrity, balanced budgets, and government no larger or more expensive than it has to be to function. Many of those Tea Party principles have been and will be resisted by the RINOs.

The Blue Dogs on the other hand are what the Democratic Party used to be all about--center to slightly right of center on all important issues including strong defense, balanced budgets, and fiscal responsibility. We should be endorsing and embracing the Blue Dogs.

But you're right that they are being replaced by radical leftwing Marxist types so that the Party is becoming more and more extreme left despite being fragmented by so many competing self serving interests.

 

[sangha]

"Anybody who has read some USMB posts with objectivity, or who have noted the trends on other boards, know that many even lifelong Republicans have not been happy with the GOP over the last several years" is the funniest thing I've ever read on USMB

 

[Modbert]

Yeah that was my initial reaction too and I read Eric's post several times to decide what I thought about it.

But then i realized that the Republican gains in the House will indeed be largely ineffective for any long term benefit if the Tea Partiers, of whom Boehnor has become one, if the RINOs now in power in the House are not replaced with Tea Party minded Republicans. And to replace the big guns like Joe Barton and Lindsay Graham with Tea Partiers will indeed be a hostile takeover.

You can't blame the RINOs forever, especially when they are a endangered species in the GOP. Eventually, you will be forced to blame the failures of the GOP where they belonged all along, those who are pushing radical ideas that are nothing but big government.

 

[sangha]

Yeah that was my initial reaction too and I read Eric's post several times to decide what I thought about it.

But then i realized that the Republican gains in the House will indeed be largely ineffective for any long term benefit if the Tea Partiers, of whom Boehnor has become one, if the RINOs now in power in the House are not replaced with Tea Party minded Republicans. And to replace the big guns like Joe Barton and Lindsay Graham with Tea Partiers will indeed be a hostile takeover.

You can't blame the RINOs forever, especially when they are a endangered species in the GOP. Eventually, you will be forced to blame the failures of the GOP where they belonged all along, those who are pushing radical ideas that are nothing but big government.

Wrong, The will shout their "Not conservative enough!!" slogan no matter how far right the party goes. They don't understand that the GOP is a radically rightwing party, and is in no way "conservative"

 

[barenakedislam]

Those who barenakedislam call RINOS are going nowhere but are committed to eliminating neo-conservatism, corporatism, and social values ideology in the party. If the Tea Party right are willing to do that, then the center and left in the party will join them.

Social values - like what? Is corporatism another word for capitalism? But seriously, get rid of all that and the RINOS should just become Democrats. The RINOS have ruined the GOP and now they are on their way out. Just as the left is getting rid of their blue dogs, we will get rid of the RINOS.

The difference being that the RINOS are simply liberal light and therefore diluted and distorted and diverted opportunity for real reform as the Tea Party promotes. Social values for the Tea Partiers are respect and adherance to Constiuttional principles, personal liberties, fiscal integrity, balanced budgets, and government no larger or more expensive than it has to be to function. Many of those Tea Party principles have been and will be resisted by the RINOs.

The Blue Dogs on the other hand are what the Democratic Party used to be all about--center to slightly right of center on all important issues including strong defense, balanced budgets, and fiscal responsibility. We should be endorsing and embracing the Blue Dogs.

But you're right that they are being replaced by radical leftwing Marxist types so that the Party is becoming more and more extreme left despite being fragmented by so many competing self serving interests.

I think JFK would have been a Republican today. He was the kind of Democrat with a lot of crossover appeal.

 

[Foxfyre]

The GOP needs to morph itself into the Tea Party or vice versa. No need for a third party, just keep replacing RINOS with conservatives.

The Republicans need to remain attractive to independents and centrists otherwise they will marginalize themselves. If they follow a strong economic and fiscally conservative agenda then they will be able to do that. However, if they start traveling down the road of social conservative zeal they will eventually lose the majority.

Telling Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Scott Brown that they aren't welcome will be a very foolish thing to do. They are the type of Republican that can win in that part of the country. I was born and raised in Boston. Massachusetts will never elect the kind of Republicans that get elected here in South Carolina.

I can live with their being liberal on a few of the social issues. But if they are not conservative fiscally or on things like Deathcare, they are better off gone.

The Tea Party didn't get involved in social issues other than fiscal integrity and personal liberties. They rightly saw such as not the prerogative or responsibility of the Federal government. The leftwingnuts will desperately try to keep the focus on controversial social issues. The task of the New Congress is to not get sucked into that so they can focus on economic and fiscal integrity and restoring personal liberties.

 

[Modbert]

I think JFK would have been a Republican today. He was the kind of Democrat with a lot of crossover appeal.

wut. After what JFK did to U.S Steel, the modern day GOP would be calling for his head and calling him a communist.

 

[barenakedislam]

I think JFK would have been a Republican today. He was the kind of Democrat with a lot of crossover appeal.

wut. After what JFK did to U.S Steel, the modern day GOP would be calling for his head and calling him a communist.

You're right, I forgot about that. I was thinking more about his foreign policy, I guess.