Is the Republican Party Determined to Off Itself?

[catzmeow]

while i agree with you, the reality is the repubs and dems are virtually one party. the conservatives have not checked overspending, they have been part and parcel of the problem. if the republican party needs to take a few losses in order to get back to its roots, great. honestly, what is the alternative?

In the best possible world, the socially moderate fiscal conservatives would split off from the Republican Party, name themselves something with panache, and dominate.

 

[Iriemon]

while i agree with you, the reality is the repubs and dems are virtually one party. the conservatives have not checked overspending, they have been part and parcel of the problem. if the republican party needs to take a few losses in order to get back to its roots, great. honestly, what is the alternative?

In the best possible world, the socially moderate fiscal conservatives would split off from the Republican Party, name themselves something with panache, and dominate.

Then I'd have to put that [edit: new party] hat on.

We did have a guy like that as prez from 93-00 but he didn't wear a Republican hat.

 

[catzmeow]

Then I'd have to put my Republican hat back on.

We did have a guy like that as prez from 93-00 but he didn't wear a Republican hat.

Believe it or not, he wasn't nearly hawkish enough for my tastes. I'm quite the little warmonger.

 

[WillowTree]

so funny when dimwits hear rush say something and then turn around and say all republicans said it...

If Rush isn't speaking for the movers and shakers, why don't they set him straight, PUBLICLY?

same reason you azzes don't set maddow and oblerman and tweety bird straight publicly.

 

[WillowTree]

This is kind of fun.

Are you kidding me? It's fucking depressing. This country is based upon a two-party system. It doesn't function well when one of the parties is combusting. We need the conservatives to check/balance the idealistic, overspending tendencies of the Democratic party. And vice versa.

The Republican party spontaneously combusting is NOT a positive outcome, regardless of what a bunch of fuzzy headed treehugging daily kos type leftists might say.

keep insulting them dahlink,, that's just what they need.. what a effen hypocrite..

 

[Toro]

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Meghan McCain: ‘Arlen, You Let Me Down’ « - Blogs from CNN.com

Earlier this week, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh suggested that McCain leave the party with Specter. "A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna…" he told listeners Tuesday.

Seriously? Wow. Just...wow.

So, the Republicans want to save themselves by kicking people out of the party. What's wrong with that picture?

Many hardcore conservatives, the Small Tent Republicans, want to boot out those who don't drink the Kool-Aid so they can have an ideological circle jerk while they sit on the sidelines, irrelevant and far from power.

This is the largest incidence of mass stupidity since disco.

 

[WillowTree]

This is kind of fun.

Are you kidding me? It's fucking depressing. This country is based upon a two-party system. It doesn't function well when one of the parties is combusting. We need the conservatives to check/balance the idealistic, overspending tendencies of the Democratic party. And vice versa.

The Republican party spontaneously combusting is NOT a positive outcome, regardless of what a bunch of fuzzy headed treehugging daily kos type leftists might say.

I agree. The Republican Party used to be America's last line of defense against the Leftist Libtards. No more. Now we have one-party rule with a Community Organizer at the helm. Yippee.

and catzmeowspector cheering them on!! good little democwat that she is

 

[Yurt]

while i agree with you, the reality is the repubs and dems are virtually one party. the conservatives have not checked overspending, they have been part and parcel of the problem. if the republican party needs to take a few losses in order to get back to its roots, great. honestly, what is the alternative?

In the best possible world, the socially moderate fiscal conservatives would split off from the Republican Party, name themselves something with panache, and dominate.

i see your point, the problem i have is that we end up with a TP problem like the libertarians. unless the TP takes at least half the GOP at the time of split, their power is relatively ineffective. the gop is entrenched just like the dems. ross perot did a pretty good job, but he also essentially gave the presidency to clinton. i believe if the gop loosened up on the social issues, got back to fiscal conservatism, maintain gun rights...the gop will be a contender.

the biggest problem i see, is many want a free handout. i saw so many interviews of people who, when asked why they are voting for obama, said, he is going to save us, save my house. i don't see how the gop can compete with that, unless the gop becomes like mccain and sells themselves out and really becomes a democrat in one of the gop's main areas, fiscal responsibility. the libs did a great job of hammering home that if obama did not get elected, the country was going to enter into a time worse than the great depression. the very same fear mongering that dems bitched about when repubs talk about national security, they used quite hypocritically and effectively to get obama the presidency.

 

[catzmeow]

the biggest problem i see, is many want a free handout. i saw so many interviews of people who, when asked why they are voting for obama, said, he is going to save us, save my house. i don't see how the gop can compete with that, unless the gop becomes like mccain and sells themselves out and really becomes a democrat in one of the gop's main areas, fiscal responsibility. the libs did a great job of hammering home that if obama did not get elected, the country was going to enter into a time worse than the great depression. the very same fear mongering that dems bitched about when repubs talk about national security, they used quite hypocritically and effectively to get obama the presidency.

I don't disagree with you at all, the Democrats like to keep their voters on the plantation, dependent on the teat of the government.

 

[Missourian]

The smartest thing the IRS ever did was withholding income taxes from of Americans pay before they get their paychecks. If every American had to write a check on April 15, we would never have a discussion about cutting taxes again.

 

[WillowTree]

 

[Iriemon]

The smartest thing the IRS ever did was withholding income taxes from of Americans pay before they get their paychecks. If every American had to write a check on April 15, we would never have a discussion about cutting taxes again.

That is no doubt true. The EU is even smarter, they just put a sales tax on everything, you don't even know you're paying taxes.

 

[editec]

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Meghan McCain: ‘Arlen, You Let Me Down’ « - Blogs from CNN.com

Earlier this week, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh suggested that McCain leave the party with Specter. "A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna…" he told listeners Tuesday.

Seriously? Wow. Just...wow.

So, the Republicans want to save themselves by kicking people out of the party. What's wrong with that picture?

Nothing's wrong with that picture.

assuming that the Republican party is willing to let a fat, hate-mongering, lying, drug-addicted hypocrite as their official spokesmouth.

Were I in charge of the RNC, however, I'd be working on ways of distancing my party from this human piece of excrement.

And if he took millions of his idiot supporters with him, that would be fine with me, too.

It must be a real embarrassment for intellectual Republicans to have a pig-man with such limited mental resources (even for a pig) pretending that he speaks for their party.

 

[007]

I agree. The Republican Party used to be America's last line of defense against the Leftist Libtards. No more. Now we have one-party rule with a Community Organizer at the helm. Yippee.

AND THEY HAVE DONE IT TO THEMSELVES. God help us all.

"They" meaning "anyone that voted." People can only blame THEMSELVES for all the problems we have now. "We" voted these shit head politicians in. "We" should vote them OUT.

 

[catzmeow]

"They" meaning "anyone that voted." People can only blame THEMSELVES for all the problems we have now. "We" voted these shit head politicians in. "We" should vote them OUT.

Really good point, but it also requires fundamental, sweeping changes, in my opinion, to the current primary and caucus system.

 

[007]

"They" meaning "anyone that voted." People can only blame THEMSELVES for all the problems we have now. "We" voted these shit head politicians in. "We" should vote them OUT.

Really good point, but it also requires fundamental, sweeping changes, in my opinion, to the current primary and caucus system.

ITA, and I'd sure love to see a third party in my life time. Afraid it isn't going to happen though. There's too much apathy in America, even in these bad times. Thing is things aren't bad enough.... yet.

 

[Iriemon]

"They" meaning "anyone that voted." People can only blame THEMSELVES for all the problems we have now. "We" voted these shit head politicians in. "We" should vote them OUT.

Really good point, but it also requires fundamental, sweeping changes, in my opinion, to the current primary and caucus system.

ITA, and I'd sure love to see a third party in my life time. Afraid it isn't going to happen though. There's too much apathy in America, even in these bad times. Thing is things aren't bad enough.... yet.

A third party doesn't happen not becaue of apathy but because they cannot survive in a winner take all system we have.

A third party only weakens the party that is most closely aligned with it, ironically helping the party most opposed. And since it doesn't get any representation at all unless over 50% vote for it, it gains little for its efforts.

That is why a proportional system whereby parties take seats in the House congruent with the percentage of votes obtained is worth considering. Its the only way a 3d party could exist. And break the deadlock held by Reps and Dems. Which is why you'll never see serious discussion of it as an alternative.

 

[Tech_Esq]

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Meghan McCain: ‘Arlen, You Let Me Down’ « - Blogs from CNN.com

Earlier this week, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh suggested that McCain leave the party with Specter. "A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna…" he told listeners Tuesday.

Seriously? Wow. Just...wow.

So, the Republicans want to save themselves by kicking people out of the party. What's wrong with that picture?

No, I would say this is what's going on. There has been a growing frustration over the last 25 years with people who just decide to call themselves republicans for the sake of political expediency. Spector is a prime example. He was a democrat, then decided to be a republican and rode Ronald Reagan's coat tails to victory. When he was called upon to act as a republican and support his party in 1987, when Bork was being unfairly pilloried from every quarter, he not only failed to answer the call, he joined the opposition is casting rocks.

The existential question is: whether it is better to have more people who carry an "R" after their name even when it means nothing at all or is it better to have that "R" actually mean something?

For people like Rush, and I would agree, it would be better if the "R" meant something. Now after the party rids itself of people who are really democrats, refocuses on what the party wants to represent at its core, then it expand from there. I think it will take a process of review, reflection and re-invigoration before the Repubs get where they need to be as a party and find a message, messenger and statement of core values.

Remember, in 2002, the media was asking if the Democrat party was still relevant. They figured out what they needed to do and came back. The Reps haven't really had the opportunity to do a real purge of their party since 1980. It's time to go through that process. They will end up stronger for it.

 

[catzmeow]

For people like Rush, and I would agree, it would be better if the "R" meant something. Now after the party rids itself of people who are really democrats, refocuses on what the party wants to represent at its core, then it expand from there. I think it will take a process of review, reflection and re-invigoration before the Repubs get where they need to be as a party and find a message, messenger and statement of core values.

So, being a republican means going along with the party at all times?

 

[amrchaos]

I have a theory about what would happen if the Republican party would self destruct.

The Democratic party would dissolve into many factions vying for power.

Think about it, right now it is basically Conservatives, Libertarians and some moderates versus some cons,some libertarians, some meoderates, Liberals, socialists .

If the Repuublican party would all of a sudden collapse--then the Democratic party would break apart into several factions.

On the other hand, If the Democratic party were to collapse, even the libertarians would get the boot out of the Republican party--because they are too "Liberal"!! In other words, the collapse of the GOP would lead to larger nmbers in the Libertarian party and an eventual diisassociation of the Democratic party.

So the GOP disappearing could be a good thing for our Republic!!