Whole Foods Republicans

[random3434]

So how to woo these voters to the Republican column? The first step is to stop denigrating intelligence and education. President George W. Bush's bantering about being a "C" student may have enamored "the man in the street," but it surely discouraged more than a few "A" students from feeling like part of the team.

The same is true for Mrs. Palin's inability to name a single newspaper she reads. If the GOP doesn't want to be branded the "Party of Stupid," it could stand to nominate more people who can speak eloquently...

Right there says it all. IF the Republican Party wants to have ANY credibility anymore, it needs to run far, far away from Mrs. Palin and her supporters, and realize GWB was part of the problem, not the solution.

Most folks I know weren't smitten with Ms. Palin as a national candidate. That doesn't mean she hasn't a role in politics. On the other hand, I feel more comfortable listening to advice from those that wish to improve the party, not root for the other team.

Being 'conservative' certainly doesn't make one ignorant or selfish. Indeed the current trend of government 'bailouts' isn't helping, but rather hurting business, society, and individuals as a whole.

What are your ideas in changing the party Annie? I'm on no "team"-I just want the person who has our country and it's best interests as their first priority, but I think we all do.

 

[Anguille]

Who the hell wants to live in an urban environment?

Not me.

All those people crowding every inch of open space.

It gives me the creeps.

I like the city but I'd rather live in the country if it were possible to do so without having to rely on gasoline to get me to work and the store. My carbon footprint is much smaller as a result of living in a city so for now I'll stay here.

 

[rightwinger]

I love living in an urban environment. Like being able to walk or take the subway anywhere I need to go. I love being able to go to MOMA and see a Miro` exhibit on a Saturday afternoon, or to go to Inoteca and get truffled eggs on toast for dinner. I love the streets and windows being dressed for the holidays and people-watching at the park. I like living in a Russian/Pakistani/Polish/Hasid/Indian/Mexican/Palestinian neighborhood. I like being able to get fresh fish and cheeses from all over the world two train stops away. If I want to get out in the open, I can go visit my parents in podunk Tennessee, but I'm always really happy to be back home. You know, high density urban centers have less of a detrimental impact on the land than suburbian sprawl does. Did you know one subway cartakes the equivalent of up to 250 cars off the road? One car - not one train - one car on the train.

I can get all that shit on the internet and delivered to my rural home.

And I ain't talking suburbs.

I would rather live on 40 acres in the middle of the Rockies than be crammed into a city with a bunch of people.

You get Russian/Pakistani/Polish/Hasid/Indian/Mexican/Palestinian's delivered to your rural home?

 

[Mr. Peepers]

You get Russian/Pakistani/Polish/Hasid/Indian/Mexican/Palestinian's delivered to your rural home?

And MOMA too, apparently...

 

[Big Fitz]

When my 1991 CRX S1 was Totalled in 2001 on my Birthday (Which saw me visiting the Hospital of my Birth 30 years to the Day later), I replaced it with a 1992 Accord in April of the following Year...

If I Replaced this Car with a Prius I would be doing MORE Harm to the Environment, NOT Less...

And Believe me you, I could Afford just about ANY Car Payment, but I don't get the Attraction to Car Payments either.

Of course some will say, "mal, I've seen that Gas-Guzzling K5 of yours"...

Yeah, but it is also a Recycled and Operational Vehicle that can Arguably be a Mobile Home...

As for Homes... I Own a '57...

No New Construction for me and Mine... And I didn't Run away from my Hood like so Many White Liberals and others did when the "Dark People" came in in Larger Numbers. You'll Notice that Obama's Visit to my City of "Westminster" was WAY North last Year... He wouldn't DARE come to Southside East where Arguably MOST of his Votes were...

But I Digress... I'm an Evironmentalist and a Conservative.

Great Thread, Annie... Hope you didn't Mind my Soapboxing in it for a Spell.

***Edited to add that my Wife is MORE Conservative than I and she is a Public School Teacher.



peace...

You can't be an environmentalist and believe in private property... a core value of conservatism. Environmentalism requires a rejection of personal property and ownership.

You can be a conservationist at best. Those are at least sane and keep man at the top of the food chain and nature as his responsibility.

 

[beowolfe]

I resemble that. Interesting article in WSJ:

Michael Petrilli: Whole Foods Republicans - WSJ.com

Whole Foods Republicans
The GOP needs to enlist voters who embrace a progressive lifestyle but not progressive politics.
By MICHAEL J. PETRILLI

The Republican Party is resurgent—or so goes the conventional wisdom. With its gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey, an energized "tea party" base, and an administration overreaching on health care, climate change and spending, 2010 could shape up to be 1994 all over again.

Maybe. The political landscape sure looks greener than it did a year ago, when talk of a permanent Democratic majority was omnipresent. But before John Boehner starts measuring the drapes in the Speaker's office, or the party exults about its possibilities in 2012, it's worth noting that some of the key trends driving President Barack Obama's strong victory in 2008 haven't disappeared. Republicans need to address them head-on if they want to lead a majority party again....

...What's needed is a full-fledged effort to cultivate "Whole Foods Republicans"—independent-minded voters who embrace a progressive lifestyle but not progressive politics. These highly-educated indiividuals appreciate diversity and would never tell racist or homophobic jokes; they like living in walkable urban environments; they believe in environmental stewardship, community service and a spirit of inclusion. And yes, many shop at Whole Foods, which has become a symbol of progressive affluence but is also a good example of the free enterprise system at work. (Not to mention that its founder is a well-known libertarian who took to these pages to excoriate ObamaCare as inimical to market principles.)

What makes these voters potential Republicans is that, lifestyle choices aside, they view big government with great suspicion. There's no law that someone who enjoys organic food, rides his bike to work, or wants a diverse school for his kids must also believe that the federal government should take over the health-care system or waste money on thousands of social programs with no evidence of effectiveness. Nor do highly educated people have to agree that a strong national defense is harmful to the cause of peace and international cooperation.

So how to woo these voters to the Republican column? The first step is to stop denigrating intelligence and education. President George W. Bush's bantering about being a "C" student may have enamored "the man in the street," but it surely discouraged more than a few "A" students from feeling like part of the team.

The same is true for Mrs. Palin's inability to name a single newspaper she reads. If the GOP doesn't want to be branded the "Party of Stupid," it could stand to nominate more people who can speak eloquently...

Too late! The GOP has already been branded the 'Party of Stupid'.....

 

[Big Fitz]

I love living in an urban environment. Like being able to walk or take the subway anywhere I need to go. I love being able to go to MOMA and see a Miro` exhibit on a Saturday afternoon, or to go to Inoteca and get truffled eggs on toast for dinner. I love the streets and windows being dressed for the holidays and people-watching at the park. I like living in a Russian/Pakistani/Polish/Hasid/Indian/Mexican/Palestinian neighborhood. I like being able to get fresh fish and cheeses from all over the world two train stops away. If I want to get out in the open, I can go visit my parents in podunk Tennessee, but I'm always really happy to be back home. You know, high density urban centers have less of a detrimental impact on the land than suburbian sprawl does. Did you know one subway cartakes the equivalent of up to 250 cars off the road? One car - not one train - one car on the train.

See, that's a vision of hell. I don't like people enough to want them that close. I don't like being dependent on other people to get from point A to point B and hate the population density being such that you can't even rely on there being enough room on the roads to get from here to there in any decent time because dumbasses have gotten in your way. A population density of no more than 1500/mi2 is enough for me. And even that's a bit intense.

I also dislike 'multi-cultural' anything. Too much friction for me. There are certain good aspects I like of different cultures, but I want them on my terms, and nobody else's. I've had enough of loud fights in foreign languages and even louder exchanges between stormy lovers in broken english or ebonics to say the city sucks.

What I hate about smart planners is that they seem to think if you don't want to live packed in a pop density of 5000/km2, you're sick in the head. I submit they're the ones deranged.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

Hardly anyone drives in NY, Fitz. The trains are much faster and very convenient. I was more than happy to get rid of my car. I save so much money and time that would be wasted sitting in traffic. And you don't have to be a dense city to have intelligent urban planning.

 

[Big Fitz]

Hardly anyone drives in NY, Fitz. The trains are much faster and very convenient. I was more than happy to get rid of my car. I save so much money and time that would be wasted sitting in traffic. And you don't have to be a dense city to have intelligent urban planning.

no no no... you have to realize something. To me the concept of "intelligent urban planning" is an oxymoron and completely incompatible to normal human function. I don't believe in forced urbanization and compact living for anyone.

 

[blu]

the only thing i like about big cities is smart transportation. the chicago transit system is pure genius. get anywhere in the city fast for about a dollar.

 

[Big Fitz]

the only thing i like about big cities is smart transportation. the chicago transit system is pure genius. get anywhere in the city fast for about a dollar.

Wonder how much it'd be after you removed the public subsidy? In the TC, the train would be about a 13 dollar ticket one way.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

no no no... you have to realize something. To me the concept of "intelligent urban planning" is an oxymoron and completely incompatible to normal human function. I don't believe in forced urbanization and compact living for anyone.

Well, if you don't have intelligent planning, you get the nightmare of sprawl, like in Atlanta. Have you ever driven in that city? It's god-awful. How is intelligent planning an oxymoron to human function? If you let developers loose on a town, it becomes a nightmare.

EJRC-Sprawl Atlanta Report Executive Summary and PDF

 

[saveliberty]

Nothing wrong with Panera-they have great soups! Nothing wrong with Whole Foods either.

1/2 lb. medium well burger on a white sesame seedbun with bacon and cheese, diet pepsi and a side of liberals please.

why do you hate your body?

I'd like to cut down, but there are so many of those damn liberals. Great with ranch dressing. God intended me to eat further up the food chain than mere vegetable matter.

 

[blu]

1/2 lb. medium well burger on a white sesame seedbun with bacon and cheese, diet pepsi and a side of liberals please.

why do you hate your body?

I'd like to cut down, but there are so many of those damn liberals. Great with ranch dressing. God intended me to eat further up the food chain than mere vegetable matter.

I would bet $$ that if you ate that same meal on better bread with a well made cheese you enjoy it much more. there are alos much better tasting drinks than pepsi

 

[blu]

the only thing i like about big cities is smart transportation. the chicago transit system is pure genius. get anywhere in the city fast for about a dollar.

Wonder how much it'd be after you removed the public subsidy? In the TC, the train would be about a 13 dollar ticket one way.

I know it woudl be more... what does TC stand for??

 

[Big Fitz]

no no no... you have to realize something. To me the concept of "intelligent urban planning" is an oxymoron and completely incompatible to normal human function. I don't believe in forced urbanization and compact living for anyone.

Well, if you don't have intelligent planning, you get the nightmare of sprawl, like in Atlanta. Have you ever driven in that city? It's god-awful. How is intelligent planning an oxymoron to human function? If you let developers loose on a town, it becomes a nightmare.

EJRC-Sprawl Atlanta Report Executive Summary and PDF

Okay point taken. I hate Atlanta.

My point is that the tolerances most 'smart growth' urban planners take is far too population dense, far too anti-car. I like suburbs. Particularly when they age a little and become more in tune with the environment. Then they're almost park-like. You can't get that with high density housing. I do not consider waiting on a platform for the next train/bus to show up an improvement of going down to my car and driving away. You just change where you're stuck waiting. At the platform or possibly in a traffic jam, if one forms. Plus you don't go door to door with a train or bus. On bad weather, as is often the case in MN during the winter, that sucks mightily.

 

[Big Fitz]

the only thing i like about big cities is smart transportation. the chicago transit system is pure genius. get anywhere in the city fast for about a dollar.

Wonder how much it'd be after you removed the public subsidy? In the TC, the train would be about a 13 dollar ticket one way.

I know it woudl be more... what does TC stand for??

Twin Cities. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

 

[saveliberty]

why do you hate your body?

I'd like to cut down, but there are so many of those damn liberals. Great with ranch dressing. God intended me to eat further up the food chain than mere vegetable matter.

I would bet $$ that if you ate that same meal on better bread with a well made cheese you enjoy it much more. there are alos much better tasting drinks than pepsi

I'm not shoving cigarettes in my mouth or drinking alcohol. Walk at lunch many days. White bread IS better bread. I have not had a sick day in, I have forgotten how long. For the record, cheese is made in Wisconsin or it isn't cheese.

 

[Annie]

Right there says it all. IF the Republican Party wants to have ANY credibility anymore, it needs to run far, far away from Mrs. Palin and her supporters, and realize GWB was part of the problem, not the solution.

Most folks I know weren't smitten with Ms. Palin as a national candidate. That doesn't mean she hasn't a role in politics. On the other hand, I feel more comfortable listening to advice from those that wish to improve the party, not root for the other team.

Being 'conservative' certainly doesn't make one ignorant or selfish. Indeed the current trend of government 'bailouts' isn't helping, but rather hurting business, society, and individuals as a whole.

What are your ideas in changing the party Annie? I'm on no "team"-I just want the person who has our country and it's best interests as their first priority, but I think we all do.

As I've said many times, I want the fed out of things it shouldn't be involved in, things private organizations or the states could manage much better, with less loss of tax dollars. I'd like to see government held accountable by the people, which means they really need to pay attention. Actually that seems to be one unintended consequence of the present administration; many are paying attention and not liking what they see.

 

[Modbert]

As I've said many times, I want the fed out of things it shouldn't be involved in, things private organizations or the states could manage much better, with less loss of tax dollars. I'd like to see government held accountable by the people, which means they really need to pay attention. Actually that seems to be one unintended consequence of the present administration; many are paying attention and not liking what they see.

Yeah, because that has never happened before.

Thanks for joining the rest of us in 2004.