Is the GoP shooting itself in the foot?

[Coyote]

Entire article: GOP Congressman Targeted By 'RINO' Hunters : NPR

By any measure, Republican Rep. Bob Inglis of South Carolina is a solid conservative. In the 1990s, he was a vehement opponent of President Clinton. Last year, he got an "A" from the National Rifle Association, and an 84 percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union. His votes to cut budgets, leave markets unregulated and restrict abortions put him among the most conservative of his party.

.....Yet he is now a political target for elimination next election for not toeing the party line - even when the line was wrong?

And...why is that?

...Last week, Inglis did something that really ticked off some of his constituents. He was one of only seven Republicans who voted in favor of reprimanding South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson — the man who yelled "you lie" at President Obama during a Sept. 9 speech to Congress.

At a constituent meeting at a Fuddruckers in Greenville, S.C., Inglis tried to explain:

"He admits that he violated the rules, right? And he apologized to the president. And what I said privately was, 'Joe, there's a second thing you gotta do. You gotta apologize to the forum,' " Inglis said.

Inglis' view of what the Republican Party needs to do:

"Our challenge as Republicans is to win at offering solutions with a hopeful, optimistic voice, rather than shrinking the party down to a snarling few who don't present their ideas with optimism, but rather just play on the worst fears of a small group of people," he says.

And what they seem to be doing instead is "purifying" the party with a RINO hunt on those who don't hew strictly to the conservative message.


That will win them indie and moderate votes for sure.

 

[rightwinger]

The Conservatives will be the death of the once Grand Old Party

They got beat in 2006 and held the line

They got stomped in 2008 and held the line

Now they refuse to budge as their party folds around them

 

[VaYank5150]

Entire article: GOP Congressman Targeted By 'RINO' Hunters : NPR

By any measure, Republican Rep. Bob Inglis of South Carolina is a solid conservative. In the 1990s, he was a vehement opponent of President Clinton. Last year, he got an "A" from the National Rifle Association, and an 84 percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union. His votes to cut budgets, leave markets unregulated and restrict abortions put him among the most conservative of his party.

.....Yet he is now a political target for elimination next election for not toeing the party line - even when the line was wrong?

And...why is that?

...Last week, Inglis did something that really ticked off some of his constituents. He was one of only seven Republicans who voted in favor of reprimanding South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson — the man who yelled "you lie" at President Obama during a Sept. 9 speech to Congress.

At a constituent meeting at a Fuddruckers in Greenville, S.C., Inglis tried to explain:

"He admits that he violated the rules, right? And he apologized to the president. And what I said privately was, 'Joe, there's a second thing you gotta do. You gotta apologize to the forum,' " Inglis said.

Inglis' view of what the Republican Party needs to do:

"Our challenge as Republicans is to win at offering solutions with a hopeful, optimistic voice, rather than shrinking the party down to a snarling few who don't present their ideas with optimism, but rather just play on the worst fears of a small group of people," he says.

And what they seem to be doing instead is "purifying" the party with a RINO hunt on those who don't hew strictly to the conservative message.


That will win them indie and moderate votes for sure.

I don't see anything in here where the GOP (the party) is doing anything? Now, if he pissed off his constituents....well, that IS how our Democracy works.

 

[Coyote]

The Conservatives will be the death of the once Grand Old Party

They got beat in 2006 and held the line

They got stomped in 2008 and held the line

Now they refuse to budge as their party folds around them

They need to get back to their core principles of smaller government and fiscal responsibility. The party lost a number of voters to independents when their party became defined by the religious right. From the sound of it Inglis represents much of where they should be heading.

 

[Coyote]

I don't see anything in here where the GOP (the party) is doing anything? Now, if he pissed off his constituents....well, that IS how our Democracy works.

That is true....it just seems like the tactic of RINO hunting might drive the party further into the fringe.

But - here is another accounting of Inglis which blames voter disatisfaction on what he said concerning fears of healthcare (from a RINO hunt site however): Save the GOP » South Carolina

 

[nodoginnafight]

IMHO - that is one of the true "markers" of the right-wing radical. They seem to value unity above all else. Our original national motto "E Pluribus Unum" means "one from many." I remember listening to an ultra right-wing congressman telling a group of students that the important part there was the "one" because it represents unity and that, he said, is the most important part. He doesn't get it.

Adolf Hitler had unity, Osama Bin Laden (within his organization) has unity, Stalin got unity, what these and every other would-be petty dictator lacks is diversity - the "many" part of our original motto.

If you achieve your "unity" at the expense of diversity - then you have accomplished absolutely nothing worth crowing about.

In the U.S. it is our unity AND diversity that makes us something special.

So the far-right cannot tolerate diversity, they cannot tolerate dissent or individualism of any sort. And they wail and whine about the loss of personal freedom??????

Their ultimate GOAL is the loss of personal freedom and individualism.

 

[Coyote]

IMHO - that is one of the true "markers" of the right-wing radical. They seem to value unity above all else. Our original national motto "E Pluribus Unum" means "one from many." I remember listening to an ultra right-wing congressman telling a group of students that the important part there was the "one" because it represents unity and that, he said, is the most important part. He doesn't get it.

Adolf Hitler had unity, Osama Bin Laden (within his organization) has unity, Stalin got unity, what these and every other would-be petty dictator lacks is diversity - the "many" part of our original motto.

If you achieve your "unity" at the expense of diversity - then you have accomplished absolutely nothing worth crowing about.

In the U.S. it is our unity AND diversity that makes us something special.

So the far-right cannot tolerate diversity, they cannot tolerate dissent or individualism of any sort. And they wail and whine about the loss of personal freedom??????

Their ultimate GOAL is the loss of personal freedom and individualism.

The Democrat Party has always been diverse which can be good in that it is inclusive but bad in that it has too many special interests that work against party unity and sometimes that is needed. I've heard that being the Whip of the party is like herding cats. The Republicans have always been much more disciplined with a more defined message (as opposed to the Democrats who are all over the board sometimes) and until the past decade their special interests have had enough in common to work together until the loud and intolerant "Religous Right" started calling the agenda.

I don't think the ultimate goal is loss of personal freedom and individualism or at least I don't think that goal is unique to rightwing radicals - if you take the left to it's extreme end you find the same thing.

 

[Missourian]

IMHO - that is one of the true "markers" of the right-wing radical. They seem to value unity above all else. Our original national motto "E Pluribus Unum" means "one from many." I remember listening to an ultra right-wing congressman telling a group of students that the important part there was the "one" because it represents unity and that, he said, is the most important part. He doesn't get it.

Adolf Hitler had unity, Osama Bin Laden (within his organization) has unity, Stalin got unity, what these and every other would-be petty dictator lacks is diversity - the "many" part of our original motto.

If you achieve your "unity" at the expense of diversity - then you have accomplished absolutely nothing worth crowing about.

In the U.S. it is our unity AND diversity that makes us something special.

So the far-right cannot tolerate diversity, they cannot tolerate dissent or individualism of any sort. And they wail and whine about the loss of personal freedom??????

Their ultimate GOAL is the loss of personal freedom and individualism.

"We must all hang together, or we most assuredly will all hang separately."

- Benjamin Franklin​

 

[Nosmo King]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Republican party is a rudderless ship. and there's a mutiny on board! The Right Wing will insist on ideological purity at any expense. The extreme right always eats its own. Look what they did to Romney last year! A Mormon?!?! No way!

And what are they left with? Sarah the airhead! Fear mongers like Beck and demagogues like Limbaugh and no real plan. In 1994 they had the Contract with America. A real plan. And people gravitated toward it. They won back the congress in that year's mid-terms.

Now they offer nothing but "NO!" and the strictest political litmus test since the Cultural Revolution in China.

The Republicans have made their own bed. Let them lay in it.

 

[Dr.Traveler]

They need to get back to their core principles of smaller government and fiscal responsibility. The party lost a number of voters to independents when their party became defined by the religious right. From the sound of it Inglis represents much of where they should be heading.

It wasn't just the Religious Right. DeLay/Frist/Bush spent and borrowed like sailors on shore leave. Much as I hate to admit it, given the choice between tax and spend, or borrow and spend, I'm taking borrow and spend. I'd rather not spend, but borrowing so you can waste money is just plain wrong headed.

 

[Coyote]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Republican party is a rudderless ship. and there's a mutiny on board! The Right Wing will insist on ideological purity at any expense. The extreme right always eats its own. Look what they did to Romney last year! A Mormon?!?! No way!

And what are they left with? Sarah the airhead! Fear mongers like Beck and demagogues like Limbaugh and no real plan. In 1994 they had the Contract with America. A real plan. And people gravitated toward it. They won back the congress in that year's mid-terms.

Now they offer nothing but "NO!" and the strictest political litmus test since the Cultural Revolution in China.

The Republicans have made their own bed. Let them lay in it.

I think the Republicans are in the same disarray the Democrats were in a couple of decades ago - rudderless. That's a good description.

Romney would have been a great choice and he would have given Obama a run for his money because he could have campaigned strongly on the economy using his experience. I'll never understand it - except he was Morman and not politically correct enough on the social conservative issues.

 

[Coyote]

They need to get back to their core principles of smaller government and fiscal responsibility. The party lost a number of voters to independents when their party became defined by the religious right. From the sound of it Inglis represents much of where they should be heading.

It wasn't just the Religious Right. DeLay/Frist/Bush spent and borrowed like sailors on shore leave. Much as I hate to admit it, given the choice between tax and spend, or borrow and spend, I'm taking borrow and spend. I'd rather not spend, but borrowing so you can waste money is just plain wrong headed.

True but it was the Religious Right that voted them in - or at least set the bar.

 

[nodoginnafight]

Yes, I agree that there is a point at which the radical right and the radical left become almost indistinguishable - and I also agree that historically the Democratic Party has been much more diverse and the Republican Party has been much more homogenous. (although, at least one guy on this board tried to argue that ??????)
Therein lies the Unity vs. Diversity breaking points.
And diversity without unity - and conversely unity without diversity - are nothing to aim for imho.

 

[Nosmo King]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Republican party is a rudderless ship. and there's a mutiny on board! The Right Wing will insist on ideological purity at any expense. The extreme right always eats its own. Look what they did to Romney last year! A Mormon?!?! No way!

And what are they left with? Sarah the airhead! Fear mongers like Beck and demagogues like Limbaugh and no real plan. In 1994 they had the Contract with America. A real plan. And people gravitated toward it. They won back the congress in that year's mid-terms.

Now they offer nothing but "NO!" and the strictest political litmus test since the Cultural Revolution in China.

The Republicans have made their own bed. Let them lay in it.

I think the Republicans are in the same disarray the Democrats were in a couple of decades ago - rudderless. That's a good description.

Romney would have been a great choice and he would have given Obama a run for his money because he could have campaigned strongly on the economy using his experience. I'll never understand it - except he was Morman and not politically correct enough on the social conservative issues.

The disarray in the GOP is more pronounced than the Democrat disarray was during the 1980s. Look who the Democrats ran in 1984. Walter Mondale. A disciple of Hubert Humphrey and a relative Centrist. There was no all or nothing ideological fight among the Democrats. Maybe because they have always been a "big tent" party. Diversity saved the Democrats. Diversity and the DLC lead by a political master~ Bill Clinton.

Where's the Republican Clinton?

 

[Coyote]

Yes, I agree that there is a point at which the radical right and the radical left become almost indistinguishable - and I also agree that historically the Democratic Party has been much more diverse and the Republican Party has been much more homogenous. (although, at least one guy on this board tried to argue that ??????)
Therein lies the Unity vs. Diversity breaking points.
And diversity without unity - and conversely unity without diversity - are nothing to aim for imho.

They balance each other out - it's when it gets out of balance that we're in trouble

 

[Coyote]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Republican party is a rudderless ship. and there's a mutiny on board! The Right Wing will insist on ideological purity at any expense. The extreme right always eats its own. Look what they did to Romney last year! A Mormon?!?! No way!

And what are they left with? Sarah the airhead! Fear mongers like Beck and demagogues like Limbaugh and no real plan. In 1994 they had the Contract with America. A real plan. And people gravitated toward it. They won back the congress in that year's mid-terms.

Now they offer nothing but "NO!" and the strictest political litmus test since the Cultural Revolution in China.

The Republicans have made their own bed. Let them lay in it.

I think the Republicans are in the same disarray the Democrats were in a couple of decades ago - rudderless. That's a good description.

Romney would have been a great choice and he would have given Obama a run for his money because he could have campaigned strongly on the economy using his experience. I'll never understand it - except he was Morman and not politically correct enough on the social conservative issues.

The disarray in the GOP is more pronounced than the Democrat disarray was during the 1980s. Look who the Democrats ran in 1984. Walter Mondale. A disciple of Hubert Humphrey and a relative Centrist. There was no all or nothing ideological fight among the Democrats. Maybe because they have always been a "big tent" party. Diversity saved the Democrats. Diversity and the DLC lead by a political master~ Bill Clinton.

Where's the Republican Clinton?

I think the disarray among the Democrats was different - they became so diverse they had no real message anymore.

 

[Nosmo King]

I think the Republicans are in the same disarray the Democrats were in a couple of decades ago - rudderless. That's a good description.

Romney would have been a great choice and he would have given Obama a run for his money because he could have campaigned strongly on the economy using his experience. I'll never understand it - except he was Morman and not politically correct enough on the social conservative issues.

The disarray in the GOP is more pronounced than the Democrat disarray was during the 1980s. Look who the Democrats ran in 1984. Walter Mondale. A disciple of Hubert Humphrey and a relative Centrist. There was no all or nothing ideological fight among the Democrats. Maybe because they have always been a "big tent" party. Diversity saved the Democrats. Diversity and the DLC lead by a political master~ Bill Clinton.

Where's the Republican Clinton?

I think the disarray among the Democrats was different - they became so diverse they had no real message anymore.

And here are the Republicans without a real message and no yen to diversify!

It's too early to talk about the 2010 midterms. With so much still on the table: Afghanistan, health care, a jobless recovery the waters are too muddy to make a responsible prediction. It depends on who the Republicans decide are worthy of being called Republican. If they are still chewing off their own feet to save themselves, they do not stand a chance.

 

[Coyote]

The disarray in the GOP is more pronounced than the Democrat disarray was during the 1980s. Look who the Democrats ran in 1984. Walter Mondale. A disciple of Hubert Humphrey and a relative Centrist. There was no all or nothing ideological fight among the Democrats. Maybe because they have always been a "big tent" party. Diversity saved the Democrats. Diversity and the DLC lead by a political master~ Bill Clinton.

Where's the Republican Clinton?

I think the disarray among the Democrats was different - they became so diverse they had no real message anymore.

And here are the Republicans without a real message and no yen to diversify!

It's too early to talk about the 2010 midterms. With so much still on the table: Afghanistan, health care, a jobless recovery the waters are too muddy to make a responsible prediction. It depends on who the Republicans decide are worthy of being called Republican. If they are still chewing off their own feet to save themselves, they do not stand a chance.

I agree - it's ludicrous to talk about now - too much might is likely to change! It smacks of desperation rather than coherent planning but then, most of their rhetoric smacks of petty mean-spirited partisanship rather than a thoughtful attempt to shape the future of the party.

 

[rdean]

Is the GoP shooting itself in the foot?

It's difficult to shoot yourself in the foot when your foot is in your mouth.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I agree - it's ludicrous to talk about now - too much might is likely to change! It smacks of desperation rather than coherent planning but then, most of their rhetoric smacks of petty mean-spirited partisanship rather than a thoughtful attempt to shape the future of the party.

If you lack real ideas, what does that leave you to talk about?