Whole Foods Republicans

[Annie]

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...

 

[mal]

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...

 

[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.

 

[Annie]

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.

 

[Xenophon]

They need to be about economics and the constitution.

Everything else is rediculous distractions.

 

[VaYank5150]

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...

What does this guy mean by "if"?

 

[The Rabbi]

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...

What does this guy mean by "if"?

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?

Petrilli is author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer, the most comprehensive overview of the law and its implementation to date. He comes to the Institution from the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as associate assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Innovation and Improvement. In that role, he oversaw approximately two dozen discretionary grant programs that support a variety of education reforms, including alternate routes to certification, charter schools, and more, and helped lead the implementation of No Child Left Behind's public school choice and supplemental services provisions. Before working at the Department of Education, he was vice president of community partnerships at K12, an Internet education company.

He started his career as a teacher at the Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville, Ohio. Petrilli holds a bachelor's degree in honors political science from the University of Michigan and a teaching certificate in high school social studies.

So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

 

[rightwinger]

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

No question the GOP needs to be more inclusive. The problem is the Rush Limbaughs, Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world continually attack the Whole Foods as not being "Real Americans" and elitist

 

[VaYank5150]

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...

What does this guy mean by "if"?

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?

Petrilli is author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer, the most comprehensive overview of the law and its implementation to date. He comes to the Institution from the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as associate assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Innovation and Improvement. In that role, he oversaw approximately two dozen discretionary grant programs that support a variety of education reforms, including alternate routes to certification, charter schools, and more, and helped lead the implementation of No Child Left Behind's public school choice and supplemental services provisions. Before working at the Department of Education, he was vice president of community partnerships at K12, an Internet education company.

He started his career as a teacher at the Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville, Ohio. Petrilli holds a bachelor's degree in honors political science from the University of Michigan and a teaching certificate in high school social studies.

So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

Sure beats Palin's qualifications for "writing" a book...

 

[The Rabbi]

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

No question the GOP needs to be more inclusive. The problem is the Rush Limbaughs, Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world continually attack the Whole Foods as not being "Real Americans" and elitist

The Whole Foods people are "fake Americans' and they are elitists. The head of the company is a liberal. It just happens that even he sees where health care needs to go.
Reducing the GOP, or even conservatives, to Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh betrays an ignorance of where the party and movement are.

 

[The Rabbi]

What does this guy mean by "if"?

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?

Petrilli is author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer, the most comprehensive overview of the law and its implementation to date. He comes to the Institution from the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as associate assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Innovation and Improvement. In that role, he oversaw approximately two dozen discretionary grant programs that support a variety of education reforms, including alternate routes to certification, charter schools, and more, and helped lead the implementation of No Child Left Behind's public school choice and supplemental services provisions. Before working at the Department of Education, he was vice president of community partnerships at K12, an Internet education company.

He started his career as a teacher at the Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville, Ohio. Petrilli holds a bachelor's degree in honors political science from the University of Michigan and a teaching certificate in high school social studies.

So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

Sure beats Palin's qualifications for "writing" a book...

WHat qualifications does one need to write a book? Just askin.

 

[Annie]

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...

What does this guy mean by "if"?

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?

Petrilli is author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer, the most comprehensive overview of the law and its implementation to date. He comes to the Institution from the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as associate assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Innovation and Improvement. In that role, he oversaw approximately two dozen discretionary grant programs that support a variety of education reforms, including alternate routes to certification, charter schools, and more, and helped lead the implementation of No Child Left Behind's public school choice and supplemental services provisions. Before working at the Department of Education, he was vice president of community partnerships at K12, an Internet education company.

He started his career as a teacher at the Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville, Ohio. Petrilli holds a bachelor's degree in honors political science from the University of Michigan and a teaching certificate in high school social studies.

So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

The 'guy' has every bit as much a right to speak out about the Republican Party as you or anyone else. Remember the first amendment. That he writes well enough to be published by the WSJ says he's accomplished enough. Good try though at spinning, afraid that the party might listen?

 

[The Rabbi]

What does this guy mean by "if"?

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?

Petrilli is author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer, the most comprehensive overview of the law and its implementation to date. He comes to the Institution from the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as associate assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Innovation and Improvement. In that role, he oversaw approximately two dozen discretionary grant programs that support a variety of education reforms, including alternate routes to certification, charter schools, and more, and helped lead the implementation of No Child Left Behind's public school choice and supplemental services provisions. Before working at the Department of Education, he was vice president of community partnerships at K12, an Internet education company.

He started his career as a teacher at the Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville, Ohio. Petrilli holds a bachelor's degree in honors political science from the University of Michigan and a teaching certificate in high school social studies.

So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

The 'guy' has every bit as much a right to speak out about the Republican Party as you or anyone else. Remember the first amendment. That he writes well enough to be published by the WSJ says he's accomplished enough. Good try though at spinning, afraid that the party might listen?

Did I dispute his right to speak on anything? No.
Barak Obama can speak about the Republican Party. But everything he will say is probably bullshit. For sure, everything this guy says is.
But nice try playing the "right" card. Your spin has failed.

 

[xsited1]

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...

I wish I had more confidence in the Republican Party, but I don't. They have disappointed me far too many times. I would like to see a 3rd Party have a go at it.

 

[VaYank5150]

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

No question the GOP needs to be more inclusive. The problem is the Rush Limbaughs, Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world continually attack the Whole Foods as not being "Real Americans" and elitist

The Whole Foods people are "fake Americans' and they are elitists. The head of the company is a liberal. It just happens that even he sees where health care needs to go.
Reducing the GOP, or even conservatives, to Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh betrays an ignorance of where the party and movement are.

I'll play along....where ARE the party and movement?

 

[uscitizen]

Or better, who is this guy to begin with?


So we have a guy with a BA and a teaching certificate who worked as a bureaucrat in the government and is now sucking off the teat of public monies telling us what the GOP ought to be doing.
Him AND the horse he rode in on.

Sure beats Palin's qualifications for "writing" a book...

WHat qualifications does one need to write a book? Just askin.

Just the money to hire a ghost writer. Or the ability to get someone else to pay for it for you.

 

[rightwinger]

No question the GOP needs to be more inclusive. The problem is the Rush Limbaughs, Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks of the world continually attack the Whole Foods as not being "Real Americans" and elitist

The Whole Foods people are "fake Americans' and they are elitists. The head of the company is a liberal. It just happens that even he sees where health care needs to go.
Reducing the GOP, or even conservatives, to Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh betrays an ignorance of where the party and movement are.

I'll play along....where ARE the party and movement?

I'll go one further......If it is not Limbaugh, Beck and Palin...who is calling the shots?

 

[Annie]

Sure beats Palin's qualifications for "writing" a book...

WHat qualifications does one need to write a book? Just askin.

Just the money to hire a ghost writer. Or the ability to get someone else to pay for it for you.

I'm with the main premise of the article, remember that from the op? The GOP needs to pay attention to those that aren't fringe, but are quite against the expansion of the federal government, intrusion into the workings of business, marriage, health care, etc. These for the most part are not people that don't want to help those in need, just quite certain that Washington is certainly not the place to begin helping.

 

[saveliberty]

I don't have a very good opinion of the Panera crowd.

 

[Annie]

I don't have a very good opinion of the Panera crowd.

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