Current state of the GOP

[retrospooty]

I saw a very interesting article on CNN.com. Worth a quick read.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI...rger.column/index.html

what was most notable was Powell's dire assessment of the state of the GOP: "The party has moved even further to the right," he said, adding that, "over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower." That's the key indictment, and the key problem, for the GOP. While the political world shifts towards independent voters -- who, by nature, are more about pragmatism than dogma -- the Republican Party remains unable to redefine itself back into a working majority. Watch the effect of Powell's endorsement Video Is it still the party of Ronald Reagan? Or has it moved beyond Reagan's innate optimism and into a party that wants to build fences and demand ideological purity? Or can it come up with new ideas that could eventually provide some rejuvenation? Truth is, after more than a decade of political dominance, the GOP is out of steam and on the verge of a civil war -- with factions splitting among the foreign-policy hardliners, the tax-cutters and the social conservatives.

 

[OrByte]

current state of the GOP?

a fvcking mess

now you have people on the "conservative" side comparing Obama to Hitler and Jim Jones.

write-up

its utter chaos over on the "right" they are falling apart. I think its a good thing. Im optomistic that someone will rise from the ashes.

 

[chess9]

Originally posted by: OrByte
current state of the GOP?

a fvcking mess

now you have people on the "conservative" side comparing Obama to Hitler and Jim Jones.

write-up

its utter chaos over on the "right" they are falling apart. I think its a good thing. Im optomistic that someone will rise from the ashes.

Yes, I saw that, but he's always been a right wing ideologue. There he complains about the 'facts' but his columns are notoriously deficient of facts about McCain's failings. When he does a sober column on The Keating Five, I'll start giving his views some credence.

-Robert

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: OrByte
its utter chaos over on the "right" they are falling apart. I think its a good thing. Im optomistic that someone will rise from the ashes.

I hope I'm still alive while it happens.

 

[spidey07]

LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

 

[Farang]

I don't think the GOP is in as bad a shape as a lot of people think. They just didn't have a fitting candidate this year and Bush sucks so much that it was hard for anyone to run. The best way I could put it is Ford didn't win in 1976 for similar reasons then Reagan came along, and Ted Kennedy could have run in 1980 but Reagan still probably would have won against the failed Democratic administration, linking Kennedy to Carter.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

No commentary in OP?

 

[quest55720]

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

They have moved fiscally left and socially even more right. Horrible combination that is the reason they are being tossed out.

 

[brencat]

The low taxes portion of the GOP platform is sound. Where they screwed up is in the spending like drunken sailors and thereby growing the gov't they so despise. Finally, they let social issues play a larger role than they ever ought to, as far as I'm concerned.

I hope some true ECONOMIC conservatives emerge over the next two years such that it rallies the majority of the base and we get back on message. Otherwise, I'm likely to look 3rd party going forward. The day I vote for a Democrat is the day y'all ought to grab a rifle and some canned goods and head for the hills. But at the same time, McCain is at best a breakeven trade for me. The Repubs need to get their sh*t together and I hope the likely mauling they're about to get at the polls drives this message home.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: brencat
The low taxes portion of the GOP platform is sound. Where they screwed up is in the spending like drunken sailors and thereby growing the gov't they so despise. Finally, they let social issues play a larger role than they ever ought to, as far as I'm concerned.

I hope some true ECONOMIC conservatives emerge over the next two years such that it rallies the majority of the base and we get back on message. Otherwise, I'm likely to look 3rd party going forward. The day I vote for a Democrat is the day y'all ought to grab a rifle and some canned goods and head for the hills. But at the same time, McCain is at best a breakeven trade for me. The Repubs need to get their sh*t together and I hope the likely mauling they're about to get at the polls drives this message home.

Economic conservatives are fine... Its the social whacko's like Bush and the rest of the religious right that have imploded the party. I have always said the good thing about these religiuos psycho's is that they will always implode themselves. They are too stupid to handle anything for too long without a meltdown.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: quest55720

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

They have moved fiscally left and socially even more right. Horrible combination that is the reason they are being tossed out.

And people like you are the reason why the Party may never be fixed. I'm a Republican but I stopped voting for them from 2006 until they got their act together. You, on the other hand, have no problem voting for them because you think the other guy is worse. It's a mental trap you've set for yourself and duly fell for.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

I find it hard to believe how anyone can vote to keep the current Republican Party in power.

Racism, ignorance, fear, bigotry, pro-war, pro-corporate America. They don't stand for anything good IMHO. Not anymore. A failed party and ideology that will likely not sniff power for the forseeable future.

I can understand why someone wouldn't want to vote Democratic, but why they would willingly vote to keep Republicans in office for 4 more years completely baffles me.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: Farang
I don't think the GOP is in as bad a shape as a lot of people think. They just didn't have a fitting candidate this year and Bush sucks so much that it was hard for anyone to run. The best way I could put it is Ford didn't win in 1976 for similar reasons then Reagan came along, and Ted Kennedy could have run in 1980 but Reagan still probably would have won against the failed Democratic administration, linking Kennedy to Carter.

True. And the economy is playing a large role right now too. People want a different party in office.

With that said, I still the GOP is doomed in the long term because of demographics unless they can refocus to attract the growing "minorities."

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

Look at the policy positions of the Republican party during the 20th century, then compare them to the policy positions of the Republican party in the 21st century. The party has gone from a right wing party to an ultra right wing party. Where do you think Eisenhower or Nixon would fit in now? The guy that started the EPA, a Republican? The guy who opened a diplomatic mission to communist China a Republican? They would have run him out of town with torches.

Face it, the Republican party is the most extreme right major party in any modern industrialized nation. You might think that their policies are the best ones, and frankly their position on the ideological spectrum doesn't mean a single thing as to how right they are. It's important to realize what you're talking about however when you say a party hasn't gone far enough to the right.

With the Republicans that might mean they just fall off the edge of the spectrum.

 

[idiotekniQues]

when the base of a party is a bunch of evangelicals that think dinosaurs are made-up cause the bible doesnt mention them - your party is a joke and a detriment to the progress of the country.

the republican party is a failure.

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

sieg heil

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: eskimospy

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

Look at the policy positions of the Republican party during the 20th century, then compare them to the policy positions of the Republican party in the 21st century. The party has gone from a right wing party to an ultra right wing party. Where do you think Eisenhower or Nixon would fit in now? The guy that started the EPA, a Republican? The guy who opened a diplomatic mission to communist China a Republican? They would have run him out of town with torches.

Face it, the Republican party is the most extreme right major party in any modern industrialized nation. You might think that their policies are the best ones, and frankly their position on the ideological spectrum doesn't mean a single thing as to how right they are. It's important to realize what you're talking about however when you say a party hasn't gone far enough to the right.

With the Republicans that might mean they just fall off the edge of the spectrum.

We have already gone over this. Putins United Russia party is far right near fascism. Republican party is right in this country but still considered a liberal party by most litmus tests.

But I understand where you are coming from considering you think Pelosi is a centrist. That isnt a knock btw it just tells me where you are, ideologically speaking.

 

[Jhhnn]

The Bush Admin and the Repub congress revealed what many people failed to notice, that there's a vast and empty political wasteland between the rightwing and the rest of America. The soundbite sloganeering was appealing and even hypnotic, for awhile, until the reality of it all set in... the reality of a top-down class warfare looting spree that's been building up for 25 years or so... and the effects of which are only beginning to be felt.

It's been like dating a rich, beautiful, well-connected and fascinating woman who proves to be totally nuts and utterly dishonest, the political equivalent of the old maxim of dating- don't stick it in the crazy, because you'll regret it...

 

[Lemon law]

The GOP leadership is in a state of complete denial, they have delivered eight years of complete failure. The fact that the GOP electorate choose McCain is a reason for hope, but the real question is what happens after the GOP gets their ass kicked at the polls on Nov 4? Which looks all but certain now.

IMHO, the GOP has allowed GWB&co. to hijack their party, now gone are all the previous core values of the GOP, and sadly, after the election of 11/06, the GOP has become a one trick pony, all they know is a lock step support for GWB&co. If by some minor miracle, McCain can prevail on Nov 4, the GOP can transfer that lock step support to McCain, but if Obama wins, the GOP is going to be rudderless lost.

Term limits dictate the absolute end to GWB&co, and no clear GWB&co succession exists, a McCain loss will discredit McCain type GOP core values, all the old GOP leadership is basically retired with the loss of Hagel, Warner, DiMedici, and how will the GOP rebuild after that?

Even as a partisan dem, I do have a hope that the GOP will wake up and smell the coffee, and return to their core values. I think it will be a national disaster, if the GOP instead turns sharply to the right.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: eskimospy

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

Look at the policy positions of the Republican party during the 20th century, then compare them to the policy positions of the Republican party in the 21st century. The party has gone from a right wing party to an ultra right wing party. Where do you think Eisenhower or Nixon would fit in now? The guy that started the EPA, a Republican? The guy who opened a diplomatic mission to communist China a Republican? They would have run him out of town with torches.

Face it, the Republican party is the most extreme right major party in any modern industrialized nation. You might think that their policies are the best ones, and frankly their position on the ideological spectrum doesn't mean a single thing as to how right they are. It's important to realize what you're talking about however when you say a party hasn't gone far enough to the right.

With the Republicans that might mean they just fall off the edge of the spectrum.

We have already gone over this. Putins United Russia party is far right near fascism. Republican party is right in this country but still considered a liberal party by most litmus tests.

But I understand where you are coming from considering you think Pelosi is a centrist. That isnt a knock btw it just tells me where you are, ideologically speaking.

And as we've stated before Russia is not a functioning Democracy, nor at this point would I consider it a modern industrialized nation... at least not in the comparison to every other western country. (which is what I was referring to, perhaps I should have been more clear)

The GOP is not a liberal party by any means, unless you mean it is an economically liberal party. In that case both the Democrats are economic liberal parties, the thing is that economic liberalism is a right wing attribute. (this is why the Democrats are center right) Nancy Pelosi, were she to be in any other western country, would be a centrist. She might be very liberal for America, but for the rest of the world, she's pretty normal.

I don't get what the big deal here is. Being extreme is not in and of itself a bad thing, but the Republicans are on the bleeding edge of the left/right spectrum by world standards.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL! The republican party has moved farther left, not right. Hence original republicans being pissed off at their own party. So I agree there are splits in the party, but to call it moving right is just not true.

And Powell sold out a while ago so he is not a good representative.

seriously, wtf is powell smoking? GOP elected mccain the fucking maverick!! wtf?!?!?! THE PARTY IS NOT RIGHT ENOUGH!

They have gone very right as far as social values... Way too far for normal people to vote for. Tehy won for years based on the fiscal... Fiscally, they got the presidency and congress, and just screwed up royally and proved to the country that their policies arent sound.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
when the base of a party is a bunch of evangelicals that think dinosaurs are made-up cause the bible doesnt mention them

Thats not entirely true... They think dinosaur bones were put there by Satan to confuse us and make us doubt our faith. =)

LOL @ evangelicals.

 

[dbk]

I think the GOP has gone too right - just look at all McCain had to sacrifice to win the nomination. Go compare the 2000 McCain to the current one.

 

[Mani]

The far right got cocky when they got Bush elected a 2nd term by a strong GOTV effort among evangelicals. Since then. the talk radio cesspool has been pulling the base of the party further and further out of the mainstream. It's already causing a rift between classical/moderate conservatives and the dregs of the far right. I expect considerable fallout from the republicans after the election - fingerpointing, splintering, etc. Good times.