Did the GOP lose Congress last year because they were not conservative enough?

[Siddhartha]

I just read an article on Yahoo about John McCain. He is saying that the reason the GOP lost Congress in last year's election was because they were not conservative enough.

Do you think that is the main reason or one of the major reasons why the GOP lost last year?

Do you think they can win in 2008 by being more conservative, reduce spending and size of government, and stay the course in Iraq?

 

[johnnobts]

John McClain, the NYPD guy who kiled Hans Gruber?

 

[2Xtreme21]

Just more McCain rhetoric to get appeal from the neo-cons. He's already sold his soul to the evangelical crowd...

And to think, I thought at one point he'd make an amazing president because he seemed logical.

 

[johnnobts]

i'd rather cater to evangelicals than illegal immigrants and teachers unions.

 

[sierrita]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
i'd rather cater to evangelicals than illegal immigrants and teachers unions.

I'm shocked.

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
John McClain, the NYPD guy who kiled Hans Gruber?

LOL :thumbsup:

 

[Stunt]

I think a candidate can win with the promise of fiscal balance so long as they have a record of doing so in the past.
I do think moderate conservatives were turned away this past election by the lack of spending cuts that Bush promised in 2004.

 

[johnnobts]

thanks, i'm here all weekend

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
John McClain, the NYPD guy who kiled Hans Gruber?

Bruce Willis is a Republican... hmmmmm

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: johnnobts
John McClain, the NYPD guy who kiled Hans Gruber?

Bruce Willis is a Republican... hmmmmm

Is this your answer to my question?

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Siddhartha
Did the GOP lose Congress last year because they were not conservative enough?

No. It was because real conservatives figured out that so much dishonesty, deceit, sleazy and outright criminality by all the prominent faces of their party, from their Idiot In Chief's war of lies to personal greed by Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham, Bill Frist, Mark Foley and more, that they finally understood that was anything but conservative under any definition of the word.

This is what John McCain is saying

Which is just further evidence of what a desperate, looney tunes political whore he is.

Originally posted by: johnnobts
i'd rather cater to evangelicals than illegal immigrants and teachers unions.

I support the teachers. The other two are welcome to leave. Sooner is better.

 

[Siddhartha]

Thanks for pointing out that I misspelled McCain's name. I have corrected the mistake.

So please stay on topic or go crap on another thread.


Thanks again!

 

[ProfJohn]

Republicans lost because of two reasons.
1. The mess in Iraq.
2. Too much spending and therefore the return of the deficit.

I don?t think being more or less conservative would have had any impact on Iraq.
However, issue 2 is directly related to Bush and congress not being conservative enough.

IF the budget was still balanced and we did not see the growth of government spending then I think people would have been more forgiving over the Iraq issue.
I think it was the accumulation of things that cost the Republicans power, not just one or two things.

As far as your question about being conservative and winning in 2008? well there has not been a non-conservative elected President since Jimmy Carter. Even Clinton tried to portray himself as a ?conservative Democrat? And in 2006 several of the Democrats who won election were themselves rather conservative.

 

[johnnobts]

we lost for the 2 reasons john mentioned, as well as we did nothing on illegal immigration. its ironic mccain is complaining that we were'nt conservative enough when he backs the amnesty program for illegals.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
we lost for the 2 reasons john mentioned, as well as we did nothing on illegal immigration. its ironic mccain is complaining that we were'nt conservative enough when he backs the amnesty program for illegals.

Liberals tend to be more protectionist.
McCain's stance is the more conservative (classic conservatism) of the two positions.

 

[4X4er]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
John McClain, the NYPD guy who kiled Hans Gruber?

kiled?

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Siddhartha
I just read an article on Yahoo about John McCain. He is saying that the reason the GOP lost Congress in last year's election was because they were not conservative enough.

Do you think that is the main reason or one of the major reasons why the GOP lost last year?

Do you think they can win in 2008 by being more conservative, reduce spending and size of government, and stay the course in Iraq?

This story is old news, he said this in November. I agree with the notion, but it's ironic for him to tell Republicans to stick to their base when he is one of the most prominent left leaning Republicans.

Most of what I hate and disagree with Bush on is because he is not a true conservative. Open borders, big government, big spending. Yet McCain is further left on those issues and thus more undesirable.


Fact is I loath McCain, and would vote for anyone including Hillary first.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Not conservative enough? How about not conservative at all.

Iraq was a big part of it.
Spending was another HUGE part.

Lets not forget the corruption angle as well. Congressional leadership did nothing to punish bad behavior... or even quietly, in the back rooms, tell people to knock it off.

What happened was necessary. The Republican party could not have gone on with the cast of characters that were running the show. This was a classic case of the voters cleaning house. Time for the party to get back to basics. Lower spending, sane defense policy, smaller government...

 

[Lemon law]

Its one thing to have a theory on how government should run---everyone from totally religious Utopians to communists have theories on how the perfect state should run in principle.
And the honest fail because the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak--but the present GOP crowd can't even be called honest in the remotest imaginings---not only can't they manage their way out of a paper bag---but they are the most corrupt, morally bankrupt, and most incompetent bunch that ever came down the pike.

But once the GOP achieved a congressional majority---they turned a total blind eye towards their own shortcomings----McCain may have been one of the very few got it on limited areas like detainee abuse and campaign finance reform---and actually spoke out---but on balance---McCain proved totally inept in getting anything real done---and when you examine the rest of McCain's platform----he has no understanding of modern times and would be a total disaster as President.

But on a crowded 08 campaign gold rush, everyone must stake out their own claims to donors, and we can see what fairy tales and revisionists histories McCain is telling to win over his converts----and if McCain thinks its just failing to be conservative---its just another whopper of a lie.---credible candidates don't just talk a good line---they get things done.----and don't back down on principle and let their principles get pandered like McCain did.

 

[imported_Shivetya]

yes

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: johnnobts
i'd rather cater to evangelicals than illegal immigrants and teachers unions.

You spelled PANDER wrong.


You can't win when you forsake 75% of the nation to beg for votes from vindictive nutcases and shackle yourself to their partisan doctrine from the dark ages.

 

[Strk]

I think we need to clear up where the Republicans were being conservative. They were driving hard at being social conservatives. Social conservatives are not necessarily against big government.

 

[fallensight]

They lost because the were out of touch with the majority of the country. For some reason 'conservatives' seems to have decinigrated into meaning Blindly support Bush, hate gays, hate abortion and try to win the rest of the people over with fear mongering.

I am not sure what you have agaisnt teachers. But clearly the education system needs an overhual. But only 'liberals' seem to care about anything other than the afore mentioned topics.

 

[Jhhnn]

Repubs got beat because they had to run on their records, not on their rhetoric. It's a record of pandering to the fringe religious groups and to the hyper-wealthy almost exclusively, a record of bait and switch across the board.

It was easier for them in the minority, or at least with Clinton in the Whitehouse. They could attack, something they're very good at doing. Now that they've been in the position to deliver on their promises and have failed to do so, they're seen as charlatans, rightfully so. Their attack efforts now fall on deaf ears, because the way they're viewed by the public has changed.

Not conservative enough? Interesting question, given that the repub rightwing has redefined the term over and over... It's become more of a brand name than an actual political philosophy... among many of the adherents, it's just a fashion statement, like wearing a particular brand of shoes because everybody else is... not because they've actually used their little grey cells in a discriminatory manner...

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Jhhnn
[insert politition] got beat because they had to run on their records, not on their rhetoric. ...

Yeah, that pesky "record" thing gets 'em every time.

Be more conservative? I dunno. They didn't seem conservative to begin with. Bloated budgets, lots of pork scandels etc.

Even had they governed better, I still think many of the longer serving members may have lost. Sometimes people want a change, even if only for change's sake. I know our Congressman had been around too long, to many tough races. Eventually the accusations (even if untrue) get traction and people begin to doubt, so time for a change.

Fern