Will Democrats clean up their party like Republicans?

[Narmer]

True Conservatives are taking back the Republican Party via the Tea Party. Those that believe in small government, low taxes, and spending within your means have flocked to Tea Party candidates within the Republican Party. At first many thought it was a joke. Now, I rarely hear the term "tea-bag" anymore.

I really don't see an equivalence amongst Democrats since they are pro-spending, pro-big government, unions, etc... However, I doubt they are pro-corporate welfare or support coddling with anti-union regimes like China, things the modern Democratic Party has come to support.

However, it's still early days when it comes to the Tea Party. Their candidates may fall under the powerful spell of money, local and special interests when in Washington. After seeing how many times Obama has backtracked or deferred to the Democratic establishment when it comes to most matters, I'm cynical about "outsiders" that promise the moon.

 

[charrison]

They first have to realize they are doing it wrong.

 

[BoberFett]

True Conservatives are taking back the Republican Party via the Tea Party. Those that believe in small government, low taxes, and spending within your means have flocked to Tea Party candidates within the Republican Party. At first many thought it was a joke. Now, I rarely hear the term "tea-bag" anymore.

Well, you're buying the charade anyway. If Republicans take a majority in congress, we'll see just how "small government" they are. Republicans said they were small government during Bush and his Reign of Spending too.

 

[charrison]

Well, you're buying the charade anyway. If Republicans take a majority in congress, we'll see just how "small government" they are. Republicans said they were small government during Bush and his Reign of Spending too.

I wont say I was pleased with republican spending during this time frame, but at the same time deficits stayed within historical norms when adjusting to inflation/gdp. Far better than what is going on now.

 

[nyker96]

I won't understand what you mean by 'cleanup'. But if you mean becoming more idealized and extreme in their governing then the Tea Party certainly is doing it for the Republican party. If elected I have no doubt a more libertarian approach to governing. Libertarianism is the core to the Republican philosophy. After the loss of white house in 2008, I believe the GOP is moving ever more toward the pure libertarianism that resides at its base.

As for democrats, they seem to be moving toward the middle and not the extreme as the years passed. Not exactly sure why this is the case but it seem to be the trend for them. I also don't know why as a party, the Democrats have to cleanup like Republicans do.

Becoming more extreme doesn't really help a party, in my opinion, since at the end of the day you are still dealing with the concrete, practical matters in real world and not academic studies. Even Ronald Reagan raised taxes after about 4 years of his presidency. What I'm saying is, no matter what party you from, or how extreme their belief is, eventually the reality of things will overwhelm any ideology. I guarantee you that.

 

[charrison]

As for democrats, they seem to be moving toward the middle and not the extreme as the years passed. Not exactly sure why this is the case but it seem to be the trend for them. I also don't know why as a party, the Democrats have to cleanup like Republicans do.

If the predictions come true and they get their asses handed to them in November, should they stay the course they are on, or make changes?

 

[Narmer]

I won't understand what you mean by 'cleanup'. But if you mean becoming more idealized and extreme in their governing then the Tea Party certainly is doing it for the Republican party. If elected I have no doubt a more libertarian approach to governing. Libertarianism is the core to the Republican philosophy. After the loss of white house in 2008, I believe the GOP is moving ever more toward the pure libertarianism that resides at its base.

As for democrats, they seem to be moving toward the middle and not the extreme as the years passed. Not exactly sure why this is the case but it seem to be the trend for them. I also don't know why as a party, the Democrats have to cleanup like Republicans do.

Becoming more extreme doesn't really help a party, in my opinion, since at the end of the day you are still dealing with the concrete, practical matters in real world and not academic studies. Even Ronald Reagan raised taxes after about 4 years of his presidency. What I'm saying is, no matter what party you from, or how extreme their belief is, eventually the reality of things will overwhelm any ideology. I guarantee you that.

If by middle you mean being more corporate, then you are correct. The democrats are spending more and trying to tax less, increasing the deficit. This is exactly what Americans do not want. But they are becoming more coporatist in order to be seen as more acceptable in a country that is pro-business.

 

[sandorski]

From what I can see all the Republicans have managed to do is to forget about the Fail and re-energized themselves to Fail some more.

 

[IGBT]

for the democrats to clean up they would have to kick out the eco-KOOKS and secular regressive socialists. Re-establish the real democrat party.

 

[manimal]

I won't understand what you mean by 'cleanup'. But if you mean becoming more idealized and extreme in their governing then the Tea Party certainly is doing it for the Republican party. If elected I have no doubt a more libertarian approach to governing. Libertarianism is the core to the Republican philosophy. After the loss of white house in 2008, I believe the GOP is moving ever more toward the pure libertarianism that resides at its base.

As for democrats, they seem to be moving toward the middle and not the extreme as the years passed. Not exactly sure why this is the case but it seem to be the trend for them. I also don't know why as a party, the Democrats have to cleanup like Republicans do.

Becoming more extreme doesn't really help a party, in my opinion, since at the end of the day you are still dealing with the concrete, practical matters in real world and not academic studies. Even Ronald Reagan raised taxes after about 4 years of his presidency. What I'm saying is, no matter what party you from, or how extreme their belief is, eventually the reality of things will overwhelm any ideology. I guarantee you that.

Rigid absolutism is very bad since there is no common ground. Most of the great politicians in the last century have appeased their base while maintaining a centerist agenda. Take Clinton for example. Remove a few of his positions-failed healthcare etc- and he was very centrist and actually bypassed gridlock during hostile times..

Where is the compromise? Who is offering the olive branches? The move to the radical right of the republican party has alienated many people who used to occupy its base. Trough the use of wedge issues and the southern strategy they have been able to maintain tenuous control of the party but the radical right elements are going to make governance that much harder because every issue is a litmus test...

Take retired Supreme court justice John Paul Stevens. When appointed by a Gerald Ford he was very much to the right of the court and considered a stalwart conservative. Over the next 40 years as the courts and the republican party started its march to the right he became essentially a liberal by default... much like many of us...

The disingenuous nature of all this small government talk is that the things that would shrink government in a meaningful way will never get done. Military spending will stay out of control to appease the necon's. Social Security polls very very high amongst Tea Partiers so thats out of the question. You see all these people jumping up and down about how bad taxes are but taxes right now are lower than they were in the Reagan, Bush, and any president since Nixon....

Lets see some real policies on the table... Otherwise its just wedge issues to inflame the masses....

 

[GuitarDaddy]

If by "clean up their party" you mean pander to nutters, birthers, teabaggers, and bimbo quitters
then NO the dems won't do that.

 

[manimal]

for the democrats to clean up they would have to kick out the eco-KOOKS and secular regressive socialists. Re-establish the real democrat party.

The eco-kooks as you call them have very little real voice in the current administration. The far left is about as unhappy with the Obama Administration as is the far right. What the far left has done though is compromise and try to affect change without holding up governance...

The regressive socialists as you call them only exist in your mind. Seriously look up what socialism means.....

I want to remind you guys of Newt Gingrich's last real stand... when he shut down the government because of Clinton's spendy ways.... remember how that turned out?

 

[jackschmittusa]

Cleaned up their party? You mean by picking wackos and religious nuts as candidates? By becoming the "we're at war with Islam" party?

Need I go on?

 

[tinker2141]

Cleaned up their party? You mean by picking wackos and religious nuts as candidates? By becoming the "we're at war with Islam" party?

Need I go on?

We are at war with Islam. At least they have not forgotten it.

 

[Balt]

True Conservatives are taking back the Republican Party via the Tea Party.

If they're ever a strong enough influence to toss out Boehner and McConnell you might have a point. Right now they're still a relatively powerless fringe.

 

[JockoJohnson]

If by "clean up their party" you mean pander to nutters, birthers, teabaggers, and bimbo quitters
then NO the dems won't do that.

Lol, really? Like the Dems don't cater to the eco-kooks, the racists in La Raza and the Black Panthers, and other fringe groups that aren't supported by the Repugs.

Both parties cater to a lot of good groups and fringe groups. It's completely asinine to pretend that one party's shit doesn't smell and the other's is a huge mountain of shit.

That's ok, keep bashing one side and defend the other. You are teh Winner!!! When are people going to learn that both parties are equally shitty?

 

[manimal]

Lol, really? Like the Dems don't cater to the eco-kooks, the racists in La Raza and the Black Panthers, and other fringe groups that aren't supported by the Repugs.

Both parties cater to a lot of good groups and fringe groups. It's completely asinine to pretend that one party's shit doesn't smell and the other's is a huge mountain of shit.

That's ok, keep bashing one side and defend the other. You are teh Winner!!! When are people going to learn that both parties are equally shitty?

black panthers really?

there are no new black panthers...it was a stunt.... like the acorn outrage....

 

[umbrella39]

If they're ever a strong enough influence to toss out Boehner and McConnell you might have a point. Right now they're still a relatively powerless fringe.

Powerless maybe but loud enough to sound as if they are speaking for all republicans. We'll see how this plays out. Should be interesting.

 

[ProfJohn]

Keep in mind that one of the ways the Democrats were able to take control of congress in the first place was to run conservative Democrats who had very untraditional Democrat views.

People like Heath Shuler who is pro-gun and pro-life.

The fact is that in MANY parts of the country 'real' Democrats can't get elected anymore so they run DINOs who are about 50/50 Democrat/Republican.

Kind of ironic how the Democrats and Republicans both find success by moving to the right.

 

[Jhhnn]

From what I can see all the Republicans have managed to do is to forget about the Fail and re-energized themselves to Fail some more.

Too True for comfort.

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. Given the chance, repubs will just crash the economy, again and again until there's nothing left to crash...

The true Bush constituency will obviously be richer, much richer, but the rest of us won't be....

 

[JockoJohnson]

black panthers really?

there are no new black panthers...it was a stunt.... like the acorn outrage....

Yes, focus on that and not the whole message about both parties needing to clean up. Black Panthers, or whoever is claiming to be them, have been quoted enough. Google ' "black panthers" kill white' and you will find enough youtube videos. Please explain to me how the black panthers are just a stunt. Also, I didn't link anything because there are too many racist comments towards black people and white people and I don't agree with any of the negative feedback like that.

Edit: Not trying to derail the thread, so don't bother explaining how the Black Panthers aren't real and aren't racist. The point is: both parties are shitty. They are both corporate shills. I admit, if I had to pick a better party (lesser of two evils), the Dems are the party at this point.

 

[Narmer]

Powerless maybe but loud enough to sound as if they are speaking for all republicans. We'll see how this plays out. Should be interesting.

and another one...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/14/primary.elections/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

 

[ElFenix]

Keep in mind that one of the ways the Democrats were able to take control of congress in the first place was to run conservative Democrats who had very untraditional Democrat views.

People like Heath Shuler who is pro-gun and pro-life.

The fact is that in MANY parts of the country 'real' Democrats can't get elected anymore so they run DINOs who are about 50/50 Democrat/Republican.

Kind of ironic how the Democrats and Republicans both find success by moving to the right.

if by republican success you mean an unassailable minority position

 

[manimal]

Yes, focus on that and not the whole message about both parties needing to clean up. Black Panthers, or whoever is claiming to be them, have been quoted enough. Google ' "black panthers" kill white' and you will find enough youtube videos. Please explain to me how the black panthers are just a stunt. Also, I didn't link anything because there are too many racist comments towards black people and white people and I don't agree with any of the negative feedback like that.

Edit: Not trying to derail the thread, so don't bother explaining how the Black Panthers aren't real and aren't racist. The point is: both parties are shitty. They are both corporate shills. I admit, if I had to pick a better party (lesser of two evils), the Dems are the party at this point.

The real black panthers existed in the 60s and 70s. They are now a boogie man to scare the ignorant white folks into voting their fear.

Ever heard of the southern strategy? I guess its aimed at you...

 

[OrByte]

Tea baggers aren't taking back the party.

In November it will be very clear the Tea Party ruined any chance of the GOP taking back the Senate.

What you call "taking back the party" the rest of America calls a radical shift to the right, and not in a good way.

Good luck attracting all of those Independent voters for crucial congressional seats.