The GOP in Meltdown

**Jet Gorgon** · 21-07-2009, 06:25 PM

^ Mormon? I think that will count less in time. What will fek him is the MA healthcare prog, which has his name on it, even tho his Dem state leg. totally screwed up the bill.

**slackula** · 21-07-2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^ Mormon?

Oops, yeah sorry, I meant mormon.

**Jet Gorgon** · 21-07-2009, 07:06 PM

^ Forgiven. Altho many would use moron...

**S Landreth** · 22-07-2009, 05:30 AM

538: Let’s role play a moment and pretend you are the Ruy Teixeira of the right, not left, and Michael Steele calls you into his office and says, “Ruy, map us out a path to return to power.” What advice would you give him?

RT: OK, here’s my off the hook advice for Mr. Steele and his beleaguered party.

1. Move to the center on social issues. As noted in my previous answer, the culture wars may have worked for awhile, but shifting demographics make it a loser for the party today and moving forward. A more moderate approach would help with Millennials, where the party must close a yawning gap, and with white college graduates, who still lean Republican but just barely. The party also needs to make a breakthrough with Hispanics and that won’t happen without shifting its image toward social tolerance, especially on immigration.

2. Pay attention to whites with some college and, generally, to young white working class voters. The party’s hold on the white working class is not secure and, if that slips, the party doesn’t have much to build on to form a successful new coalition. And that probably means offering them something more than culture wars nostrums and anti-tax jeremiads.

3. Another demographic target should be white college graduates, especially those with a four year degree only. The party has to stop the bleeding in America’s large metropolitan areas, especially in dynamic, growing suburbs. Keeping and extending GOP support among this demographic, who increasingly see the party as too extreme and out of touch, is key to starting to take back the suburbs.

4. Besides social moderation, one way to reach these and other important demographics is through a judicious use of anti-government populism. Despite general public support for the stimulus package and Obama’s budget, there is considerable disquiet about the effects on these spending measures on the deficit and not much belief, so far, that these measures have had a substantial, positive effect on the economy. In addition, public support for the bailouts of banks and insurers has always been very shaky, with Americans convinced that these firms have gotten too much money and been treated too leniently. So, there is an opening for a populist attack that argues all this—including the impending health and energy bills--is too much money for too little payoff and represents the priorities of elites not the people.

5. This kind of populism is something the party is comfortable with. But here’s something they’re uncomfortable with. It’s not enough to just denounce the other side and what they have done/propose to do in populist terms. The party has to have serious solutions of its own to propose that go beyond cutting taxes to using government to address problems, but in ways that reflect conservative values and principles. It is necessary to go beyond being the Dr. No party. That might help the party make some gains in 2010 but it will not be enough to get it back to a majority status. For that, a conservatism must be built that is not allergic to government spending when needed and even to taxes when there is no responsible alternative. Paradoxically, the party must combine an anti-government populism with a pro-government conservatism.

This sounds and is different from what the party has done in the past. But there is no alternative moving forward. The country has changed and the old playbook just won’t work.

After reading the article it further confirms my thoughts that the republican party will split in time, to a more progressive republican party (as the one described above) and the old republican party who will hold on to their beliefs (the extreme, out of touch Dr. No party).

link: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/07/teixeira-says-culture-war-ending-gop.html

**Jet Gorgon** · 22-07-2009, 08:05 AM

^ College grads lean towards the Reps? Overall, not a bad assessment. But I thought folks call it the "know" party now?

**S Landreth** · 25-07-2009, 12:41 PM

A Republican state senator from Tennessee–who is married and the father of two– has admitted to police that he had sex with a 22 year old intern after her boyfriend allegedly demanded money from the legislator to not make public a video of the legislator and intern having sex.

(snip)

And Stanley has run as a “pro-family” candidate in his campaigns for the Tennessee State Senate.

(snip)

The current Mrs. Stanley, Zachary Roth points out at TPM Muckraker, met her husband while “both were working for Bill First’s U.S. Senate office Memphis.” At the time, the current Mrs. Stanley was working as—you guessed it—an intern.

My second job,…….a porn star

**Butterfly** · 25-07-2009, 01:54 PM

been listening to Chomsky interviews and lectures,

the hypocrisy of American politics know no bounds: freedom, sex, democracy, free markets, family values etc...

they are all against it one way or the other, and yet champion it publicly

**Jet Gorgon** · 25-07-2009, 03:04 PM

I love you libbies. Berlusconi's sex tapes revealed and Italians are more upset about ancient tombs he mentions. Oh, the sex stuff is OK. 55555555555555555

Silvio Berlusconi's latest sex tape shocked Italy yesterday - because of his boasts about archaeology.
The explicit recordings, made by high- class prostitute Patrizia D'Addario, 42, have revealed her praising the 72-year- old prime minister's sexual prowess and heard him boasting about hiring girls for wild parties.
But last night, Italians appeared more concerned with the revelation that Mr Berlusconi failed to report the discovery of 30 Phoenician tombs, from the 3rd century BC, on his Sardinian estate.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1201885/Italians-finally-talking-Berlusconis-sex-tapes-sex-bit-talks-30-ancient-tombs-estate.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0MFwrTdyO

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1201885/Italians-finally-talking-Berlusconis-sex-tapes-sex-bit-talks-30-ancient-tombs-estate.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0MFwL2nUr

**sabang** · 25-07-2009, 04:02 PM

Them eyetalians have got it right. Why are we such a bunch of prudes? I mean, how does someones sexual habits affect how good a politician he or she is?

Unless you're married, and running on a tubthumping Christian 'family values' platform that is.

**slackula** · 25-07-2009, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I love you libbies. Berlusconi's sex tapes revealed and Italians are more upset about ancient tombs he mentions. Oh, the sex stuff is OK. 55555555555555555

Expect to hear a giant WHOOSH sound shortly. Not every country and political philosophy obsesses about sex as much as the current leaders of the US republican party.

Most of the rest of the world are cool about what happens between consenting adults in the privacy of their own home, it is only US repubs who want to poke about and legislate what happens in somebody's private bedroom. Talk about big government.

The massive rift between true American conservatives and the loony republican party currently is laughable.

**Jet Gorgon** · 26-07-2009, 02:20 AM

^ I wonder how many Hail Marys Berlie needs to say for the sex and then for the tombs.

**Humbert** · 26-07-2009, 07:38 AM

Can the conservative members of this forum offer a list of issues that the Republican party stands for? A straw dog of sorts of what a platform might look like. I am a Democrat but my sense is that the Republicans stand for the following:
-Cut taxes
-Let the economic crisis sort itself out through market processes without government interference.
-Make abortion illegal
-Don't tamper with the existing healthcare system
-No more legislation to help the environment
-Agressive foreign policy toward Iran, N. Korea. Strong support of Israel.
-Less regulation of business
-Eliminate affirmative action
-End stem cell research.

Am I wrong or have I missed anything?

**raycarey** · 26-07-2009, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by Humbert

Am I wrong or have I missed anything?

-NO.

not that you've missed anything, but the republicans are the party of "No"

**venturalaw** · 26-07-2009, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Humbert

Can the conservative members of this forum offer a list of issues that the Republican party stands for? A straw dog of sorts of what a platform might look like. I am a Democrat but my sense is that the Republicans stand for the following:
-Cut taxes
-Let the economic crisis sort itself out through market processes without government interference.
-Make abortion illegal
-Don't tamper with the existing healthcare system
-No more legislation to help the environment
-Agressive foreign policy toward Iran, N. Korea. Strong support of Israel.
-Less regulation of business
-Eliminate affirmative action
-End stem cell research.

Am I wrong or have I missed anything?

Let's take one issue. Can you provide any logical reason whatsoever to support affirmative action?

**Jet Gorgon** · 26-07-2009, 08:02 AM

^No.

^^ Your opinion, Hum.
Here's what I want:
Limited government (use our tax dollars to keep us safe, build infrastructure like roads, provide good schools, provide funding for those totally unable to work, provide overseas embassies to promote trade, citizen assistance and good will).
Sound fiscal policies.
An unbiased judiciary based on the country's constitution.
Backing and promotion of business to create a strong economy, making regulatory policies with industry personnel that ensure fair business practises.

Abortion issues have no place in politics. Racial policies do not either.
When the economy is strong, businesses make money, and they dole out alot for charities at home and abroad. Biz want people who work hard and do a great job; quotas on race screw that.

My key points.

**Humbert** · 26-07-2009, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^No.

^^ Your opinion, Hum.
Here's what I want:
Limited government (use our tax dollars to keep us safe, build infrastructure like roads, provide good schools, provide funding for those totally unable to work, provide overseas embassies to promote trade, citizen assistance and good will).
Sound fiscal policies.
An unbiased judiciary based on the country's constitution.
Backing and promotion of business to create a strong economy, making regulatory policies with industry personnel that ensure fair business practises.

Abortion issues have no place in politics. Racial policies do not either.
When the economy is strong, businesses make money, and they dole out alot for charities at home and abroad. Biz want people who work hard and do a great job; quotas on race screw that.

My key points.

Jet, I haven't expressed my opinion on any of these things. I just think that The RC will need to frame their ideas in a way that will apeal to the majority of the electorate. Right now they are splintered and appear obstructionist. If they want to succeed they will have to do a better job communicating rather than alienating. It will be suicide to go after affirmative action no matter how you personnally feel about it because it will alienate a large block of voters.

**Jet Gorgon** · 26-07-2009, 08:53 AM

^ OK. I thought that was your opinion of the GOP.
True, they need to get a unified voice out, but hek, the Dems won't even let them in the HC plan drafting. The Dems are having a bit of a prob with those 52 blue dogs, so the GOP doesn't hold the monopoly on party rifts.

**venturalaw** · 26-07-2009, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^No.

^^ Your opinion, Hum.
Here's what I want:
Limited government (use our tax dollars to keep us safe, build infrastructure like roads, provide good schools, provide funding for those totally unable to work, provide overseas embassies to promote trade, citizen assistance and good will).
Sound fiscal policies.
An unbiased judiciary based on the country's constitution.
Backing and promotion of business to create a strong economy, making regulatory policies with industry personnel that ensure fair business practises.

Abortion issues have no place in politics. Racial policies do not either.
When the economy is strong, businesses make money, and they dole out alot for charities at home and abroad. Biz want people who work hard and do a great job; quotas on race screw that.

My key points.

Regarding those unable to be self-supporting, initially look to the local government - city, county, state - then federal as a last resort. As you said, charities will benefit and therefore be a significant, if not the major supporter of those in need.

**Jet Gorgon** · 26-07-2009, 09:09 AM

^ Ah.
I noticed recently that the Food Bank bins here are only half full at best. I try to buy more stuff. I think I might do a spree at WalMart as a friend says it's much cheaper there. So, more stuff for the same $. I hope that doesn't sound cheap and it's still good food.

**Humbert** · 26-07-2009, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^ OK. I thought that was your opinion of the GOP.
True, they need to get a unified voice out, but hek, the Dems won't even let them in the HC plan drafting. The Dems are having a bit of a prob with those 52 blue dogs, so the GOP doesn't hold the monopoly on party rifts.

True, I would much have these issues addressed by congress in a more bi-partisan way but the whole processed is polarized by politics. This is why people hold congress in such low esteem. Pelosi and Reid are responsible for marginalizing Republican voices - they are doing a lot of harm to themselves and Democrats as a whole.

**S Landreth** · 29-07-2009, 03:48 PM

Due to recent events, I have decided to focus my full attention on my family and resign my Senate seat effective August 10," Republican Sen. Paul Stanley wrote in his resignation letter.

Court records show that Stanley, 47, told agents investigating a blackmail case that he had a sexual relationship with intern McKensie Morrison. Her boyfriend, Joel Watts, is charged with trying to extort $10,000 from Stanley in April in return for explicit photos of Morrison that Stanley had taken....

...Stanley's legislative proposals were largely focused on pro-business issues, but he also sponsored failed measures to ban gay couples from adopting children. He also spoke out against funding for Planned Parenthood because he said unmarried people should not have sex.

"Whatever I stood for and advocated, I still believe to be true," he said during an interview Tuesday with Memphis radio station WREC-AM. "And just because I fell far short of what God's standard was for me and my wife, doesn't mean that that standard is reduced in the least bit."

Another one bites the dust

**Norton** · 05-08-2009, 07:06 PM

Mostly blue and gray. Not a good omen for the GOP. Think they better rethink their platform. This from a Gallup poll. Polls are not something I put much stock in but this has got to be troubling for the GOP.

Political Party Affiliation: 30 States Blue, 4 Red in 2009 So Far

**sabang** · 05-08-2009, 07:27 PM

Blimey, even Texas is leaning +2 Democrat. If the GOP can't rely on Texas, they are well and truly in the Wilderness.

**slackula** · 05-08-2009, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

Blimey, even Texas is leaning +2 Democrat.

Texas should secede, Rick Perry and his ilk should stfu ,get their way, and let the adults of the world run things. "Steers and Queers" indeed, the US would be better off selling it to Mexico.

**raycarey** · 06-08-2009, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Mostly blue and gray. Not a good omen for the GOP. Think they better rethink their platform. This from a Gallup poll. Polls are not something I put much stock in but this has got to be troubling for the GOP.

just look at the majority of "independents" posting on this board.

just a few years ago they openly referred to themselves as republicans, but now they're too ashamed to do so.....and with good reason.

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