California Republican Party in decline (San Diego, Sacramento: live, codes, cost)

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by bradleyyo

I agree. That's why Nathan Fletcher left the Republican Party. He felt they are too extreme. I would have no problem voting for a Republican if they all weren't Jan Brewers and Sarah Palins. Democrats are much safer now in my opinion.

Exactly. Before John McCain picked that Moose eating halfwit, he actually appealed to me to some degree. He was once a moderate Republican that seemed genuine and compassionate. He knew he would have been killed on the battle field if he didn't change tactics. Sad really.

[EclecticEars]

Does somebody care to tell me how having a basically one party state is the best thing for the state?

Now, does somebody care to tell me how having a one party-controlled legislature since the 1970s and Democrats/RINOs for governor since the late 1990s has been the best for state politics? And its economic, educational and fiscal health for that matter?

Anybody?

For the record, before someone calls me a "nut," Tennessee is very Republican-controlled and while it is much more business-friendly than much of the U.S., it is going on the crazy train with regard to conservative beliefs on social issues. Google them. The only other Southern states so socially conservative are Alabama and Mississippi (and even Mississippi voters defeated a strict anti-abortion initiative in 2011).

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Anyone that is a die hard partisan voter scares me.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Anyone that is a die hard partisan voter scares me.

You scare easy ...

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Does somebody care to tell me how having a basically one party state is the best thing for the state?

Now, does somebody care to tell me how having a one party-controlled legislature since the 1970s and Democrats/RINOs for governor since the late 1990s has been the best for state politics? And its economic, educational and fiscal health for that matter?

Anybody?

For the record, before someone calls me a "nut," Tennessee is very Republican-controlled and while it is much more business-friendly than much of the U.S., it is going on the crazy train with regard to conservative beliefs on social issues. Google them. The only other Southern states so socially conservative are Alabama and Mississippi (and even Mississippi voters defeated a strict anti-abortion initiative in 2011).

Well it really isn't the best thing. I don't think anyone said it was. One party systems regardless of ideology have never been good for any entity. One thing to consider though, California is still part of a larger national entity yet at times it's spoken about as if it were a separate nation that will have it's own problems that the rest of the nation will somehow sit back and laugh at. Won't happen.

Now having said all that, the state needs variety in it's political system like any other political system to remain healthy. The GOP just isn't the one, they don't represent most Californians anymore so are losing ground. There are other parties out there which may be a better fit to offer some variety to our political system. The greens could rise up which would then make the Dems the more conservative party but that's how this state operates. Except for a few enclaves here and there, we're not a Tea Party state.

[415_s2k]

I think that it's a good thing to have different parties and voices to balance things out and make sure that everyone is fairly represented; because of this, even as a liberal, I am not exactly throwing a party about the notion that the counterpoint is in decline.

That said, since the GOP's new M.O. seems to be obstruction and gridlock with no realistic or reasonable solutions making their way to to the top, I can't say that I view this as an empirically "bad" thing. The Tea Partification of the GOP may have gotten them votes and attention in the short term by appealing to frustration and anger with the most hamfisted, loudmouthed statements and politics they could muster, but in the long term, the validity of their methods and goals shakes out and people don't support it.

[Captain Obvious]

Honestly if either one of the tax proposals pass, the GOP is dead in California. The only thing that the GOP has to offer an average Californian is lower taxes (or more realistically the same taxes). Most of the culture war crap doesn't sell to well (obvious Prop 8 was an exception) in California.


Maybe in the future if California is completely broke, then the voters might elect a Republican governor.

[bradleyyo]

I agree that it is good to have balance in politics.

But when it comes to things like congress, it creates a traffic jam so to speak. Nothing is accomplished because most of them vote party lines.

I consider myself to be pretty liberal but I think balance is a fine thing and we need more of it but right now, the current GOP crop is just not what we need as a state or a country. Every time I hear one of those Tea Party buffoons like Bachmann or Palin speak, I feel like my IQ has dropped and we are back in the 1800's or something.

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Does somebody care to tell me how having a basically one party state is the best thing for the state?

Now, does somebody care to tell me how having a one party-controlled legislature since the 1970s and Democrats/RINOs for governor since the late 1990s has been the best for state politics? And its economic, educational and fiscal health for that matter?

Anybody?

For the record, before someone calls me a "nut," Tennessee is very Republican-controlled and while it is much more business-friendly than much of the U.S., it is going on the crazy train with regard to conservative beliefs on social issues. Google them. The only other Southern states so socially conservative are Alabama and Mississippi (and even Mississippi voters defeated a strict anti-abortion initiative in 2011).

are you calling schwarzenegghead a democrat?

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by bradleyyo

Every time I hear one of those Tea Party buffoons like Bachmann or Palin speak, I feel like my IQ has dropped and we are back in the 1800's or something.

Every time I hear one of those Marxist buffoons like Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, Wasserman-Scultz, et all speak I feel like I am being subjected to excerpts from Das Kapital or the Communist Manifesto and we are back in 1917 Russia.