Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe. I was a conservative until Reagan. After starving to death in my small business when 'trickle down' didn't trickle down, I gave up the Republican party for good.
I am also an Idahoan, and all of us are more conservative here than in other states. If you think the liberal-conservative fights are bad where you live, come up and spend some time here. Liberals in Idaho are like the paratroopers- always outnumbered, always surrounded.
But I am anything but a compassionate conservative. I believe that nothing much is going to get accomplished now in Congress unless there is some tectonic shift in the Great Divide. Unless that happens, I stick with moderation. The 2010 new Repubs shot themselves in the foot big time, but the inchoate rage that's infecting both parties isn't going to calm down unless something drastic happens fast that improves the job situation, and the government isn't very capable of moving fast very often.
The only thing that will break the stalemate is compromise. It is going to take us all a long time to learn how to compromise again, and a strong liberal or conservative policy is not going to help that right now. I believe people want reassurance more than fear, and the most reassuring candidate will win, not the one who creates the most fear. Fear only works when most folks aren't deeply afraid of very much, and we are all fearful of something or other right now.
Make no mistake- I plan to vote for Obama again. Huntsman is a guy I'm familiar with, as I live close to Utah, but he is not my first choice. He is the only Republican I could vote for, but I don't expect he will make it as far as the primaries. I also do not think he would accept being Romney's VP, either. And, as far as that goes, I don't think Romney will be the Repub candidate- people don't hate him or love him enough.
My odds are on the Republicans nominating another loser, and watching the party break up around 2016. What happens after that is anybody's guess.
Please stop claiming to be some sort of moderate. If you are an Obama voter, you are an enabler of radical, far left policies meant to change the United States as we know it. Obama seeks to transform the United States from what it is - a constitutional republic - into a European style welfare and nanny state.
Anyone who understands what Obama's agenda is and still votes for him is not a moderate but an extremist. So please spare us the description of yourself as some sort of middle-of-the-roader. Sounds to me like you are a poor businessman with little acumen or know-how whose enterprise failed during Reagan's presidency, so you've blamed him and conservatives ever since.
I tend to think Huntsman is the only reasonable Republican in the race, but I also think he has no chance. From the polls I have seen the "Tea party" makes up about 18-20% of the population while being reviled by another 35-40%. Another thing about the "Tea Party" is that self described members tend to be partisan Republicans, including many neo-cons, and Christian conservatives, and they make up about 58% of potential Republican primary voters so I doubt that anyone, except for a candidate who is extreme version of president Bush, could win a Republican primary.
A note for clarity: The words "Tea Party" are in quotes, because I am using it in terms of people who self identify as "Tea Party". I understand that some people view the Tea Party as being a pro-libertarian conservative group that strongly backs Ron Paul, but most people who self identify as "Tea Party" do not identify themselves as Paul supporters and many are closer to Christian right/Neo-con in their ideology then they are to libertarianism.
lower taxes, respect for tradtion and the Constitution are right wing platforms. Change, class envy, group think, general welfare, anti-christian are left wing positions.
lower taxes, respect for tradtion and the Constitution are right wing platforms. Change, class envy, group think, general welfare, anti-christian are left wing positions.
That is a wonderful talking point, but what does it have to do with my post? Do you think the GOP will nominate someone who is not a double down on Bush and if so which substantive policy positions will they take that will differ from Bush?
That is a wonderful talking point, but what does it have to do with my post? Do you think the GOP will nominate someone who is not a double down on Bush and if so which substantive policy positions will they make that will differ from Bush?
The "double-down on Bush" was Obama. He took Bush's policies of endless war, endless bailouts, and endless unsustainable debt, and took them to the nth degree.
He even continued Bush's policies on terrorism and human rights. So either you are a big Bush fan or just another partisan hack carrying water for Oblama because you like rooting for the (D) team.
The "double-down on Bush" was Obama. He took Bush's policies of endless war, endless bailouts, and endless unsustainable debt, and took them to the nth degree.
He even continued Bush's policies on terrorism and human rights. So either you are a big Bush fan or just another partisan hack carrying water for Oblama because you like rooting for the (D) team.
Obama differs from Bush on numerous policies. Health care, judicial appointments, warrentless searches, torture, and escalation in Iraq. Not to mention regulatory policy, the environment and taxation. Furthermore I don't think you can really compare Obama's foreign policy to Bush's largely due to the draw down in Iraq and the proposed withdrawal from Afganistan. There is Libya, but that is a throwback to the Clinton era foreign policy of involving NATO and air campaigns w/o any substantial ground troops that were employed in Bosnia as opposed to nation building with ground troops that Bush attempted to pursue in Iraq. Furthermore Libya is pretty much over now that the NTC is in firm control of Tripoli. Once more, while agreeing to temporarly extend the Bush tax cuts Obama insisted on a sunset provision and that was mainly to get Republicans on board with unemployment extentions so I don't think it can be argued that Obama is for Bush's tax policies in regards to high end earners.
As I said a republican would likely reverse these policies and I do not see any policy possitions that Republicans are presenting that are different from those of the Bush era. Sure they are clammoring about cutting spending now, but when they get back in they will want to spend on their pet projects just like they did before.
Obama differs from Bush on numerous policies. Health care, judicial appointments, warrentless searches, torture, and escalation in Iraq. Not to mention regulatory policy, the environment and taxation. Furthermore I don't think you can really compare Obama's foreign policy to Bush's largely due to the draw down in Iraq and the proposed withdrawal from Afganistan. There is Libya, but that is a throwback to the Clinton era foreign policy of involving NATO and air campaigns that were employed in Bosnia as opposed to nation building with ground troops that Bush attempted to pursue in Iraq. Once more, while agreeing to temporarly extend the Bush tax cuts Obama insisted on a sunset provision.
As I said a republican would likely reverse these policies and I do not see any policy possitions that Republicans are presenting that are different from those of the Bush era. Sure they are clammoring about cutting spending now, but when they get back in they will want to spend on their pet projects just like they did before.
GITMO is still open. All wars and Libya are still going. What is this big difference in tax policy you're talking about? Oblama extended the Bush tax cuts.
And how is Oblama's massive entitlement program (Obamacare) a huge departure from Bush's massive entitlement program (Medicare Part D). Obama=Bush, except Bush had leadership skills while Oblama has none.
GITMO is still open. All wars and Libya are still going. What is this big difference in tax policy you're talking about? Oblama extended the Bush tax cuts.
And how is Oblama's massive entitlement program (Obamacare) a huge departure from Bush's massive entitlement program (Medicare Part D). Obama=Bush, except Bush had leadership skills while Oblama has none.
Iraq is no where near where it was in 2008 and Afghanistan will likely be drawn down as well by 2014. The vast majority of US troops are gone from Iraq so I don't think you can call that a continuation of Bush's policies since McCain and Bush opposed such withdrawals. As to Libya there were no ground troops and as a result of the NTC's victory I would expect the NATO campaign to end shortly. Furthermore Libya is far more an extention of Clinton policy then Bush policy. Once more as I said Obama was opposed to the Bush tax cuts as they applied to high income earners and only allowed them through to get unemployment extentions. Finally there are the about 5-7 other substantive policy issues I mentioned that you did not bother to address.
As to Medicare part D it was massively scaled back by Obama's health care plan, to the tune of hundred's of billions of dollars, That is part of why Obama's health care plan was deficit neutral. If anything Obama pulled a full reversal of Bush's possition on that.
I predict that as the younger generations come through the ranks with less and less racism and more awareness of the world around them, soon the high powered neo-con Republicans will be no more.... and since there isn't anything else anymore it will be bye-bye Republican party.
That's when democracy dies. These people will not go quietly into the night, everyone should know that. They are building a coalition that will give them the appearance of a "popular voice" of the people, one which will be amplified by the corporate owned mainstream media.
That coalition is the Tea Party.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
