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I keep saying to myself that I'll vote Republican if Dems go nuts in 2010, and if Obama turns out to be a bad president in 2012. Now granted, anything can change (four years ago, did we think the Dems would win this big?) But I don't see that happening right now. I'm actually afraid to vote the GOP back into office. I'm afraid they'll send us bumbling into another war, run it incompetently (a la rumsfeld) spend us to oblivion or God knows what else. It'll take A LOT for me to go back.
1. Get rid of the interventionist neocons. They are a disgrace and a danger to the health of our Republic.
2. Stay pro-life, but get rid of other culture war baggage.
3. Appeal to my brain, not low brow, populist tendencies
4. Get a philosophy, instead of a set of policy positions.
5. Stop listening to talk radio
6. Learn how to balance a freakin' budget like I do!!!!
I grew up Republican, and never dreamed that the day would come when I'd see the Democrats as the party of peace, prosperity, and fiscal responsibility (90s) and the Republicans as the opposite (the 2000s)
If they would stop pandering to the Religious Right - if the churches would come to their senses - all of this inflamed NASCAR-Palin-redneck politics would die down, I believe.
I thought we settled this before. The Republican party without the religious right will win elections like the Democratic party would without blacks. It just doesn't work like that. You may not like folks on that side participating in the nation's political affairs, but, hey, that's how democracy works. Everyone gets a say.
And what's with all the hostility to organized religion Delusianne? We all respect your rights under the Constitution. Why isn't that respect reciprocated by you?
When you say things like "inflamed NASCAR-Palin-redneck politics" you really make yourself look like a bigot. Not providing any sort of supporting evidence for your rants about Palin makes you look desperate and irrational. I'm quite sure Gov. Palin would find something nice to say about you. Why don't you try it just once. Say something nice about Gov. Palin. Give it a whirl.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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The Republican Party, as it is today, will not be a force in national politics unless somehow it changes radically or unless the Democrats have a disaster of some kind. The fact is that the Republicans are largely a party of southern and some midwestern older white people- especially white males. They have managed to alienate about every other group of people in the country including Hispanics who are the fastest growing segment of the population. Remember when Republicans used to be competitve in California before Pete Wilson?
Demographics do not favour the Republicans. That is why they are now losing states like Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. The will be a party mainly in the south in the future.
Sarah Palin is the harbinger of doom for the Republican Party. The longer she is out front, the more moderate Republicans will defect and become moderate Democrats. It's in some ways the same scenario as the button-down neocons having once left the Democratic Party for being unable to either control or abide the shaggy left-wingers. With the inexorable march of demographics also continuing to work against them, it could be a long, dark time that is facing the Republicans. Ignorant Alaskan knee-jerkism isn't going to do much to stem the tide...
The swing voters and young people/first time voters who crossed over will desert in droves because he is reneging on campaign promises right and left. He's on TV right now back-pedaling on spending for his programs.
Would you like to see the list of broken Obama promises to date?
Here's just a few that he's already back-pedaled on.
FISA dead.
Public election finance, reneged.
Special interest money, reneged (unions and lobbyist).
Cuban embargo, reneged.
Marijuana decriminalization, reneged.
Change (a new kind of politics), reneged, recycled the Clinton administration.
Spreading the wealth, reneged, postponing tax increases on wealthiest taxpayers.
He hasn't even taken office and his administration is nothing new. He doesn't have the guts to enact any changes. I could have predicted this. He isn't a leader. He's a follower. Leading requires courage and he lacks that quality. Enjoy the next four years of the same.
I think the question is "Will both parties continue trending towards libertarian or will they both become know nothings?"
I was struck by just how much Obama sounded like a libertarian in his budget speech yesterday. Cutting the budget and doing away with broken spending programs? Eegads, we may have hope. Okay, I know Obama's track record on promises is pitiful, and he may well cut spending in some areas only to blow the budget in others. But he looks to be headed away from tax increases, and the people he's picked to run the economic recovery are center right, defintely supply side economists. As one McCain advisor quipped, "these people are who McCain might have chosen." These are folks Ronald Reagan might have chosen.
The country seems to be going to the center and both parties may have to be dragged kicking and screaming along with it. And smaller government and less spending is another thing they'll have to get used to. Obama can sugar coat it but there is no getting around it. If he's called a traitor to liberal causes, so be it. The alternative is disaster.
OP - The Republican Party is a hierarchical construct with the established wealth dictating policy to the lesser neocons, militarists, religious cultists and rednecks. The big money will always remain in charge of the Republicans even when they do not appear to have very much influence. It is and always has been a rich man's game.
This finally became too obvious for most of the people to ignore so they voted in a Democrat with populist leanings.
The Republican Party, as it is today, will not be a force in national politics unless somehow it changes radically or unless the Democrats have a disaster of some kind. The fact is that the Republicans are largely a party of southern and some midwestern older white people- especially white males. They have managed to alienate about every other group of people in the country including Hispanics who are the fastest growing segment of the population. Remember when Republicans used to be competitve in California before Pete Wilson?
Demographics do not favour the Republicans. That is why they are now losing states like Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. The will be a party mainly in the south in the future.
My thoughts exactly. There have been many citations of Hispanics not voting at all in Texas during the last election. Republicans had sure better change their approach as Texas appears to be developing into a battleground state in 2012. If the Republicans lose Texas, it is completely over for them. And they could not carry even one county with a big city in '08.
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