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In a recent article in "Politico", Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin outline how, and why the GOP base is "rebelling". It turns out that the "base" is actually those people who think that Obama is a "Socialist" that he's nationalizing our core industries, that he's going to force us to enter into gay marriages and that Rs might have won last November is only they had played the Jeremiah Wright card.
In other words, the shrinking party can't wait to shrink some more. They are saying, "let's abandon upper-middle class, educated, voters. The "live and let live" middle class that the Republicans from Ike to Reagan counted on to help them win, and hold power.
Two of the remaining moderate Republican Senators, McCain and Specter are getting primary challenges this time out. Pat Toomey a "base" PA Republican (I guess "base" in PA means you subscribe to the Rick Santorum school of thought) is coming after Specter, and Chris Simcox a "Minuteman" founder is going to challenge McCain.
Even Ralph Reed, gleeful champion of all things that are good for Ralph Reed, is happy with this development. He recently said with a big chuckle that; "A presidential candidate's arrival in an Iowa or South Carolina offers what I like to refer to as ‘a dramatically clarifying experience.’”
I'm not sure what he means by that but I can guess that it has to do with the earth being flat and no tinfoil on grocery shelves. To which Dems everywhere can only reply "YIPPEE"!
I agree completely, but I take comfort in knowing that pendulum swings don't happen overnight. Policy has favored the supply side for three decades; institutional change that would benefit the middle class will take years to implement. Whether government actually intends to shift the balance is another question.
In a recent article in "Politico", Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin outline how, .... In other words, the shrinking party can't wait to shrink some more. They are saying, "let's abandon upper-middle class, educated, voters. The "live and let live" middle class that the Republicans from Ike to Reagan counted on to help them win, and hold power. ... golfgod
To which I might add that Richard Nixon also counted on this middle class, though he referred to it as "The Silent Majority." He got elected, and re-elected by the middle class, during a time of huge Democratic majorities.
The more the GOP clings to the evango-fascist wingnut base, the less they will matter, giving Dems an easy ride to power. The danger for the Dems is if they let it go to their heads, like Tom Delay did with his talk of "a permanent republican majority" which last only a few years; similar to Hitler's "thousand year reich" which only lasted about 13 years.
The GOP must rid itself of religion or it will become "a permanent republican minority" and after Bush, that sounds good to me.
I agree completely, but I take comfort in knowing that pendulum swings don't happen overnight. Policy has favored the supply side for three decades; institutional change that would benefit the middle class will take years to implement. Whether government actually intends to shift the balance is another question.
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Problem is since we've become a plutocracy, our presidential choices have either the corporation's guy, or the corporation's other guy.
To which I might add that Richard Nixon also counted on this middle class, though he referred to it as "The Silent Majority." He got elected, and re-elected by the middle class, during a time of huge Democratic majorities.
Yes, and arguably Nixon was the first to actually motivate the middle class to be more active in politics and vote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike from back east
The GOP must rid itself of religion or it will become "a permanent republican minority" and after Bush, that sounds good to me.
The GOP has always been a minority. In 2000 there were over 15 million more registered Democrats than Republicans. In 2004 that number increased to a gap of 17 million. In reality, Republicans have been a minority party since the 1920's. Generally, the Democrats get whipped due to the incompetence of their candidates.
Despite being a minority, Republicans usually win in landslides (Ike, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr.)..
Problem is since we've become a plutocracy, our presidential choices have either the corporation's guy, or the corporation's other guy.
My opinion.
The US has always been a plutocracy, this is a truth--a hard truth--the masses have to accept if we truly want to develop a "government by the people for the people."
The Democrats and the Republicans have failed us miserably so why not look outside of our one party--oops, I mean "two party"--system?
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