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I don't want to say it but I just don't think Mitt is going to win. I will go vote and do my part but I just have a bad feeling about it.
That being said, should the GOP look at a reboot? Most informed people who get their news from anywhere but the daily show equate the GOP with fiscal sanity ideologically but lately we are consistently being equated with fringle politics. Should we moderate on the social issues to get what we want (and what is best for America) on the economic policies? By that I mean move moderate on gay marriage, abortion, and interventionist foreign policy while holding a hard line on decreasing the regulatory burden, making the corporate and marginal income tax rates lower and flatter, and rolling back environmental regulations that put people out of work.
I was politically apathetic for a long time but I've always had a very significant interest in economics. It wasn't until I began to listen to how utterly incorrect the democrats economic proposals were that I decided to follow politics more closely. I am always floored at how little Obama seems to understand about finance and macroeconomics in general. I feel like we could get more people to follow the GOP if we just moderated on the moot issues like gay marriage. These social/domestic policies aren't a net benefit for us...they just alienate would-be voters.
So...do we reboot or hold onto the religious right stuff?
I don't want to say it but I just don't think Mitt is going to win. I will go vote and do my part but I just have a bad feeling about it.
That being said, should the GOP look at a reboot? Most informed people who get their news from anywhere but the daily show equate the GOP with fiscal sanity ideologically but lately we are consistently being equated with fringle politics. Should we moderate on the social issues to get what we want (and what is best for America) on the economic policies? By that I mean move moderate on gay marriage, abortion, and interventionist foreign policy while holding a hard line on decreasing the regulatory burden, making the corporate and marginal income tax rates lower and flatter, and rolling back environmental regulations that put people out of work.
I was politically apathetic for a long time but I've always had a very significant interest in economics. It wasn't until I began to listen to how utterly incorrect the democrats economic proposals were that I decided to follow politics more closely. I am always floored at how little Obama seems to understand about finance and macroeconomics in general. I feel like we could get more people to follow the GOP if we just moderated on the moot issues like gay marriage. These social/domestic policies aren't a net benefit for us...they just alienate would-be voters.
So...do we reboot or hold onto the religious right stuff?
Sitting back, grabbing the popcorn, ready for the ensuing posts!
PS - Yes, I agree. Completely alienate all the social conservatives while continuing to delude yourselves that, after 2008, the public hears "GOP" and instantly thinks "fiscal sanity". Really. I'm begging you. Please do that!
I don't want to say it but I just don't think Mitt is going to win. I will go vote and do my part but I just have a bad feeling about it.
That being said, should the GOP look at a reboot? Most informed people who get their news from anywhere but the daily show equate the GOP with fiscal sanity ideologically but lately we are consistently being equated with fringle politics. Should we moderate on the social issues to get what we want (and what is best for America) on the economic policies? By that I mean move moderate on gay marriage, abortion, and interventionist foreign policy while holding a hard line on decreasing the regulatory burden, making the corporate and marginal income tax rates lower and flatter, and rolling back environmental regulations that put people out of work.
I was politically apathetic for a long time but I've always had a very significant interest in economics. It wasn't until I began to listen to how utterly incorrect the democrats economic proposals were that I decided to follow politics more closely. I am always floored at how little Obama seems to understand about finance and macroeconomics in general. I feel like we could get more people to follow the GOP if we just moderated on the moot issues like gay marriage. These social/domestic policies aren't a net benefit for us...they just alienate would-be voters.
So...do we reboot or hold onto the religious right stuff?
Good question here. You think Santorum and his supporters are going to go "We Told You So!" and push and even more conservative candidate next time?
Who do you think can offset this push that you know will come? Christie? Rubio? Jeb Bush?
Good question here. You think Santorum and his supporters are going to go "We Told You So!" and push and even more conservative candidate next time?
Who do you think can offset this push that you know will come? Christie? Rubio? Jeb Bush?
Scott Brown is a moderate Republican. Like I mentioned in the OP. I didn't care at all about politics until a few years ago and my "political identity" only came from my economics background. Anyone that truly understands economics, finance, and monetary policy will almost have to vote Republian unless they are either dependent on government services, too stupid to wrap their heads around the media's spin, or swayed by a social issue. The latter is where we are losing votes, IMO. Scott Brown has basically said live and let live to gay rights, I'm not sure on his abortion stance, or any others but from what I know about him he seems moderate socially and conservative fiscally.
I think we HAVE to move away from the religious right to stay relevant. I'm an agnostic and I am very conservative but people like Santorum and others esentially discriminate against me by making a ton of religious claims. Fortunately they are in line economically with what needs to be done so I'll vote for them.
But we desperately need to moderate on social issues to stay relevant or we are going to have to keep dealing with this economically illiterate "community organizer" and the rest of his idiotic counter parts indefinitely.
I say keep doing what you guys have been doing, Don't change a thing well maybe show just how extreme you guys can really go, just incase there are some undecided voters that you guys missed
I think the biggest reboot would be to treat your fellow citizens with respect. The whole talk radio culture is about fingerpointing and scapegoating and acting like a bunch of fat, hazing frat boys all the time. Running a country and leading a society requires many decisions, few of which have a hard, fast right or wrong answer. Vilifying anyone with a different view point all damn day long is not good for you mentally and emotionally, and it sure does not endear you to anyone. Hard core partisans on the left do this too, but it seems to be about 80% of the dialogue from the right wing blogosphere.
And, show some intellectual honesty. Trying to blame this recession on Obama (the non-GOP base voters are not buying it), and claiming he has failed to lead a recovery, when at the same time doing everything under the sun to prevent one, are just cheesy as hell. That is cynical and mean spirited. There are some good posters here who actually show an ability to thoughtfully discuss an issue, but they are outweighed ten to one by people who post slanderous trash, copy and paste propaganda, and hurl insults all day, day after day. Hard to want to follow the lead of such folks. They seem like sociopaths.
Last edited by Fiddlehead; 09-24-2012 at 01:13 PM..
If the GOP goes as right as some people would like, they will lose the indis.
Extreme anything is scary.
As for the 2012 elections, I reserve my prediction until the day after the November ballots are cast. It's still way too early to predict who will win this. The polls swing back and forth favoring one over the other.
I think the biggest reboot would be to treat your fellow citizens with respect. The whole talk radio culture is about fingerpointing and scapegoating and acting like a bunch of fat, hazing frat boys all the time. Running a country and leading a society requires many decisions, few of which have a hard, fast right or wrong answer. Vilifying anyone with a different view point all damn day long is not good for you mentally and emotionally, and it sure does not endear you to anyone. Hard core partisans on the left do this too, but it seems to be about 80% of the dialogue from the right wing blogosphere.
And, show some intellectual honesty. Trying to blame this recession on Obama (the non-GOP base voters are not buying it), and claiming he has failed to lead a recovery, when at the same time doing everything under the sun to prevent one, are just cheesy as hell. That is cynical and mean spirited. There are some good posters here who actually show an ability to thoughtfully discuss an issue, but they are outweighed ten to one by people who post slanderous trash, copy and paste propaganda, and hurl insults all day, day after day. Hard to want to follow the lead of such folks. They seem like sociopaths.
So Obama has no responsibilty for the current economy , there is the problem of finger pointing and scapegoating
You/we might be better off to try a third party. The Republican party is too fueled by hate from years of divisive politics to ever be able to reboot itself in the image you envision. When this thing is over the extremists on the right are going to eviscerate the party. It is already beginning. This will send all the moderates that are left to IND land where they will find a bunch of Dems who left their party as well. Did you know that IND is on the cusp of being the largest party registration in your state? If you do decide to come join us in the light, you need to agree that compromise is not a dirty word and that no one is going to get it all their way. You may have a bit of work to do on that: "Anyone that truly understands economics, finance, and monetary policy will almost have to vote Republian unless they are either dependent on government services, too stupid to wrap their heads around the media's spin, or swayed by a social issue.". It sounds like you still have your foot in the quicksand of Republican absolutism.
Last edited by Ponderosa; 09-24-2012 at 01:29 PM..
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