California GOP Caught In Cycle Of Decline

The New York Times:

LOS ANGELES -- This would seem a moment of great opportunity for California Republicans. The state has become a national symbol of fiscal turmoil and dysfunction, the Legislature is nearly as unpopular as Congress and Democrats control every branch of government.

But instead, the state party -- once a symbol of Republican hope and geographical reach and which gave the nation Ronald Reagan (and Richard M. Nixon) -- is caught in a cycle of relentless decline, and appears in danger of shrinking to the rank of a minor party.

Read the whole story at The New York Times

Comments

[Conservative666]

11:38 PM on 07/23/2012

Republicans who are sick of high taxes and mismagenment are leaving the state. And guess what, CA is going down the hill. Surprised?

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

02:04 AM on 07/24/2012

So once again the Republicans make a big mess and leave it to the Democrats to clean it up. Typical.

[Conservative666]

02:06 PM on 07/24/2012

When was the last time the Republicans controlled the California Congress? And if you think employing workers, making money and paying taxes are making a "big mess", then I see the root of your problem.

[mrhandyman3105]

07:25 PM on 07/23/2012

I love San Diego. But it is considered one of the few bastions of republican power in the state. But that's only because of the older retired population here. However there is one bright aspect. The Republican power is declining here too. Their base, which are the older groups are dying off, moving, being replaced by democrat leaning people, and being replaced by their children who do not agree with their parents nor are as inclined to be persuaded by the republican propaganda.
They are more tech savvy, more truthfully informed, and spend most of their time on the internet instead of watching TV or the local news which is republican leaning on all channels. In 2008 for the first time the number of registered democratic voters outnumbered republican voters, however the turnout at the actual polling stations didn't reflect that. I hope this year that the voter turnout and elections will reflect that.

[missmixing]

04:23 AM on 07/25/2012

San Diego voted President Obama in 2008 was the first time they voted for democratic Nominee.

[Micheal Frisbie]

06:52 PM on 07/23/2012

Republican Party in California Is Caught in Cycle of Decline... and if staunch conservatives continue to gain positions of power, then the republican party will continue to decline everywhere.

[Conservative Roy]

07:22 PM on 07/23/2012

I beg to differ. did you read that, " There is not a single Republican holding statewide office. Democrats overwhelmingly control the State Assembly and Senate? " That means that the worst fiscal state in the nation is and has been under Democrat control. Is this what you aspire to? All intelligent people need to do is look at California, see who runs it, and never vote for a democrat again.

[Micheal Frisbie]

07:33 PM on 07/23/2012

sorry roy... but did you not read what i said... i'm not taking up for the democrats in my statement at all... what i am pointing out is that staunch conservatives are running the moderate conservatives out of their own party... they are the ones hurting the republican party, not the democrats.

[Nick Penland]

12:58 AM on 07/24/2012

It's funny that you would appeal to "intelligent" people, seeing as how the conservative Republicans are the one who caused the financial decline in the first place.

Your party screws up, then blame the people who come after and try to clean up a hefty mess you people left, oh yes that sounds real smart and intelligent.

[Micheal Anderson]

06:40 PM on 07/23/2012

“You can only have 11 percent unemployment for so long before the populace gets tired of the people in power,” said Tom Del Beccaro, the Republican Party chairman."

So their main argument is eventually you'll have to vote for us because we're the only other choice. There's a winning strategy.

I'll bet any amount of money that the state party leaderships answer to this will be to nominate even more extreme candidates, to go even further to the right.

[Conservative Roy]

07:23 PM on 07/23/2012

" further to the right ? " The whole state is run by dems., and it's the most bankrupt state in the country.

[Micheal Anderson]

10:18 AM on 07/24/2012

Talking about the Republican party, Holmes. Do try to keep up.

[zelduh]

06:01 PM on 07/23/2012

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we, in California, could get rid of Daryl Issa?

[trumbull desi]

06:34 PM on 07/23/2012

That would be epic.

[zelduh]

05:56 PM on 07/23/2012

“It’s no longer a statewide party,” said Allan Hoffenblum, who worked for 30 years as a Republican consultant in California. “They are down to 30 percent, which makes it impossible to win a statewide election. You just can’t get enough crossover voters.”

“They have alienated large swaths of voters,” he said. “They have become too doctrinaire on the social issues. It’s become a cult.”
---
Republican strongholds, are you listening? You truly have become a "cult."

[Conservative Roy]

07:25 PM on 07/23/2012

The state is the worst in the nation fiscally, and it is run by dems.

[missmixing]

04:25 AM on 07/25/2012

It was destroyed by Repugs

[onePERSONoneVOTE]

05:53 PM on 07/23/2012

when will the rest of the country wake up to the reality of their DISASTROUS policies.

[imusintheevening]

05:07 PM on 07/23/2012

Yes, now that we have gotten rid of the useless Governor Ahnold, we are making progress at ending the gridlock of republican minority tyranny in Sacramento.

[Conservative Roy]

07:33 PM on 07/23/2012

Your " useless Governor " was republican in name only. He was pro gun control, pro abortion, pro gay rights, ...... In other words, he was a democrat.

[imusintheevening]

08:20 PM on 07/23/2012

lmao - not in this state

[missmixing]

04:26 AM on 07/25/2012

Well he sure did a Bush on us.

[JohnCocktosten]

05:06 PM on 07/23/2012

The GOP left conservatism in the rear-view mirror around 1992 and gleefully embraced fasc_ism with a splash of Christian fundamentalism to make it seem "American." The W-Cheney Administration illustrated this ideology perfectly.

Until the national party regains it's senses, they will never be competitive in the diverse, educated states of the northeast and Pacific coast.

[zelduh]

05:57 PM on 07/23/2012

Agreed.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

02:09 AM on 07/24/2012

Well said. Current Republicans have gone around the bend to the funny farm, but no one is laughing.

[senatortruth]

04:40 PM on 07/23/2012

Gray Davis did a GREAT JOB,

and was displaced by Issa and Arnold,

who then settle 40 BILLION in lawsuits

against Enron, etc.

for TWO cents on the dollar...

[janmB]

04:47 PM on 07/23/2012

YA---Arnold in his campaigns said he knew just how to solve all of California's fiscal problems. The reason the gop are ill-equipped to actually govern conservatively is that they are ill-equipped to govern at all.

[zelduh]

05:57 PM on 07/23/2012

Fanned for truth.

[janmB]

06:08 PM on 07/23/2012

The problems of the tech--industry...CA another state under Bush underfunded by the FEDS.....Gray Davis took the fall and then the right wing took advantage and sold the people it was Gray Davis's fault. Arnold was the "savior".

[pgbrooke]

04:36 PM on 07/23/2012

As they say, "As goes California, so goes the nation." This is the fate that awaits the GOP nationally unless the sad party of angry, old, white men immediately moves to change its policies and membership.

[judesuper]

03:55 PM on 07/23/2012

That's good news!

[x2zero]

04:57 PM on 07/23/2012

Yay, a one party state...

[greenieme]

05:11 PM on 07/23/2012

...and most of the red states aren't one-party states? We would prefer two (or more) strong parties for a strong and vibrant democracy, and hope that happens again one day. But the direction chosen by the current GopTea leaves us no choice right now but to reject their extremism.

[bourbanchicken]

05:45 PM on 07/23/2012

It wouldn't be if social conservative values weren't still stuck in the 1800's.

[soma77]

03:50 PM on 07/23/2012

The Republican mantra of "Speak to the hand" does not work. We need people who want to work, compromise and find solutions for the future.

[meglon978]

03:48 PM on 07/23/2012

“They have alienated large swaths of voters,” he said. “They have become too doctrinaire on the social issues. It’s become a cult.”

... in more places than just California.

[zelduh]

05:59 PM on 07/23/2012

In ALL places other than California. This is just my opinion, but the Evan gelical church is cho.king the Republican party.

[twain307]

03:15 PM on 07/23/2012

Like so many things Californian, hopefully this phenomena will find it's way to Arizona before too long.

[judesuper]

03:56 PM on 07/23/2012

From your keyboard to the AZ voters ballots!!