G.O.P. R.I.P.?
Tonight the GOP finds itself facing the tar pit of irrevelency. After eight years of Rove, Cheney and Bush bringing the standard of American politics to a new low, Republicans are confronted with the possibility of spending the next eight being crushed by a Democratic majority in Congress and an overwhelmingly popular Democratic president. They way I see it, the GOP has two paths it can take. One leads to a sustainable future, the other will land them somewhere between Neve Cambell's career and stacks of left over "Cool Runnings" VHS tapes.
Rovian politics have doomed the GOP. While the man might be playing nice as a pundit and contributor, his way of business has been adapted by the whole of the Republican party, and the GOP is suffering for it now. Spreading lies that John McCain was the father of a black illegitimate baby might have won George W. Bush the 2000 primaries, but Rove's strategy of zero-sum arguments and fear mongering just plain don't work any more. The electorate has wisened up to his wascally ways. It might have taken us eight years to figure it out, but hopefully the lessons will stick. Observe the dismal performance of supposed inheritor to Rove's throne, Steve Schmidt. His big idea was adding Palin to the ticket. Smooth move, Schmidt!
Because after the Bush presidency, what we all wanted was a folksy, good looking, compassionate conservative who's main experience was being governor of one of the largest states in the union. Er, wait a second... Haven't we had enough of nepotism, willful golly-gee-shucks ignorance, and a foreign policy that bares startling resemblance to the Children's Crusade? What about another eight years of hearing it pronounced "Nuke-you-lar"?
Hearing its own death rattle, McCain Staff reached out for the bluntest weapon handy: Rove's tactics. Yet nothing seemed to stick. Obama is a Muslim! No wait, Obama is a Christian with a crazy Black preacher! Obama is a socialist who wants to take all your money! No wait, Obama is a wealthy Elitist! Obama is a terrorist! Finally they settled for "Obama is really really famous!" to which America grinned and said, "I know! Isn't it exciting! I've never cared about politics before!"
Each time they trotted out a new attack, McCain's image of a decent man running for a hallowed office faded a little more. Today, the Senator looks like the guy who doesn't understand how he lost - and to that one.
By going for Rove's GOP big guns, McCain wasted his last election by desperately reaching out to the most hardcore of the base: anti-gay rights, anti-environmental legislation, anti-black people vote. The campaign became about being against things and in a time that's so depressing it's hard enough to get out of bed as it is, people were turned off. Just like their heat and water!
Rather than continuing to purify itself into its darkest, most cynical, most nihilistic self, the GOP must re-learn to be for things. It has to shuck off the Bush years and clean house. You've heard of de-Batthification? The GOP has to de-Bush. No wax involved.
Social issues like immigration, gay rights and abortion continue to mire the GOP in personal issues that might comfort base voters, but leave the party behind as society moves forward. Politicians who hung on to segregation became obsolete as civil rights legislation went into effect, and whether or not the United Reformed Church Of Hating Fags wants to admit it, gay rights will become this generations great fight for living in a free, humane society. The GOP must be on the side of progress, otherwise...
Rather than catering to a base of voters who cannot get their candidates elected, the GOP must focus on their hallmark issues: conservative economic and foreign policy. Ironically, these are the two areas that used to make up the foundation of McCain's platform. With the choices of Schmidt and Palin, McCain bamboozled himself out of winning the election on his experience in these fields -- the only leg up on the competition he may have had.
The Bush years have seriously impaired the GOP's brand. If it wants to survive, the grand ol' party must go back to the drawing board. I hope it does. Give me something good to fight against. Just this time, keep out the cynics.
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It is now the Democrats turn to govern.The
As I watched this election, and talked to many voters young and old,I have come to these conclusion
The division that I have seen, is between the young and hopeful, and the more experience been here before, we simply do not believe that all these great things will happen. We have had 30 years to do something about the energy crisis, remember the oil embargo? Health care is nice in theory, but never forget the AMA, who do you think shot down Hilary's plan.
I am ,and always have been a registered Independant, who at one time in history was going to change our country for the better, our battle cries where the same as the youth today. In reality, look what we have done.
I guess you missed the Clinton years?
Carter was 100% right about getting America off Oil
Rove sure took a hit but he's not the whole problem in terms of political manipulation. There are too many right wing media hate mongers, making way too much money for us to expect them to change their ways. The Hannity's, Limbaugh's, O'Reilly's and their wannabees will continue to dish out their ideological crack and will narcotize about 25% of Americans into a blind obstructionist frenzy. This group will continue to march as one, waiting for the next Pied Piper of the right to give them direction.
That observation is so true.
Republicans probably couldn't have done anything to avoid losing the presidency but they certainly could have done plenty to prevent the dire situation they find themselves in. They could have realized how incompetent and deceptive Bush and Cheney were and rejected them in 2004, if not 2000. We saw plenty of Repubs vote for Obama this year; nothing prevented them from "doing the right thing" in past elections. They simply lacked the judgment to realize until it was too late (after nov 2004) that Bush was a disaster. Dems recognized Carter's weaknesses in 1980. I suppose Repubs recognized GHW Bush's weaknesses in 1992. Somehow, though, they missed the biggest disaster of them all, Bush and Co. Maybe they will wise up now and not be such chumps when they are fed bogus right-wing propaganda.
Great a one party system, a party that wants a bigger government. I have no faith in government because of my personal situation, FEMA has forced my rural county to except flood insurance witch I do not need or want. I all ready have flood insurance The county did the survey on the cheap because it could not afford the millions it would cost for a on the ground survey so now my property value has dropped but the county won't lower my taxes. I am having to take time off work to plead my case to the county, FEMA, the state, pay thousands of dollars for a new survey witch may not be accepted. Nothing will change the government makes and changes the rules and will run over or ignore the individuals rights
Incompetent government is not the same as big government. Bush 43 proved that government of any size will fail you when it's run by uncaring idiots.
A competent government, big or small, would not have botched the response to Hurricane Katrina, would not have left so many to fend for themselves and would have helped fund the recovery effort instead of making already hard-pressed local authorities foot the bill. In fact, "big" government would have been LESS likely to leave you swinging in the breeze.
You don't know you talking about, the bigger the the government is the more hoops you have to jump through the pass you around from one agency to the next, the bureaucracy is set up to wear you down to defeat you so won't pursue your grievance, I am speaking from experience the government only cares when their buts are on the line, then they react and the results are worst then the problem.
GOP needs a strong leader. One on the younger side. Conservatism is timeless, but it must have a face that people respond to.
Conservatism is NOT timeless - it is a delusion that somehow things were better in the past, and that the future must be forced into resembling a bygone day that was never the way it is presented in the first place. It's like praising the antebellum South without acknowledging that those wonderful old plantation houses were built with slave labor. It's like praising America without acknowledging that the land was stolen from native Americans who were then decimated and banished to the worst lands white men didn't want. It's like holding up the ideals of the Founding Fathers, but only allowing one class of citizens to enjoy those ideals. Conservatism has failed, and will continue to fail, because it is not based on truth, it is not based on the collective good of all, and it is not PROGRESSIVE by design. If the GOP is dedicated to repackaging and selling the lie called conservatism, good luck.
Really? So nothing you do day in or day out is based on tradition or the way things worked in the past? Do you celebrate birthdays, save money, follow the political bent or religion of your parents, engage in capitalism? People and societies are naturally conservative; they wouldn't survive if they were not. Liberalsm is a necessary ingredient for progress but it isn't an end until itself.
Make no mistake; the Republican Party got into trouble because it got away from its conservative roots, not because it was too conservative.
conservatism has nothing to do with past or present.
it simply is: to save.
save the constitution
save the liberty
save the justice
save the money
save the lives
that the neocons highjacked the party doesn't mean we've suffered from conservatism.
we'll see if the democrats have highjacked progressiveness.
I recommend you read the following:
http://blo
"Why I Am Not a Conservative", by F A Hayek.
Yes, that Hayek, the one Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan idolized.
For those who dislike reading, the upshot is: because Conservatives cannot make policy that deals with the world of change, due to their ideal of timelessness, they therefore cannot govern effectively.
The G.O.P isn't done yet. They couldn't help reelect Bachmann & Stevens. They did manage to reject Dole in N.C. at least. I predicted they would vote for the lying criminal Stevens; Palin showed us what Alaskan repubs were capable of . . .
SMART is in again..."s
Because of the lightning fast information gathering we have now like the internet, youtube and bi-partisan political fact checking sites. We no longer rely on msm or the print media's human editorial staff swaying the message. McCain was the perfect candidate to put all of these outlets in play. This man is a classic jellyfish. Changing his position depending on who has his ear last or whatever fit his agenda.
Republicans need to lose the hateful religious right.
I agree, although I think religion needs to stay out of politics on all levels.
Does anyone else regret what McCain became over the course of this campaign? Had he joined Kerry in 04 McCain would have been my hero-for-life.
We are what we do. Every day we remake ourselves with our deeds. This is the enduring lesson of the McCain campaign.
I went over to The Fox Forum blog to see how the other half - er, 47% - lives. I had to take a shower after I left. Those people are scary, angry, hate- filled, ignorant. I won't go back.
There's plenty of that here. No one holds a monopoly on it. But I come back here.
We all know what Republicans are against, what do they stand for? It is hard to say except for aggressive foreign policies while cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans. They have lacked ideas for awhile and have shown they can not govern. Yet they have continued to win elections through divisive, bitter tactics and voter suppression. America has cast aside this approach. Republicans must prove that a party that hates government can govern effectively and with vision. But not for now- it is the Democrats and Obama's turn. Thank God!
As we all know Republicans will not accept this loss graciously and they will not learn from the trouncing the American people layed upon them. They will find excuses, many, many excuses for the Obama Presidency and none of those excuses will be about their own incompetance and failures. We will continue to live with a Republican party that is mean spirited, negative and about not accepting change or the facts that surround them, They will not join average Americans supporting Obama and the possibilities he brings to the highest office of the land. They will huff and they will puff and the whining will be intense, they will use every trick in their book and invent a few new ways to stymie progress, growth and the change we the people voted for. America has already changed but for some reality never was important.
Congatulations to us, rock on President Obama!!
Jfor: I have already written my Democratic friends today to offer congratulations. Weeks ago, I told them that whichever candidate was elected would be my President, and I offered a bargain to them: We would agree to respect and support our new President, pray for the best for our country, and cease allowing our arguments to begin or end with personal attacks. President-Elect Obama was brilliant in his speech last night, and if you listened, I'm sure you heard him say that he would work to earn the support of those like me, who did not vote for him. I respect that, and I plan to give him every chance to do that. Nothing would please me more than to see him become a great President, and in many ways I am proud to be an American today because of his election. The sharp division in our country has troubled me for years, and I really hope he has a vision that bridges that gap. You can help do that by putting the past in the past, and by attacking everyone who opposes your position. Let's look forward, and seek what makes us alike, not harp on what made us different in the past.
We will see.
I think a bigger problem that no-one seems to be talking about - While McCain was on the stiff end of a thumping on the electoral vote, the popular vote was split pretty evenly: Almost half of all Americans who voted(Which, oddly enough was about half of all the Americans that COULD vote), voted for McCain. The reasons are only speculation for now - maybe racism, maybe blind GOP party faith, maybe hick crushes on Palin, or maybe the attack ads worked for some.
The future is probably likely to lead to more of Palin, especially if she takes Alaska Senator Stevens' seat when/if he steps aside. And with the popular vote McCain had, who's to say that base might not be built on by a real threat, like Newt Gingrich - a man who seems to have spent his time out of office as the anti-Al Gore: Rather than step back from politics for good, Gingrich is increasingly spoken of as the great white shark, waiting for his own perfect storm to run.
You bring up a good point which refutes the author's "overwhelmingly popular Democratic president" rosy scenario. But your assumption that the reason for the still-divided house as something fatally flawed in conservatives is a bit condescending. How 'bout the fact that there are still plenty of reservations about Obama because of his youth, inexperience and relatively unknown background? Let us not forget that he barely won the Dem nomination.
But I agree that the future is in Palin and others like her. The failure of Republicans this cycle was a refuting of the right of nonconservative policies as much as it was a rejection of Republicans by the left. The Republicans, like the Democrats before them, will learn from their mistakes and return to their roots.
"Relatively unknown background"? Really? I thought his entire past had been drawn out into the press, especially after the rather baseless "associations" that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin tried to paint him with. As for his youth, he's a similar age to what Bill Clinton was when he was sworn in, and JFK was even younger, so I don't know what your point is.
And the point you raise about inexperience seems to be in part your own undoing - Obama's time as a Senator is comparable to that of Sarah Palin, the Governor of a state with a tiny population of 684,000, with the legislature sitting in Alaska for a paltry four months. More than that, I don't know of anything controversial that Senator Obama, now President-Elect, was affiliated with in his tenure in any office or as a community organiser, whereas Sarah Palin was one of the "brains" behind the bridge to nowhere and has willfully abused her governmental allowances to pay for trips she never took.
I hope I don't come across as too glib as I did with Rhetticent above, I enjoy the discourse, and if you can link some things that Barack Obama was affiliated with in his career, then I appreciate it and we can progress this.
None of the reasons you listed fit myself or people I know who voted against Obama yesterday. Hick crushes on Palin? Come on, people, can you not admit that there are valid philosophical points that give rise to the vote against your candidate? I favor the smallest possible and least intrusive government. My vote goes to the candidate that I believe will further those goals. Had President Elect Obama been a conservative, I would have gladly worked for his election. But I accept that he is myPresident today, and I will support him as such. I've admired him since the 2004 convention. It's my fervent hope that he will bind the divisions in this country. You can help him, by keeping an open mind to viewpoints that are different than yours, and by not ascribing opposition to absurd and hurtful motives.
I do apologise if you felt I was too effusive by saying "Hick crushes", perhaps I was being a bit too glib. To be honest I never understand why so many people look for "small government", because government needs to be big in a nation like America, simply in order to govern the federal projects, maintenance and responsibilities that America has. I don't know how small the government is that you would like, so I can't really come back on specifics of your ideas.
On the subject of my predisposition of finding absurd and hurtful motives to supporters of McCain/Palin and the Republican ticket, I said what I said partly because I was thinking out loud - I don't know why so many people did vote for McCain when he was so pro-war, his tax policies meant no benefit to anyone other than the rich and super-rich(And even then, corporations have a habit of doing better under Dems), and yes, he was so close to Bush, who represents a colossal failure of government, regardless of party.
"the GOP has two paths it can take. One leads to a sustainable future, the other will land them somewhere between Neve Cambell's career and stacks of left over "Cool Runnings" VHS tapes."
That's pretty funny.
And a little too flippant.
Given the economic conditions and the utterly incompetent campaign methodology of his handlers, this election should have seen McCain get beat by 10-20 points and the GOP should have lost at least 30 seats in the House. As I write this, it has forfeited a mere dozen and they have ceded only five Senate seats (with one more, Gordon Smith's, also likely to disappear, but it is still close right now). But that didn't happen.
If the Democrats don't want to see the Republican Party retool and then come back and blow them out of the water an election cycle or two down the road, I would suggest worrying less about the opposition and concentrating more on better communication with southern white working class voters. For some reason, we have not yet crafted a message that they can empathize with. This has to change. This would be the key to making the GOP irrelevant. But you have to actually have some respect for those folks before they will listen to your message.
Beat McCain by 10-20 points? The electorate is not that far gone, this is still a country of a split electorate. Make no mistake about it, McCain and the GOP got trounced, by a relatively new and unknown politician, that was able to run on a galvanizing message of change, that was made all the more powerful by utter contempt for an 8 year administration of incompetence. The fact that the GOP has only lost a dozen house seats, and ceded only five Senate seats, is like saying I got into a car accident, but the car wasn't a write off.
It is the GOP that needs to retool their message, and move past the Southern Strategy of the "Silent Majority", this is a changing electorate, one where minorities and young people, are rejecting divisiveness and seperation, and gravitating to inclusiveness and hope. The GOP must craft a new 21st century message that resonates with minorities, and reject the polarizing tactics off old. Fear and xenophobia did not win today!
There is one issue left for the Republicans -- its is the abortion issue ...
the Dems have clearly become the fiscal adults .. the National Security debate is clearly close to being a Dem strength going forward (at least from a factual/narrative stand point) ...
For the democratic majority to last .. that is the issue dems must determine how to wrestle with ... if we can deal with that issue, the repubs will be in the wilderness and it will likely be Libertarians vs. Democrats ...
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