Republican Party seems as divided, angry as ever

[Divine_Wind]

No doubt there are problems as the GOP continues to find its way, but I think this article overstates its case. If the GOP expects to excel in the 2014 mid-term elections and retake the White House in 2020, they need to regroup and find a common cause.

The Republican Party seems as divided and angry as ever.

Infighting has penetrated the highest levels of the House GOP leadership. Long-standing geographic tensions have increased, pitting endangered Northeastern Republicans against their colleagues from other parts of the country. Enraged tea party leaders are threatening to knock off dozens of Republicans who supported a measure that raised taxes on the nation's highest earners.

"People are mad as hell. I'm right there with them," Amy Kremer, chairman of the Tea Party Express, said late last week, declaring that she has "no confidence" in the party her members typically support. Her remarks came after GOP lawmakers agreed to higher taxes but no broad spending cuts as part of a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff."

 

[ThePlayDrive]

I'm kind of interested to see where the GOP ends up in 2014. It's clearly being torn between those who want it to be more moderate and those who want to be more extreme, so it's pretty unclear, to me at least, which way the party leaders will take it. It's funny because after the election, I saw two main responses to Romney's loss from those who voted for him. The first: "This election shows that we need to get more like the Tea Party." The second: "This election shows that we need to get rid of the Tea Party elements." It's amazing to me how GOP voters could come to two completely contradictory conclusions and that signals a real problem for the party leaders because I'm not sure that it can afford to lose either group.

In addition to that particular internal conflict, there is also an internal conflict over how to present the conservative point of view. The election was filled with insults against women, minorities, the poor and other groups. Such insults clearly worked against the GOP when it came to votes. Now, several months after the election, I see a lot of the same insults coming from the GOP constituency and a lot of the same insensitivity coming from party leaders. In other words, a lot of GOP voters/potential voters are still using insulting language and behavior against the people whose votes they need. However, there are also some GOP leaders who have specifically denounced such language and behavior.

In short, there are at least two huge conflicts within the COP: the conflict over where to take policy and the conflict over how to present their point of view. As far as I can tell, there are two main sides in these conflicts: those who favor a more tempered GOP and those who favor a more insolent GOP. I wonder who will win.

 

[Slartibartfast]

I doubt any side will win in the short term. This conflict is going to go on for several more years I think. In both cases, neither side seems able to understand evidence that is contradictory to their world view.

 

[samsmart]

I doubt any side will win in the short term. This conflict is going to go on for several more years I think. In both cases, neither side seems able to understand evidence that is contradictory to their world view.

Given our plurality voting method, the only side that will benefit from a split in the GOP is the Democrats.

 

[Juiposa]

Maybe we can see some effective multiparty politics. I find it absurd that moderate conservatives, true fiscal conservatives, all the way to disillusioned fundie dirt bags are forced under the same GOP banner. Same goes for the Democrats, pseudo liberal nuts all the way to the moderately liberal.

I hope the GOP doesn't continue in its current form, I'd like to see it splinter into different parties that better represent the ideals of its supporters. And again, same goes for the democrats.

 

[samsmart]

No doubt there are problems as the GOP continues to find its way, but I think this article overstates its case. If the GOP expects to excel in the 2014 mid-term elections and retake the White House in 2020, they need to regroup and find a common cause.

More likely what will happen is that the GOP will remain strong in the House because of gerrymandering of congressional districts. So the regional conflicts of the moderate GOP in the Northeast and the Tea Party Republicans elsewhere will continue.

If this split continues, a victory in the Presidential election by the GOP won't happen, as the GOP candidate will not be able to bring both moderates and tea partiers into his camp.

 

[samsmart]

Maybe we can see some effective multiparty politics. I find it absurd that moderate conservatives, true fiscal conservatives, all the way to disillusioned fundie dirt bags are forced under the same GOP banner. Same goes for the Democrats, pseudo liberal nuts all the way to the moderately liberal.

I hope the GOP doesn't continue in its current form, I'd like to see it splinter into different parties that better represent the ideals of its supporters. And again, same goes for the democrats.

The U.S. will never have multiparty politics as long as plurality voting is the method we use in elections.

Duverger's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[X Factor]

I remember the GOP was supposedly done for after the 2008 election, then came 2010. I also recall the Dems turning on their own after Scott Brown won. There is nothing new here. I understand why some hopes this signals the death of the GOP, but I wouldn't rent the hearse just yet.

 

[j-mac]

No doubt there are problems as the GOP continues to find its way, but I think this article overstates its case. If the GOP expects to excel in the 2014 mid-term elections and retake the White House in 2020, they need to regroup and find a common cause.

The AP article here is but one example of "op-ed journalism".... This shouldn't be carried in Breaking news, but in Opinions....But beyond that, The GOP needs to get back to basics, and move away from the practices of being more like democrats, and instead start moving on principle again.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

I remember the GOP was supposedly done for after the 2008 election, then came 2010. I also recall the Dems turning on their own after Scott Brown won. There is nothing new here. I understand why some hopes this signals the death of the GOP, but I wouldn't rent the hearse just yet.

Besides myself, I know of numerous other conservatives that are abandoning the GOP because they have no interest in being associated with the idiots demanding that their presidential candidate show skepticism towards evolution.

 

[j-mac]

Besides myself, I know of numerous other conservatives that are abandoning the GOP because they have no interest in being associated with the idiots demanding that their presidential candidate show skepticism towards evolution.

Well, that would be foolish, and IMHO allowing the progressive machine determine the course of the GOP. So IOW, if some damned fool is dumb enough to abandon the GOP because some liberal makes them ponder a false choice when there are immediate problems to deal with shouldn't be there to begin with.

 

[X Factor]

Besides myself, I know numerous conservatives that are abandoning the GOP because they have no interest in being associated with idiots demanding that their presidential candidate show skepticism towards evolution.

Oh, say no more. I was wrong. You leaving the GOP means the GOP is certainly done for.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

The U.S. will never have multiparty politics as long as plurality voting is the method we use in elections.

Duverger's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canada and the UK have the same general system (person with the most votes wins) and yet we have many different parties

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Well, that would be foolish

Sorry, Mate, I don't allow my views and vote to be controlled via fear tactics and extortion. If all the GOP got is "vote for us or the Democrats will win, then they have done nothing to earn my interest or vote

and IMHO allowing the progressive machine determine the course of the GOP. So IOW, if some damned fool is dumb enough to abandon the GOP because some liberal makes them ponder a false choice when there are immediate problems to deal with shouldn't be there to begin with.

I'll vote third party, mate, and sleep well knowing that my vote won't be going to support some religious fundie that can't even manage a basic understanding of science

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Oh, say no more. I was wrong. You leaving the GOP means the GOP is certainly done for.

Are you intentionally misreading what I wrote? If so, it might help not to directly quote me in the future

"Besides myself, ***I know numerous conservatives*** that are abandoning the GOP"

 

[j-mac]

Sorry, Mate, I don't allow my views and vote to be controlled via fear tactics and extortion. If all the GOP got is "vote for us or the Democrats will win, then they have done nothing to earn my interest or vote




I'll vote third party, mate, and sleep well knowing that my vote won't be going to support some religious fundie that can't even manage a basic understanding of science

Ok...Good for you....The country/world can go to hell as long as you get to feel superior in casting a protest vote....Yeah, no one like that now that I can think of.....*cough* Pauliac's *cough*

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Ok...Good for you....The country/world can go to hell as long as you get to feel superior in casting a protest vote....Yeah, no one like that now that I can think of.....*cough* Pauliac's *cough*

1) I'm a moderate conservative, so not much a fan of Ron Paul

2) while I'm sure Obama will make many decisions that I disagree with in the next 4 years, you will still be here preaching the inevitable doom and destruction that will follow the Democrats taking the POTUS in 2016.

 

[X Factor]

Are you intentionally misreading what I wrote? If so, it might help not to directly quote me in the future

"Besides myself, ***I know numerous conservatives*** that are abandoning the GOP"

I hear you. "Numerous conservatives" that you know are abandoning the GOP due to a difference of opinion with others in the GOP. I hope you all find the party where everybody thinks exactly alike that you're looking for.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

I hear you. "Numerous conservatives" that you know are abandoning the GOP due to a difference of opinion with others in the GOP. I hope you all find the party where everybody thinks exactly alike that you're looking for.

Again, with the intentional misreading: I never claimed any party had to think exactly like me, only that I, and others, don't want to be associated with people who find skepticism of evolution a noble and sot after trait in a presidential candidate.

PS My post is right above you, making these blatant attempts at dishonestly and distortion particularly hilarious.

 

[j-mac]

1) I'm a moderate conservative, so not much a fan of Ron Paul

What is a moderate conservative?

2) while I'm sure Obama will make many decisions that I disagree with in the next 4 years, you will still be here preaching the inevitable doom and destruction that will follow the Democrats taking the POTUS in 2016.

So you think things are going ok under Obama?

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

What is a moderate conservative?

It means that I am moderately conservative

Moderate - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Conservative - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

So you think things are going ok under Obama?

In the post you quote directly above, I wrote "I'm sure Obama will make many decisions that I disagree with in the next 4 years".

 

[j-mac]

It means that I am moderately conservative

Moderate - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Conservative - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Wow, dictionary definitions I have found, are only brought out when there isn't a good answer to the question...What is your definition of how you lean politically?

In the post you quote directly above, I wrote "I'm sure Obama will make many decisions that I disagree with in the next 4 years".

I know what you said, but that doesn't answer my question....Want to try again?

 

[wolfman24]

No doubt there are problems as the GOP continues to find its way, but I think this article overstates its case. If the GOP expects to excel in the 2014 mid-term elections and retake the White House in 2020, they need to regroup and find a common cause.

Getting rid of the Teas would be a start. Let the Reps line up over that then go on from there

 

[wolfman24]

Besides myself, I know of numerous other conservatives that are abandoning the GOP because they have no interest in being associated with the idiots demanding that their presidential candidate show skepticism towards evolution.

I would hope this includes abortion even if limited.

 

[wolfman24]

Sorry, Mate, I don't allow my views and vote to be controlled via fear tactics and extortion. If all the GOP got is "vote for us or the Democrats will win, then they have done nothing to earn my interest or vote


I'll vote third party, mate, and sleep well knowing that my vote won't be going to support some religious fundie that can't even manage a basic understanding of science

Good for you. A seeming voice of reason in a world of vapors.