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Where did the traditional GOP go?

Rogue Valley

Lead or get out of the way
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Where did the traditional GOP go?


Dec. 20, 2017

“The great corporations …the State not only has the right to control them, but it is duty bound to control them” – Teddy Roosevelt

“Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) introduced a bill to extend Medicare to all – retaining existing Medicare cost sharing and coverage limits.” – Wikipedia

We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” – Ike

“Not all of those people were white supremacists by any stretch.” –Trump quote regarding Charlottesville racists

If a self-identified Republican believes in the philosophy exemplified by the first three quotes… and not the fourth… is he a RINO, a Republican in Name Only? According to many right-wingers, the answer is a resounding “yes”. But the situation is even more extreme than that in the GOP of Roy Moore. Here are the supposed top RINOs in the Senate per the Conservative Review: McCain, Murkowski, Collins, McConnell, Alexander, Cochran, Graham, Flake and Hatch. All of them support military expansion and corporate tax cuts. None support single-payer health insurance. So, why are they on the list? The answer is that the GOP is increasingly controlled by the very far right. These extremists will brook no dissent. You tow the line or Koch brothers-funded PACs will bring you down in primaries. Wouldn't it make sense for the GOP to moderate its positions? Yes, except for the extremist moneyed interests. Corporations exist to make profits… and must be regulated, in my opinion. Once upon a time, the majority of the GOP agreed with me. In 2007, only 40 percent of Republicans thought that there was overregulation of business. After the GOP’s rightward wing swing, 76 percent now believe that government overregulates. Massive amounts of lobbying money have gone to elect politicians pushing this position.

The original Medicare bill was approved by a majority of Republicans in the House, as well as 13 GOP Senators. Without this support from “RINOs,” Medicare would not have become law due to opposition from Southern Democrats. With 2 percent overhead – versus 12 percent private sector, Medicare should be expanded. Instead, Speaker Ryan is pushing Medicare/Medicaid cuts (2-28-17, CNN). Do moderate views make me a RINO? There are numerous other areas where it has become politically incorrect in the GOP to just do the right thing. With GOP support, Richard Nixon started the EPA, believing humans were responsible for climate change and pollution. Now, it is heresy to state facts rather than disingenuously saying "nobody knows.” In 1993, 47 percent of Republicans believed that it was more important to control guns than to protect the rights of Americans to own guns. Two decades later, only a fourth support gun control (Pew, 12-14). Per the Washington Post (8-12): “The quest for lower taxes does not define Republicanism until the 1980s, and matters of faith play almost no role in the GOP’s plank until the 1990s.” Now, we have accused child molester Roy Moore winning most white votes simply because he is anti-abortion. Plus, the GOPs plan to raise the deficit while giving tremendous tax cuts to the wealthy. And, “conservative” Ryan’s excuse: Voodoo economics will balance the budget. My position is that the shameful people currently heading the GOP are the RINOs. They need to leave, not me.

Amen. The traditional Republican party has been hijacked by Steve Bannon's Alt-Right movement.
 
the GOP was hijacked by the religious right wing nuts back in the Ronny RayGun era; faith based government isn't working folks but now we have that mixed with the hate & militarism

America is coming unglued; I predicted this when I was 17 years old in 1978 .................................. nearly 40 years ago ..................

................. POP .............
 
Where did the traditional GOP go?




Amen. The traditional Republican party has been hijacked by Steve Bannon's Alt-Right movement.

Yes, it was Bannonated, Trumpified, Alt Righted, and evangelicized. It bears no resemblance to the party of Teddy Roosevelt or Dwight Eisenhower. RIP GOP. It's the not so grand New Party now.
 
Where did the traditional GOP go?




Amen. The traditional Republican party has been hijacked by Steve Bannon's Alt-Right movement.
I don't know where they are, but while you're looking can you find the Democratic Party I grew-up with?

The Dem Party that championed the working classes, and freedom and liberty? The one that attracted a "big tent" crowd naturally, because they were the proponents of universal American ideas & ideals that knew no bounds? Not the one that embraced cultural niches, to the exclusion of their wider base? The base that got substantially ceded to Trump, or lost through apathy?

They seem to have gone somewhere too, as can be exhibited by their being led (down the road towards oblivion) by HRC.

But I won't detract from your GOP centric post - I completely agree! I've lost all faith in the GOP, to the point I despise the party itself. But they are in power in a large part, due to a negligent, neglectful, ineffectual Dem Party. The Dems had the audacity to try to shove HRC down our throats, thinking we would buy it. Boy, did they get a lesson!
 
Where did the traditional GOP go?




Amen. The traditional Republican party has been hijacked by Steve Bannon's Alt-Right movement.

Actually it started with two other groups - right libertarians who do not have the qualities necessary to build their own competitive political party so they try to take over the GOP, and then we have the tea party folks who call themselves a party but who also do not have the qualities necessary to build their own competitive political party so they also tried to take over the GOP. They preceded Bannon before anybody really noticed him.
 
the GOP was hijacked by the religious right wing nuts back in the Ronny RayGun era; faith based government isn't working folks but now we have that mixed with the hate & militarism

America is coming unglued; I predicted this when I was 17 years old in 1978 .................................. nearly 40 years ago ..................

................. POP .............

Clearly 1980 was the beginning of the end. The W period put icing on that cake. Now, we live in the crazy Trumpian era, which is nothing like anything I could have ever imagined, with a GOP which is actively working against the best interests of America.
 
Every Republican president before Trump was apparently a RINO.
 
Where did the traditional GOP go?




Amen. The traditional Republican party has been hijacked by Steve Bannon's Alt-Right movement.

I think the Democrats have move so far left, they are making the traditional Republicans look extreme. Tax cuts, America first, Jobs, Immigration control, Defense. These are hardly far right values.
 
I think the Democrats have move so far left, they are making the traditional Republicans look extreme. Tax cuts, America first, Jobs, Immigration control, Defense. These are hardly far right values.

Sorry but no. I'm old enough to remember real Republicans first hand.
 
Clearly 1980 was the beginning of the end. The W period put icing on that cake. Now, we live in the crazy Trumpian era, which is nothing like anything I could have ever imagined, with a GOP which is actively working against the best interests of America.

for me two things opened my eyes: the '73 embargo (I was 12) which demonstrated massive BS & jobs/wages dying thru' the 1970s ..............

I then started to wonder why my country was so connected to so many 'bad' actors & why is my country going in the wrong direction?
 
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Unfortunately the same thing happened here. We used to have a Progressive Conservative party.
My party
Now we have the Conservative party.
Not my party
I still vote but it's sort of like kissing your sister.
 
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