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Confessions of a Tea Party Casualty

Chappy

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Excerpted from “Confessions of a Tea Party Casualty; Why GOP Rep. Bob Inglis is looking for a new job.” By David Corn, Mother Jones, Tue Aug. 3, 2010 3:00 AM PDT
[Rep. Bob] [SIZE="+2"]I[/SIZE]nglis found that ideological extremism is not only the realm of the tea party; it also has infected the official circles of his Republican Party. In early 2009, he attended a meeting of the GOP's Greenville County executive committee. At the time, Republicans were feeling discouraged. Obama was in the White House; the Democrats had enlarged their majorities in the House and Senate. The GOP seemed to be in tatters. But Inglis had what he considered good news. He put up a slide he had first seen at a GOP retreat. It was based on exit polling conducted during the November 2008 election. The slide, according to Inglis, showed that when American voters were asked to place themselves on an ideological spectrum—1 being liberal, 10 being conservative—the average ended up at about 5.6. The voters placed House Republicans at about 6.5 and House Democrats at about 4.3. Inglis told his fellow Republicans, "This is great news," explaining it meant that the GOP was still closer to the American public than the Democrats. The key, he said, was for the party to keep to the right, without driving off the road.

Inglis was met, he says with "stony" faces: "There's a short story by Shirley Jackson, 'The Lottery.'" The tale describes a town where the residents stone a neighbor who is chosen randomly. "That's what the crowd looked like. I got home that night and said to my wife, 'You can't believe how they looked back at me.' It was really frightening." The next speaker, he recalls, said, "'On Bob's ideological spectrum up there, I'm a 10,' and the crowd went wild. That was what I was dealing with." …

Heh, ‘10’. I believe it. The conservative movement has driven off the road, through the weeds and into the lake.
 
Heh, ‘10’. I believe it. The conservative movement has driven off the road, through the weeds and into the lake.

When your source is "MotherJones" and you're a San Fran Lib...

I guess any fantasy story seems plausible.

See, Mr. Inglis did a few things to piss people off in his district, enough so he had 4 primary challengers, and lost 42% I think it was, against him? Yeah.

It wasn't a 2-10 point loss, it was a LANDSLIDE BITCHSLAPIN


Why did Rep. Bob Inglis lose by 42 points?
On paper, the massive, 42-point defeat of Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) is tough to explain. Sure, he voted for TARP, and all Republicans who did so are experiencing some blowback in their primaries -- but how does an incumbent lose by such a swollen margin without some sort of horrible scandal? According to the Greenville News, he blamed it on his lack of partisan anger.

Inglis said he wasn't surprised by the outcome because of his controversial congressional votes to reprimand U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina for his “you lie!” outburst at President Obama and to oppose former President Bush's 2007 troop surge in Iraq.
He split with some conventional Republican beliefs and “the result was I haven't been a very good match with the partisans,” Inglis said.
Using an analogy to U.S. troops serving overseas, Inglis said, “If you’re in the Congress and not willing to fall on a political hill, then it’s not worth being in Congress.”
Actually, the last time most national observers heard of Inglis, he was chastising attendees of a town hall meeting for watching Glenn Beck.

They suggest that you watch Glenn Beck. Here’s my suggestion. Turn that television off when he comes on. Let me tell you why. You want to know why? He’s trading on fear. You know what? Here’s what I think. If you trade on fear, what you’re doing is, you’re not leading. You’re just following fearful people. So if you want to lead, stop being fearful.


Inglis's explanation for his defeat is self-serving, but he's also right -- Republican voters have no interest in rewarding bipartisanship that involves shaming other conservatives
Right Now - Why did Rep. Bob Inglis lose by 42 points?


GOP watch: Inglis blames Palin and Beck
"Too many Republican leaders are acquiescing to a poisonous 'demagoguery' that threatens the party's long-term credibility, says a veteran GOP House member who was defeated in South Carolina's primary last month. While not naming names, 12-year incumbent Rep. Bob Inglis suggested in interviews with The Associated Press that tea party favorites such as former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and right-wing talk show hosts like Glenn Beck are the culprits.
"He cited a claim made famous by Palin that the Democratic health care bill would create 'death panels' to decide whether elderly or sick people should get care. 'There were no death panels in the bill ... and to encourage that kind of fear is just the lowest form of political leadership. It's not leadership. It's demagoguery,' said Inglis, one of three Republican incumbents who have lost their seats in Congress to primary and state party convention challengers this year. Inglis said voters eventually will discover that you're 'preying on their fears' and turn away."
'
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/09/4644413-gop-watch-inglis-blames-palin-and-beck

Sounds to me more like he was preaching to his people and they got tired of listening to him. The political winds were blowing one way and he was trying to go another. His fall, is of his OWN making.

Isn't it great to do a little research? I think it is.
 
Actually, you make my point that the most radical elements in American society are all that's left in the Republican party. They are all ‘10's’; mindless, ignorant ‘10's’.
 
Actually, you make my point that the most radical elements in American society are all that's left in the Republican party. They are all ‘10's’; mindless, ignorant ‘10's’.

Are you actually saying that everyone in the Republican party is a "10" on the scale meaning all are die-hard conservatives?

If so...

:rofl
 
Are you actually saying that everyone in the Republican party is a "10" on the scale meaning all are die-hard conservatives?

If so...

:rofl

Clearly it's not everybody, but it's a growing demographic for the GOP. Unfortunately for them, the extremism is tearing their party in half. You can't win an election solely with the votes of the "10's," but without acting like a 10 the candidate ends up... like the one in the OP.

In 2008 everyone ran screaming from the GOP because the country was tired of the right-wing authoritarian government we'd had for years. The GOP's conclusion? "Clearly we weren't far enough to the right!"
 
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I've met with Bob Inglis before, honestly, I think that he is totally useless. He just aint too bright, and is kind of a wishy washing little dude. The area that he ran in is has become VERY conservative and Inglis was not nearly conservative enough to be reelected. I really don't know how he got elected last time.

There were also better candidates than the one who beat Inglis in the primary, but the guy who won had a lot more name recognition than they did. I wasat his Boiling Springs town hall meeting - the one that was on Fox News where half the audiance walked out when he told us to turn off Glenn Beck.
 
I'm a South Carolinian, and I voted against Inglis in the primary.

I'm one of those who helped give him the boot, and I'm proud of it.

Why? Lots of reasons. Inglis has been a poor representative of the wishes of his constituency in many ways, far more than I care to go into just now.

One of the big ones for me was when he came out in favor of far-left Green legislation, like cap-n-trade. His radio blurb said that his kids told him they didn't want to support him, because he was "going to ruin the planet along with all the other people that don't believe in global warming." Because of his kids saying that, he reconsidered his position and sided with those who think AGW is such a crisis that destroying our economy and putting a lot of our economic decisions in the hands of foreign intrests was a correct response.

My question was why the **** was he letting his kids set policy?

Lot of other things too, but he just wasn't the representative I wanted anymore, so I voted against him and I'm glad he's gone.

Assuming there is some left-right scale marked 1 to 10 with 10 being the "far right", whatever that means, I wouldn't be a 10. Maybe a 7. Part of the problem though, is that the far left has redefined this hypothetical scale so that they call a 2 a "centrist" and a 5 is a "right-wing-extremist". :roll:
 
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Clearly it's not everybody, but it's a growing demographic for the GOP. Unfortunately for them, the extremism is tearing their party in half. You can't win an election solely with the votes of the "10's," but without acting like a 10 the candidate ends up... like the one in the OP.

In 2008 everyone ran screaming from the GOP because the country was tired of the right-wing authoritarian government we'd had for years. The GOP's conclusion? "Clearly we weren't far enough to the right!"

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". The Tea Party and it's creation is part of that equal and opposite reaction to the far left moonbats we saw crawl out from every crevice between 2001 and 2008, as well as the reaction to some of those moonbats becoming legislators and administrators within our government. Certainly not many are "10" - but the farther our government demagogues and ideologically carries this country towards social equality, wealth sharing etc... more will become "10's".
 
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I'm a South Carolinian, and I voted against Inglis in the primary.

I'm one of those who helped give him the boot, and I'm proud of it.

Why? Lots of reasons. Inglis has been a poor representative of the wishes of his constituency in many ways, far more than I care to go into just now.

One of the big ones for me was when he came out in favor of far-left Green legislation, like cap-n-trade. His radio blurb said that his kids told him they didn't want to support him, because he was "going to ruin the planet along with all the other people that don't believe in global warming." Because of his kids saying that, he reconsidered his position and sided with those who think AGW is such a crisis that destroying our economy and putting a lot of our economic decisions in the hands of foreign intrests was a correct response.

My question was why the **** was he letting his kids set policy?

Lot of other things too, but he just wasn't the representative I wanted anymore, so I voted against him and I'm glad he's gone.

Assuming there is some left-right scale marked 1 to 10 with 10 being the "far right", whatever that means, I wouldn't be a 10. Maybe a 7. Part of the problem though, is that the far left has redefined this hypothetical scale so that they call a 2 a "centrist" and a 5 is a "right-wing-extremist". :roll:

I think the guy is brain damaged or something. Something is just not quite right with him.

A while back I discused an alternative health care policy with him in his office for about an hour and a half. He came across to me as a moron. I was trying to get across the point that the gov already spends $1.2 trillion on healthcare and that averaged $4k per citizen. Somehow he couldn't seem to grasp the concept. Ultimately his "Chief of Staff" had to get out a calculator and tell him that I was correct. He also couldn't seem to grasp the concept that high deductable health care plans are fairly inexpensive, when I told him that my high deductable policy costs less than $1,000 per year, he kept insisting that my policy was subsidised by my employer (which it aint because I am self employed). After I had finished my speel, he sais "but what about Martha". I said "excuse me, Martha who?" Turns out he was refering to a waitress at Wades. He was concerned that she represented his constituancy and that she wouldn't like my idea. Then he just kept saying that my idea was "bold", over and over again. I saw him at a debate a few months later, he didn't remember me, I told him that I had met with him in his Spartanburg office, he still didn't remember me (even though I was wearing the same suite I wore before). He asked me "what did we discuss". I just said "forget it, I'm obviously wasting your time".
 
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I consider conservative “10's” so idealogical that they would rather see America and Americans fail than to have it succeed under Obama and his policies. Are you one of those? Do you hate the mere possibility that some Americans might get a hand up by government from a bad situation? Are you so extreme that you're ready to call Americans down on their luck a bunch of ******s? Do you want to say **** 'em to their faces? Do you think that if they can't lift themselves by their own bootstraps, then you think they should go to hell? And, their families, too, of course. Is that you? 'Cause if it is, if you would rather Americans fail than benefit from government help, I really think you are worse than Bin Laden. Yes, I do.
 
I consider conservative “10's” so idealogical that they would rather see America and Americans fail than to have it succeed under Obama and his policies.
Then I think pretty much everyone at DP can now put you on ignore and dismiss you as being not worth the time or effort to read.

Few Conservatives want to see America fail, or Americans hurt for sheer political gain. Why is you equate believing Obama and his Policies are BAD for America, with wanting to see America fail? It's just the opposite, we believe that Obama's POLICIES will cause America to suffer, and we want HIM to fail at implementing them. Just like so many that have voted in various states to reject Obamacare, how many tell posters they want it repealed. How many peopl are rejecting Cap and Trade, the repeal of the Bush Tax Cuts, how many people are AGAINST this man's destructive "hope and change"

You are ideologically incapable of accepting the very distinct difference. Why should any of us bother with you then?


Are you one of those? Do you hate the mere possibility that some Americans might get a hand up by government from a bad situation?
The long term harm of Gov't giving people a "hand up" is what we are against. The unsustainable debt, the reliance on Gov't to exist rather than their own abilities. The VERY REAL damage to our economic system where Big Corperations know all they have to do is be "too big to fail" and take any risk they wish knowing DC will just "Bail them out again". These are BAD things.


Are you so extreme that you're ready to call Americans down on their luck a bunch of ******s? You want to say **** 'em to their faces? Do you think that if they can't lift themselves by their own bootstraps, then you think they should go to hell? And, their families, too, of course. Is that you? 'Cause if it is, if you would rather Americans fail than benefit from government help, I really think you are worse than Bin Laden. Yes, I do.
I CHALLENGE you to bring us proof of Conservatives actually saying that people down on their luck are "******s", I want you to find Conservatives saying people should go to hell cause they are poor.

You cannot find these, they do not exist, they are figments of your own deranged view of Conservatism, and it's practitioners. You are also I might add, a rather evil person. You believe people are incapable of success, are incapable of making it on their own in tough times, you think ONLY through Gov't (and let's not even begin to discuss where you think all this money comes from, your opinions so far have been nothing short of truly disturbed) can people survive.

You make me sad for the future of this country. People like you would rather see millions living on the crumbs of Gov't handouts then succeeding on their own, cause if they tried, they might fail, and if they failed.. they might suffer.
 
Actually, you make my point that the most radical elements in American society are all that's left in the Republican party. They are all ‘10's’; mindless, ignorant ‘10's’.

ah yes, I see your logic: not supporting a Republican because he acts like a Democrat makes you a radical

brilliant+guinness.jpg
 
I consider conservative “10's” so idealogical that they would rather see America and Americans fail than to have it succeed under Obama and his policies. Are you one of those? Do you hate the mere possibility that some Americans might get a hand up by government from a bad situation? Are you so extreme that you're ready to call Americans down on their luck a bunch of ******s? Do you want to say **** 'em to their faces? Do you think that if they can't lift themselves by their own bootstraps, then you think they should go to hell? And, their families, too, of course. Is that you? 'Cause if it is, if you would rather Americans fail than benefit from government help, I really think you are worse than Bin Laden. Yes, I do.


I've been here on DP about 1.5 years. My views are well known. I'm pretty sure you won't find a single person who has been here long enough to read a lot of my posts who thinks I am that extreme... because I am not.

I don't like Obama. I oppose most o his policies because I believe they WILL fail. That is a world away from wanting America to fail.

I think a lot of people on gov't assistance could do better and be self-supporting. I think we are inevitably going to have to cut social spending if we're going to stop spending a trillion dollars plus per year that we don't have. That's a long way from saying people in need can go to hell.

If you think all that about me, you clearly don't know me at all. How surprising. :roll:
 
Then I think pretty much everyone at DP can now put you on ignore and dismiss you as being not worth the time or effort to read.

.


Yeah, that.
 
ah yes, I see your logic: not supporting a Republican because he acts like a Democrat makes you a radical

brilliant+guinness.jpg

Some just don't get it. Liberals act like the Tea Party is making a big mistake when they throw Republicans under the bus. A lot of Republicans deserve it and that's exactly what the Tea Party was designed to do. They've had their fill of both parties, but the republican party is the one worth saving.
I don't know about anyone else, but I get a bad taste in my mouth when any politician tries to tell me what to watch, listen to or not watch or listen to. I'm not stupid and I'm not a child. I'll watch what I damn well please.
In my Opinion this man acted stupidly if in deed he told people to turn off Glenn Beck. He deserves whatever he gets. It didn't work when obama told us to turn off Fox and read Huffington Post either. I guess some people are just slow learners.
 
I hope Obama fails. — Rush Limbaugh

Well, for all you conservatives who don't want America to fail under Obama's leadership, here's your chance to tell that America-hater ****, Rush Limbaugh, what a ****ing asshole he is. Speak up … now!
 
I hope Obama fails. — Rush Limbaugh

Well, for all you conservatives who don't want America to fail under Obama's leadership, here's your chance to tell that America-hater ****, Rush Limbaugh, what a ****ing asshole he is. Speak up … now!

Pretty sure you realize you are distorting the quote out of context. But don't let that get in your way.
 
Wow, are you “pretty sure” Limbaugh didn't mean it when he said it? A successful America under Obama that abhorrent to you?
 
Wow, are you “pretty sure” Limbaugh didn't mean it when he said it? A successful America under Obama that abhorrent to you?

A successful America under Obama is impossible.
 
Wow, are you “pretty sure” Limbaugh didn't mean it when he said it? A successful America under Obama that abhorrent to you?

A successful America under Obama is impossible.

Mellie is spot on. Rush Limbaugh, a satirical radio broadcaster, simply pointed out that if Obama were to "fail", it would mean his far left, and yet at the same time, not left enough, beliefs would have fallen flat on their face.

An example would be the Health Care bill not passing.
 
!0's. Reading your posts, that's what comes to mind.

Conservative 10's.

America must not be allowed to succeed under Obama.

That's what they say. That's what they do.
 
I consider conservative “10's” so idealogical that they would rather see America and Americans fail than to have it succeed under Obama and his policies. Are you one of those? Do you hate the mere possibility that some Americans might get a hand up by government from a bad situation? Are you so extreme that you're ready to call Americans down on their luck a bunch of ******s? Do you want to say **** 'em to their faces? Do you think that if they can't lift themselves by their own bootstraps, then you think they should go to hell? And, their families, too, of course. Is that you? 'Cause if it is, if you would rather Americans fail than benefit from government help, I really think you are worse than Bin Laden. Yes, I do.

Where do you get these idea's from? Your so far off the mark about conservatives..real conservatives that is that this is just laughable, can't take it seriously.
 
Wishing Obama's policies ill will doesn't equate to conservatives voting for the end of America.
 
!0's. Reading your posts, that's what comes to mind.

Conservative 10's.

America must not be allowed to succeed under Obama.

That's what they say. That's what they do.

I'm probably not what you'd consider a "10" since I'm quite liberal on social policies (except abortion). However, I understand perfectly that Obama's policies do not coincide with a successful America. If Obama were to "succeed" our country would be "fundamentally transformed" into everything our Founding Fathers warned against.
 
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