Why is the GOP in trouble?

[disneydude]

Here's the complaint list of conservatives on Bush:

- A huge deficit, and it's got little to do with Iraq, but rather entitlements. For some unknown reason, he supported the zillion dollar Greedy Geezer meds deal, to appease an electoral group that STILL won't vote for him. Add to that failure on social security reform.

- Applauding the Olypianist USSC's reawakening of the frankenstein of anti-white discrimination, just when, after 25 years of effort, it looked like it was going to die.

- Failure to stop the illegal alien influx.

- Nothing on abortion.

- Nothing on the anti-religion jihad.

- Nothing on removing the detritus of previous farces like the department of education, amtrak, U.N. membership.

- Nothing but serving up old jokes like hydrogen-powered cars on the energy crisis.

Tell you what. If they don't turn it around, I will make an exception to my 5 year voting hiatus, and vote for Hillary. I may even work in the opponents campaigns for republican elected officials who abandoned the principles. Hell, if I'm going to have in effect a democrat, why not have a real democrat??

Here's a perfect example of the right-wingers new talking points to distance themselves from their president, "Bush isn't a conservative, he's a liberal".

This is truly amazing!:stars:

 

[alphamale]

Here's a perfect example of the right-wingers new talking points to distance themselves from their president, "Bush isn't a conservative, he's a liberal".

This is truly amazing!:stars:

That's a nice point! :mrgreen:

 

[Kandahar]

Here's a perfect example of the right-wingers new talking points to distance themselves from their president, "Bush isn't a conservative, he's a liberal".

This is truly amazing!:stars:

Well he IS a liberal in the sense that he thinks government can solve every problem in the country. His record of signing every spending bill into law clearly indicates that he's no conservative.

The dichotomy is somewhat false though. I don't particuarly see Bush as either a liberal or a conservative; he's just a populist ideologue.

 

[alphamale]

That wasn't a very nice comment.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Actually, I'm not a right winger, and Bush is a liberal. I've never been deceived. What's wrong with the rest of you?

 

[scottyz]

Instead of taking a page from Sun-tzu's "Art of War," when it comes to fighting liberals, American conservatives prefer the Jimmy Carter unconditional surrender strategy.
-Ann Coulter

So, what's the problem with the GOP? Why are they having so much trouble?

The GOP have always been much better than the Democrats at fighting for political power. They excel in the theatrics of politics and unlike the Democrats they can come up with a couple issues to run on and stick to them. While the Dems are all busy fighting each other over issues the GOP sticks together, allowing them to focus soley on attacking the opposing party. I think the big trouble they have is the Bush admin.

 

[Ivan The Terrible]

I put too liberal.

Actually, I'm not a right winger, and Bush is a liberal. I've never been deceived. What's wrong with the rest of you?

Same here.

 

[Davo The Mavo]

Why is the GOP in trouble?

Beacuse they saddled their arses to the Neocon Agenda by standing arm in arm and walking in lockstep with the current Administration. At some point in this us v. them battle against anyone who thinks differently than the Administration, it became more important to be Pro-Bush and be a good Republican----rather than being a Good American first. Oh yeah, let's not forget hubris.

I am so much more conservative than this current President, and truly, if not for the religion factor, most people would see that they are probably more conservative than this President. Our nation is a Sociological spinning wheel. It is cyclic----it goes from Conservative, to Liberal, to Centrist and repeats itself over and over. However, this time around, the so-called Conservative occupants of the Whitehouse have created more damage, and done more to divide our Nation since the Civil War.

The Democrats are no better, they fell into lock step as well. Afraid to stand up to this President and his staff with coherent arguments rather than pandering to fear. Fear of losing their next election and fear of looking weak, which in a sense really puts a magnifying glass on the reality of their weakness. My God what a pitiful bunch of men and women occupying our sacred Capitol.

Fire EM ALL!!!!!

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

The GOP have always been much better than the Democrats at fighting for political power. They excel in the theatrics of politics and unlike the Democrats they can come up with a couple issues to run on and stick to them. While the Dems are all busy fighting each other over issues the GOP sticks together, allowing them to focus soley on attacking the opposing party. I think the big trouble they have is the Bush admin.

True enough that the Republicans come up with issues that are more relevant, presidential perjury, national security, common sense on economic issues (the lower taxes part, not the higher spending part). That's because these are real concerns.

The Democrats come up with what? They were still investigating, in 1992, the so-called "October Surprise" which alleged the fantastic story that vice-presidential candidate Bushy brokered a deal with the Iranians to have them hold the hostages until after the election. The Democrats couldn't deal with the fact that Carter is an idiot. Still can't.

Then again, the Democrats were sympathizers with the Russians, so it's not surprising they were terrribly weak on national security then, and since the party still has most of the same traitors, it's not surprising they're still in favor of complete US abdication to France.

The extent of the Republicans enormous inability to retain support with the public is attributable to the enormous degree of similiarty between them and the Democrats.

Areas where the Dems and the Republicans agree, in the real world of the House, the Senate, and the White House:

1) Spending. Neither party wants to stop pork spending. Don't think so? Grow up.

2) National security. Neither party is concerned about national security. The Dems are trying to destroy our national intelligence services, force the US foreign policy to resemble that of France. The Republicans are doing a crappy job in Iraq and elsewhere.

3) Elsewhere includes the US borders. The Democrats want millions of low wage voters they can then buy with tax-payer funded programs. The Republicans want campaign money from businesses exploiting illegal invader labor.

 

[alphamale]

On Terrorists - "Animals" is so much easier to write, and far politer than saying "the ****ing dung eating swine who follow after the droppings of dogs"

This is a terrible thing to say about people - instead give your arguments against their positions, action, and worldview. That would be a lot nicer!

 

[Hoot]

Why is the GOP in trouble?

To put it simply, they've ignored the people that put them in office.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

The United States is by and large a progressive nation and our entire society is structured around progressive ideals. Conservatives in America are not elected because the majority of the people all of a sudden embrace conservatism. Instead, they are elected because the people believe that progressives are moving to fast. The problem Republicans have is that they campaign on wedge issues, yet, their platform by and large is rejected by the majority of the American people. This is evidenced by the fact that they have held power since 1994, yet have really made no lasting imprint on American society at all. Contrast this with progressives, Democrats largely held power from the 30s to the early 90s. Durring this time, their policies and ideals literally transformed American society. Despite the fact that Republicans have been in power for 12 years, they have yet to make a dent in the New Deal, the Great Society, or the progressive agenda of the Nixon Administration. They never will either. Every election year, the wedge issues garner smaller margins of voters. If Republicans do not abandon their war against science, stop catering to the Religious Right, unorthodox economic policies, and anti-conservation platform, they will soon once again find themselves as the minority party for another 50 years. The fact is, we are always going to have Social Security, Medicare, other social safety nets, the EPA, and most of the other progressive programs. Social conservatives need to come to terms with the fact that their world view is extreme. It is not in the mainstream. It is not representative of the views of the majority of voters. If President Bush governed from the center like his father or Clinton, he would not be at 29% approval today.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

The United States is by and large a progressive nation and our entire society is structured around progressive ideals.

If you want to say "socialist", there's no law forbidding it. Since socialism isn't "progressive", it's false to say the US is a "progressive" nation when you mean to say socialist.

Progressive: 3 Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods: a progressive politician; progressive business leadership.

Clearly stealing money from one man to support some other isn't a "better condition".

Conservatives in America are not elected because the majority of the people all of a sudden embrace conservatism. Instead, they are elected because the people believe that progressives are moving to fast.

Conservatives, if by "conservative" you mean either a non-socialist or a politician espousing a different brand of socialism practiced by the Democrats and Republicans, aren't elected for many reasons:

the mob-psychology of "if you don't vote for a major party candidate you're wasting your vote",

the exclusionary principle of the media, ie, if they're not in the major parties they're not going to get enough votes so there won't be enough readers interested so the sponsors won't care so we'll ignore what they have to say,

the thought that even if they are elected, they'll be all alone and not get anything done, so let's cast our votes for the major parties, no matter how odious,

and let's not forget the utter horror all supporters of the major parties have over anyone that dares utters any of the magic words "honor, integrity, freedom, self-reliance, and personal choice." Any candidate running on any platform applying these words to the American public will be shunned by the media, when they're not being ridiculed by the other candidates.

That's why non-socialist but truly "progressive" candidates can't win. The American people are addicited to OPM, and that addiction leads only and incurably to death.

The problem Republicans have is that they campaign on wedge issues, yet, their platform by and large is rejected by the majority of the American people.

The Republicans campaing on exactly the same issues as the Democrats, and usually the only difference is how much of someone else's money one or the other parties is willing to promise to spend once elected. The lunatic fringe issues, such as restricting freedom of marital choice, only become relevant because the voters can't see any difference between the parties on the real issues.

This is evidenced by the fact that they have held power since 1994, yet have really made no lasting imprint on American society at all.

Oh, come on. They've impeached a rapist, for perjury, they've spent even more money than the Democrats on things we don't need, they've done nothing to prevent the coming trainwreck with Socialist Security, just like the Democrats, they're doing everything they can to turn the southwestern United States over to Mexico, and you say they've done nothing lasting?

Contrast this with progressives, Democrats largely held power from the 30s to the early 90s. Durring this time, their policies and ideals literally transformed American society.

Raping the Constitution, enslaving the American taxpayer, creating an endless cycle of welfare dependency, and expanding the role of government like baking five pounds of batter in a 2-ounce muffing tin is "progressive"?

Despite the fact that Republicans have been in power for 12 years, they have yet to make a dent in the New Deal, the Great Society, or the progressive agenda of the Nixon Administration.

That's because they're at least as "progressive" as the Democrats, and since that's the case, why are you complaining about them?

They never will either. Every election year, the wedge issues garner smaller margins of voters. If Republicans do not abandon their war against science, stop catering to the Religious Right, unorthodox economic policies, and anti-conservation platform, they will soon once again find themselves as the minority party for another 50 years. The fact is, we are always going to have Social Security, Medicare, other social safety nets, the EPA, and most of the other progressive programs. Social conservatives need to come to terms with the fact that their world view is extreme. It is not in the mainstream. It is not representative of the views of the majority of voters. If President Bush governed from the center like his father or Clinton, he would not be at 29% approval today.

Like I said, the United States will never be a progressive nation so long as the Republicans and the Democrats continue to share power.

What I don't see is why people in favor of continued slavery are opposed to Republicans. They're clearly no different from Democrats.

 

[Iriemon]

The GOP is in trouble (among other things) because of the fundamental failure of its conservative policies -- the two most glaring example being supply side theory tax cuts and neocon foreign policy.

The GOP when it got power in 2001 passed the tax cuts with great fanfare in 2001, with the promise that they would not cause deficits and the country could pay down its debt by $2 trillion in 10 years. The idea was that the tax cuts would induce super-growth in the economy that would flood the government with revenues. As in the 80s, supply side theory failed to produce as promised, and the lower tax rates cut hundreds of billions from revenues that left the country with deep deficits. Despite the tax cuts, economic growth has been no greater (less actually) than it was in the 90s (just as in the 80s it was not significantly better than the 70s), and the lower tax rates have caused revenues to fall by hundreds of billions from where they would have been. As a result, instead of paying down the debt by $2 trillion, we are almost $3 trillion more in debt.

Similarly, the neocon foreign policy led to the misadverture in Iraq.

That is the GOP's main problem. Its fundamental policies are wrong.

 

[scottyz]

The GOP is in trouble (among other things) because of the fundamental failure of its conservative policies -- the two most glaring example being supply side theory tax cuts and neocon foreign policy.

Rather than saying "yeah, we messed up" or "we messed up, but we're going to fix things" they sit around trying to spin and rationalize their utter failures.