tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post6337540647820895022..comments2024-03-28T00:18:10.569-07:00Comments on Demeur: The pendulum swingsDemeurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935263659097273535noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post-46598039587677427832009-04-29T23:10:00.000-07:002009-04-29T23:10:00.000-07:00Republicans kicked it off with Reagan's 1980 presi...Republicans kicked it off with Reagan's 1980 presidential race. Reagan's campaign chief and most ardent supporters and backers set out to demonize Democrats, liberals and anyone who wasn't with them. At the same time, they disdained moderates, including Republican ones, shoving them aside once they gained power. It was the start of the "if you're not with us, you're an enemy" mindset. Not just a political opponent, but an enemy.<br /><br />I think that arose from the fact that for decades far-right conservatives had been kept to the fringes of the Republican Party. They behaved like a pressure group. When they got hold of power, they continued to operate like a pressure group.<br /><br />Pressure groups are narrowly focused, highly disciplined and tend to play much more roughly than tradtional big-tent political parties. Their leaders exert top-down command and control, and don't tolerate being challenged and questioned. Those in pressure groups tend to be absolutist in their beliefs. They look on compromise as selling out, whereas compromise is necessarily standard operating procedure in big-tent parties.<br /><br />The Nixon administration exhibited the pressure group mentality after Tricky Dick started running into trouble. The Bush administration behaved that way from its beginning.<br /><br />Congressional Republicans also behaved that way after the so-called Republican Revolution in '94, when Newt Gingrich became House Speaker and Dick Armey was his No. 2. It got even worse when DeLay became speaker and Republicans had total control in Washington. <br /><br />Re: Specter, keep in mind that he was in the Senate and the thick of GOP politics that whole time. His hide must be as thick as a rhino's.S.W. andersonhttp://wpblog.ohpinion.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post-19717910806517391432009-04-29T20:17:00.000-07:002009-04-29T20:17:00.000-07:00Adapt or die, indeed!
I also want to see the two ...Adapt or die, indeed!<br /><br />I also want to see the two Senators from Maine make the jump. Would they do such a thing if they weren't facing huge challenges to keeping their seats? Maybe, maybe not... it might depend on how much farther the GOP moves to the right in the next year or two. And I think those who currently run the GOP are too dumb to try and bring the party back toward the center any time soon, because to do so would mean to admit defeat, or that there are things wrong with their party.<br /><br />Is this the beginning of the GOP schism I have been longing for the last 20-30 years? I hope so!Snavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13763424943041003098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post-74771501195677828132009-04-29T14:44:00.000-07:002009-04-29T14:44:00.000-07:00That would depend on their district voters. Rememb...That would depend on their district voters. Remember Specter had no real choice in this. If he didn't switch it would have meant the end of his political career.Demeurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01935263659097273535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post-58661741664269550432009-04-29T14:42:00.000-07:002009-04-29T14:42:00.000-07:00I've seen that exact rumor, that Sue Collins and/o...I've seen that exact rumor, that Sue Collins and/or Olympia Snowe might jump ship too. Even if they don't, that party is driving out everybody who isn't either a warmonger or a snakehandling Biblethumper.<br /><br />At some point, moderate Republicans and rightwing extremists will have to go their separate ways. They've had a nice cozy coalition since 1980, but it isn't working any more. Thank God.Tom Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05610417770240609022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2171776489221716830.post-6892881860376581022009-04-29T12:48:00.000-07:002009-04-29T12:48:00.000-07:00There were three now there are two. The fascist ri...There were three now there are two. The fascist right has polarized so just the extremists are left in the Repug party.<br /> Now I want to see Olympia Snowe and Sue Collins come over from the dark side and join the new right. I do not see it happening but being moderates they are better off with us.jmsjoinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631105639275375922noreply@blogger.com