General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums‘Suicide Conservatives’
There used to be a political truism: Democrats fall in love, while Republicans fall in line.
Thats no longer true. Not in this moment. Democrats have learned to fall in love and fall in line. Republicans are just falling apart.
Last week, the opening salvos were launched in a very public and very nasty civil war between establishment Republicans and Tea Party supporters when it was reported that Karl Rove was backing a new group, the Conservative Victory Project, to counter the Tea Partys selection of loopy congressional candidates who lose in general elections.
The Tea Party was having none of it. It sees Roves group as a brazen attack on the Tea Party movement, which it is. Rove sees winning as a practical matter. The Tea Party counts victory in layers of philosophical purity.
Politico reported this week that an unnamed senior Republican operative said that one of the partys biggest problems was suicide conservatives, who would rather lose elections than win seats with moderates.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/09/opinion/blow-suicide-conservatives.html?src=me&ref=general
Isoldeblue
(1,135 posts)[link:|
I do not think that the GOP is falling apart. It may make some people happy to think that it is; but, I doubt it.
Almost half the American electorate reliably votes GOP; and, much of the South is safe GOP.
It remains strong at the state level.
I think,on most issues, the GOP is quite wrong. But, almost half the country does not think so.
I think that the GOP will regroup and remain a major political force.
unblock
(52,250 posts)almost half the country wants to vote republican.
close to 30% would do so enthusiastically if they ran atilla the hun.
another 10% would hold their nose and vote for them anyway.
the remaining 10% is theirs to lose if they keep running the whackadoodle nutjobs.
most of the republicans i talk to are in that last 10%. why they can't just give up on the republicans i have no idea.
but unfortunately i have to agree, all they need to do is some small amount of housecleaning, some rebranding, and they're back in business.
as usual.
I think that your post is !00% correct.
BainsBane
(53,035 posts)Only 32% of Americans now identify themselves as Republican.
unblock
(52,250 posts)they're just too embarrassed to admit that they're really republicans.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)gotta stick with the team.
We have so few bonding experiences in this culture. Your sports team, your religion, your political party give some semblance of community. But that experience is always us vs them.
KharmaTrain
(31,706 posts)On one side you've got Rover and all his big money buddies who will throw money at you if you play their tune. Or...you have the teabaggers who now play gatekeeper in the primaries in a lot of states...piss them off and face a challenger, real ugly campaign and a good chance of losing.
I'm pretty certain we'll see a lot of these slimeballs pretend to be rabid teabaggers while taking Rove's money...selling out the baggers in the end. The fun will be watching them all dance around...wearing each other out and making it easier for Democrats to beat them in 2014...