How Far Right Must GOPers Lean to Please a Crazy Base?

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 7:30 AM on November 17, 2009.

more: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/144010/how_far_right_must_gopers_lean_to_please_a_crazy_base

AN ODD WAY TO SHOW 'LEADERSHIP'.... It's almost tragic to see what a guy has to do to seek the Republican presidential nomination these days.

In the era of tea-party conservatives, is calculatedly veering to the right. Speaking to the Economist in St. Paul, he recently explained that the Earth might be warming but that it is unclear "to what extent that is the result of natural causes."

Pawlenty obviously knows better. We know he knows better because he has a lengthy, public record on environmental issues that bears no resemblance to his new positions. Lee Fang has a terrific timeline, which makes clear that "over the course of the last three years, Pawlenty has gone from an outspoken proponent of clean energy to a Glenn Beck pandering climate change denier." In late 2006, Pawlenty not only sought to reduce carbon emissions, he even promoted a regional cap-and-trade program. In late 2007, he declared climate change "one of the most important of our time."

their raid on the federal treasury. To that end they need to win elections. The only base they have left are the tea baggers and freepers. So they have to cater to the base because that's where the votes that could win elections for them will come from.

But if they were smart, they would quit letting the tail wag the dog until they can build a more moderate base. They will have to tell the tea baggers to go suck some tea bags and forget about them. Then come up with some real workable ideas and develop some real leaders. Stop being the party of no and get back to being a viable party again.

Yet I really hope they continue to screw themselves as they are doing.

they've been so used to to getting over the election hump with 'highly suspect vote counts' under bush & co that just delivered votes to them like the neighborhood pizza joint.

It's called the DLC.

Let them persist in their fevered delusions of a massive Republican *resurgence* and anti-Obama *backlash* and continue to court the nutcase birthers, deathers, teabaggers, etc!
:rofl:

McCain. I am still waiting for some news outlet to finally stick it to McCain for bring a crazy woman to the national scene knowing damn well she wasn't qualified. The republican party has gotten what they deserve, finally.