The GOP's biggest problem?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

The funny thing about that quote is that Coburn (no s) is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the party. So the suggestion that he's the "problem" just underscores how confused the party is.

This is true, Coburn, fiscally speaking, is one of the better GOP senators. DeMint is a pretty good senator too.

I think W. was the biggest problem and that's followed by clowns like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

More Republican Infighting. Romney v. Pawlentry. Isn't there anyway we can get Palin involved ?

"Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has rapidly moved to become a leading voice within the Republican party on health care and, in the process, has taken a series of shots at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's handling of the issue in Massachusetts.

... But, when asked about Pawlenty's repeated jabs at his boss, Romney spokesman Eric Fehnrstrom offered a subtle pushback on the idea that the Massachusetts plan is a recipe for health care disaster.

"There's a reason why states and national health care reformers are copying the Massachusetts health care law, and that's because it works," said Fehrnstrom. 'Mitt Romney is the only governor in history to get insurance coverage to nearly all his citizens. He got the job done.' "

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the...l?wprss=thefix

Is it possible Reagan's Big Tent has finally folded ?

Pawlenty is just jockeying for position in 2012. Pawlenty is a safe, common sense candidate and Romney stands in his way. Pawlenty doesn't need to take shots at Palin or Huckabee because if push came to shove in the primaries and the choice was between Pawlenty and Huckabee/Palin, Pawlenty would win (well, I really hope that's the case). The same can't be said for Pawlenty vs. Romney.

[SloanHater]

What the hell are you talking about? Where am I pouting? Where am I name calling?

This thread speaks volumes about you.

[JohnnyLingo]

This thread speaks volumes about you.

Oh, you were speaking about posts not in this thread. I thought you were accusing me of calling you names and pouting here.

My bad.

[SloanHater]

Pawlenty is just jockeying for position in 2012. Pawlenty is a safe, common sense candidate and Romney stands in his way. Pawlenty doesn't need to take shots at Palin or Huckabee because if push came to shove in the primaries and the choice was between Pawlenty and Huckabee/Palin, Pawlenty would win (well, I really hope that's the case). The same can't be said for Pawlenty vs. Romney.

I just find it interesting that he, along with many other Republicans, are more interested in this type of 'jockeying' while the Party ship is sinking.

[JohnnyLingo]

I just find it interesting that he, along with many other Republicans, are more interested in this type of 'jockeying' while the Party ship is sinking.

You're funny. Republicans used the exact same line about Democrats after they took control of the White House and both Houses. That wasn't the end of the Democratic party any more than it's the end of the Republican party now.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I just find it interesting that he, along with many other Republicans, are more interested in this type of 'jockeying' while the Party ship is sinking.

What do you mean the party's "ship is sinking?" That already happened last November. The generic Congressional vote between Democrats and Republicans is now within a point of each other. Democrats were around 9-10 points ahead at election time. Obama's approval ratings have slipped 10 points in the last 2-3 months. I wouldn't say the sunk ship is sinking anymore, in fact it looks like it's beginning to rise again.

These prognostications about either the democrats or republicans going the way of the dodo are amusing. You can find similar statements about a "permanent GOP majority" being made in 2005.

The democrats have been significantly weakened by the attempted health care reform and its becoming increasingly possible that this topic will be the democratic congressional waterloo that it was back during Clinton's first two years in office.

[SloanHater]

These prognostications about either the democrats or republicans going the way of the dodo are amusing. You can find similar statements about a "permanent GOP majority" being made in 2005.

I apologize for my lack of clarity. I believe the GOP as previously constituted is sinking, if not already sunk. The GOP may be on the rise as you stated, but it is rising without many of the moderates that once called it home.

I agree that neither party will ever cease to exist, but it baffles me that the GOP has so fully embraced this strong shift to the right.. er to the 'conservative.'

The GOP may win a few elections in the short-term, but it is slowly losing swing states and voting blocs with its harsh 'conservative' rhetoric.

[JohnnyLingo]

I apologize for my lack of clarity. I believe the GOP as previously constituted is sinking, if not already sunk. The GOP may be on the rise as you stated, but it is rising without many of the moderates that once called it home.

I agree that neither party will ever cease to exist, but it baffles me that the GOP has so fully embraced this strong shift to the right.. er to the 'conservative.'

The GOP may win a few elections in the short-term, but it is slowly losing swing states and voting blocs with its harsh 'conservative' rhetoric.

So many generalizations, so many "facts" backed up by absolutely nothing.

Is this all you have?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I apologize for my lack of clarity. I believe the GOP as previously constituted is sinking, if not already sunk. The GOP may be on the rise as you stated, but it is rising without many of the moderates that once called it home.

I agree that neither party will ever cease to exist, but it baffles me that the GOP has so fully embraced this strong shift to the right.. er to the 'conservative.'

The GOP may win a few elections in the short-term, but it is slowly losing swing states and voting blocs with its harsh 'conservative' rhetoric.

Again, these statements were also being made by conservatives after the 2004 election. The democrats were "shrill" and alienating all the moderates. Low and behold, the economy takes a nosedive (along with a healthy assist by Congressional GOP members getting too cozy with Abramoff types) and the GOP is completely out of power.

The largest issue by far, and it's not even close, is the economy. The GOP looked like they bungled matters greatly and they got trounced in the last two elections. Connected to the economy is an issue like health care. The democrats are making an enormous mistake right now by first enacting a huge stimulus bill from which no one right now sees any benefit and then now by trying to completely overhaul health care. So, they first made people start worrying about deficits and future high taxes by passing an enormous spending bill from which the people have seen no benefit, now they're making things worse by attempting to rush through incredibly expensive and far reaching health care legislation.

The democrats were elected because the GOP appeared incompetant. It's not because everyone thought the GOP were a bunch of religious, far right nuts. I'm sure that means a lot to someone like you, but it doesn't make much of a difference to the working class voters in places like Ohio and Western Pennsylvania and the fence sitters in Florida. What the independent voters saw was corruption and incompetance and there was a perception that it at least partially led to the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Now, I do believe that it's true that the GOP won't come out of the wilderness by continually harping on socially conservative issues which become largely irrelevant during hard economic times. The GOP's focus should be on correcting it's image of incompetance. Fortunately for the GOP, the democrats have taken the ball and ran with it far more than the voting public probably hoped for. The GOP is increasingly looking like the voices of reason during the health care debate. Most people see a need for some kind of reform for health care, but far fewer see the need for a complete socialization of health care. A modest reform will win the democrats some accolades while a continual push the completely uproot the system will continue to weaken the president and the democratic party in general.

[SloanHater]

Again, these statements were also being made by conservatives after the 2004 election.

When the GOP squeaked out a Presidential victory and essentially a draw in congressional races ?

More than public sentiment, the Republican Party is fighting against demographics. Census projections almost guarantee that Nevada, Arizona, and Florida will be solidly Democratic states due to the growth in the Hispanic population.

I'm not saying it is impossible for Republicans to return to the White House or the majority, just saying the current undertow to the right isn't helping their cause.

[JohnnyLingo]

More than public sentiment, the Republican Party is fighting against demographics. Census projections almost guarantee that Nevada, Arizona, and Florida will be solidly Democratic states due to the growth in the Hispanic population.

See? You're much more effective when you provide actual arguments, and I happen to agree with this one. While I don't fully understand why Hispanics vote Democrat so overwhelmingly, it's a trend that is undeniable.