Politico: Eve Of Destruction (Republicans Have Reasons To Panic)

[Mad Mike]

But why does it only happen to one party (going to the extreme)? The Dems don't go out and find/nominate moderates and force them to be extra liberal. Why does the GOP take their "centrists and/or moderates" and force  them into being extra conservative to win the nomination?

 

In this case I believe that the party is being driven by the rabid crazy voters on the right that the Koch brothers and crazy libertarians have created with their right wing think tanks and propaganda.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

In this case I believe that the party is being driven by the rabid crazy voters on the right that the Koch brothers and crazy libertarians have created with their right wing think tanks and propaganda.

 

Part of it is the self-reinforcing delusion that is created by the conservative media these days.  I know people will still say that Fox is no worse than the liberal media, but you had guys like Karl Rove refusing to believe that Obama had won at all and predicting Romney landslides the night of the election.

 

I don't want to derail, but FoxNews, Rush, Hannity, whoever.... they are hurting the GOP more than helping because they have created an alternate reality where "everyone thinks Obama is the worst ever," and compromise is weakness.

[Jumbo]

TEG, I hate to use phrases like "lesser of two evils" and here I won't. I do think the dems/left/Obama admin (and I voted for him) have so many serious shortcomings that no one on that side should crow too loudly. I do use harsh analogies this last decade or so---like comparing someone living via armed robbery to a shoplifter, but in the end our country isn't doing nearly as well as it could by many dem/left-leaning folks relying solely on any positive differences dems have over gopers. Dems/left need to push hard for integrity, competency, and honesty in their leaders, too. 

[The Evil Genius]

TEG, I hate to use phrases like "lesser of two evils" and here I won't. I do think the dems/left/Obama admin (and I voted for him) have so many serious shortcomings that no one on that side should crow too loudly. I do use harsh analogies this last decade or so---like comparing someone living via armed robbery to a shoplifter, but in the end our country isn't doing nearly as well as it could by many dem/left-leaning folks relying solely on any positive differences dems have over gopers. Dems/left need to push hard for integrity, competency, and honesty in their leaders, too. 

 

Absolutely (the bolded part).

 

If the GOP would nominate a national candidate who didn't give up on 47% of the voters right out of the gate, then we might have a real competition. But they can't...or won't. They've stubbornly bought into the notion that they are nominating centrists (who aren't) and that those candidates (after a little conservative lipstick) will appeal to "normal" America and get them elected.

[Hersh]

In this case I believe that the party is being driven by the rabid crazy voters on the right that the Koch brothers and crazy libertarians have created with their right wing think tanks and propaganda.

 

Sorta a case in point. A friend sent this to me and I thought it was satire.

 

A significant chunk of Louisiana Republicans evidently believe that

President Barack Obama is to blame for the poor response to the

hurricane that ravaged their state more than three years before he took

office.

The latest survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling,

provided exclusively to TPM, showed an eye-popping divide among

Republicans in the Bayou State when it comes to accountability for the

government's post-Katrina blunders.

Twenty-eight percent said they think former President George W. Bush,

who was in office at the time, was more responsible for the poor

federal response while 29 percent said Obama, who was still a freshman

U.S. Senator when the storm battered the Gulf Coast in 2005, was more

responsible. Nearly half of Louisiana Republicans — 44 percent — said

they aren't sure who to blame.

[twa]

I guess that's one way to say it.  But the problem is the conservative media crushes those people, and they can't win.  Or at least, don't believe they can win.  

 

The better way to say it would be if all of the GOP stopped cowtowing to the most extreme elements of the party behind a microphone.

 

But Rick Perry is not a centrist.  Not even close.

 

if they can't win on their record and beliefs then they do not deserve to win and the liberal media has a field day

 

what is extreme about the former Al Gore supporting Perry?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

TEG, I hate to use phrases like "lesser of two evils" and here I won't. I do think the dems/left/Obama admin (and I voted for him) have so many serious shortcomings that no one on that side should crow too loudly. I do use harsh analogies this last decade or so---like comparing someone living via armed robbery to a shoplifter, but in the end our country isn't doing nearly as well as it could by many dem/left-leaning folks relying solely on any positive differences dems have over gopers. Dems/left need to push hard for integrity, competency, and honesty in their leaders, too. 

 

You're right.  Certainly, the democrats are not perfect either.  I think a lot of voting democrats actually want a good centrist republican that they can at least consider voting for though.  The thing is, there really hasn't been one in a while.  

if they can't win on their record and beliefs then they do not deserve to win and the liberal media has a field day

 

what is extreme about the former Al Gore supporting Perry?

 

I just gave you a bunch of examples.  

 

In addition, isn't he still a climate change denier.  

[twa]

climate change denier?...I'm pretty sure he acknowledges the global cooling underway, most honest people do

 

so because he is not a science denying,child killing panderer he is not centrist LOL

[Tulane Skins Fan]

climate change denier?...I'm pretty sure he acknowledges the global cooling underway, most honest people do

 

so because he is not a science denying,child killing panderer he is not centrist LOL

Wrong. He does not believe in goal warming. I've given you numerous examples now... He is a fringe candidate on the issues.

I know you love him, but there's a reason he is unelectable on a national level.

[Larry]

Deleted post.

[twa]

your examples suck,but they do demonstrate how far from a centrist you are.

[PeterMP]

your examples suck,but they do demonstrate how far from a centrist you are.

Texas hasn't voted for a D for President since 1976.

 

Hasn't had a single Democratic Senator in over 20 years.

 

And hasn't had a Democrat as governor for almost 20 years (and only 16 of the last 40+ years)

 

I'm sorry, but that sort of thing makes it very hard to believe that the current governor is a moderate without even really looking at the issues (and forget climate change what laws related to what gay couples do in their own bed room).

[twa]

Carter left a very bad taste LOL

interesting you think party somehow determines moderate or centrist though

fwiw we have elected many former Dems (including Perry)

The rightwing certainly doesn't think he is one of them,but what would they know

[Larry]

The rightwing certainly doesn't think he is one of them,but what would they know

 

You really shouldn't feed people straight lines like that one.

I seem to recall that somebody posted, today, a survey that says that when LA Republicans were asked who was responsible for the slow federal response to Katrina, more of them blamed Obama than W.

(Wondering if you're now going to come up with some right-wing spin that tries to claim they were right.)

 

The impression I get is that "what the right wing knows" is sometimes amusing, at least if you're into dark comedy. 

[twa]

Larry if you were familiar with folk from Louisiana you wouldn't waste the time on survey results,though they are probably better informed than Detroiters.

But if ya want spin on the survey.....The relief/rebuilding money dried up under O,and for the uninformed it continued to flow for years after Katrina.

funny how that works,just like the unemployment rate outrage is strangely muted under O

add

you might find this funny

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fema-bills-katrina-victims-for-improper-payments-new-law-allows-waivers-for-some/2011/12/29/gIQAjxeOWP_story.html

[Larry]

Larry if you were familiar with folk from Louisiana you wouldn't waste the time on survey results,though they are probably better informed than Detroiters.

But if ya want spin on the survey.....The relief/rebuilding money dried up under O,and for the uninformed it continued to flow for years after Katrina.

funny how that works,just like the unemployment rate outrage is strangely muted under O

 

Really?  You mean, the relief money tapered off, years after the disaster?  Shocking!  Outrage!  Must be Obama's fault! 

 

And funny, I heard oodles of unemployment rate outrage under Obama. 

 

First there was the Republican attempts to claim that we must ignore the traditional methods of measuring whether a recession was over, and must use the unemployment rate, instead.  (Arguments which I seem to recall you making, at the time.) 

 

Then there was the Republican attempts to claim that we need to create a special unemployment rate, just for Obama, so we can make things look worse than the formula we've always used.  (Arguments which, again, I seem to recall you making, at the time.) 

 

Then there were the attempts to claim that you can't count low paying jobs.  (Unless Rick Perry is running for President.  Then, they count.)  (Arguments which, again, I seem to recall you making, at the time.) 

 

But, back on the subject of "What the right wing knows": 

 

I wonder how many of the right wing know that private sector employment, the total number of private sector jobs, not even adjusting for population growth, was lower when W left office, than when he took office?  And that it's been going up, pretty steadily (although, granted, nowhere near as fast as some of us would like) throughout Obama's terms? 

[twa]

Hallelujah we are blessed

a land of milk and honey

I await the Reps utter destruction LOL

[Tulane Skins Fan]

your examples suck,but they do demonstrate how far from a centrist you are.

 

What an intelligent post.  

[Jumbo]

if they can't win on their record and beliefs then they do not deserve to win and the liberal media has a field day

 

what is extreme about the former Al Gore supporting Perry?

 

 

I din't think your "rankings" were that far off---I think a lot of people subconsciously (or consciously, too) "see" the political landscape with at least some of the same bias they apply to political topics in general (wow! ).  

 

Most folks likely label things more from the vantage of their own belief systems as a reference point, than in terms of more objective and informed demographic breakdowns trying to "average out" overall party make-up via it's positions or to "rank" political leaders on the "extremist/centrist" continuum.

 

That is certainly far from an exact science, either of course. Neither is it all tea-leaves and voodoo. There are some pretty sophisticated and accurate understandings available, if not easily so. I don't have any abundance of such understandings, but I have met people who do. 

[Mad Mike]

your examples suck,but they do demonstrate how far from a centrist you are.

 

Says the guy who claims Romney is a centrist. One of the most insanely funny claims I have ever heard.

 

But speaking of texas and funny....

 

How Texas Republicans Are Preparing America for the Apocalypse | Elford Alley

 

It seems more and more Americans are starting to disapprove of the way Republicans are legislating. But that's just because they don't know what Republican lawmakers know: The end is near, people. They know that western civilization has had a good run, but that the party has to end sometime. So, instead of allowing their constituents to live in a bubble of quality education and ample healthcare, they've decided to do the noble thing and prepare us for the nuclear fall-out infused hellscape to come! In Texas, with a Republican dominated state government, they can finally show us the way:

Dumbing down education. For the children.

The first step in preparing our children for the end of days is education. Specifically, getting them ready for a total lack of it. You need to learn survival, and you won't get that through cushy jobs provided by a quality education. Quick! Name five ways to turn a three-day-old dog corpse into a delicious snack. Ha. Bet you couldn't list more than two. That's why Republicans cut over $5 billion in funding from Texas' public schools. So, with thousands of teachers laid off, a ranking of 43rd in high school graduation rates, 45th in SAT rates, and with 1 out of 4 children living in poverty, Texas will soon have an entire generation ready to battle the race of deformed mutants sure to overtake our cities after the smoke clears.

 

follow the link for more.

[Larry]

I din't think your "rankings" were that far off---I think a lot of people subconsciously (or consciously, too) "see" the political landscape with at least some of the same bias they apply to political topics in general (wow! ).

Most folks likely label things more from the vantage of their own belief systems as a reference point, than in terms of more objective and informed demographic breakdowns trying to "average out" overall party make-up via it's positions or to "rank" political leaders on the "extremist/centrist" continuum.

That is certainly far from an exact science, either of course. Neither is it all tea-leaves and voodoo. There are some pretty sophisticated and accurate understandings available, if not easily so. I don't have any abundance of such understandings, but I have met people who do.

As is often the case, having trouble following this post.

Is that a complicated way of saying "almost everybody assumes he's a moderate, and then labels everybody else accordingly"?

[Larry]

follow the link for more.

Assuming that you quoted the best part, why?

[Jumbo]

Do whatever you can or want to with the words chosen, Larry.  

[The Evil Genius]

You know...every time I see this thread title I get the Barry McGuire version stuck in my head...

 

Yeah, my blood's so mad feels like coagulatin'
I'm sitting here just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation.
Handful of senators don't pass legislation
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're on the eve 

of destruction.

 

[Jumbo]

I think I've used Eve of Destruction about 15-20 times on here over the years