Intropsection. Or, if the Republicans take power, what

[OCinBuffalo]

Almost unbelievably, given 2008, it's becoming clear that the Republicans have a better than average chance of taking the House and Senate. There is a going to be a slaughter in the Governor's races. Same with State legislatures, and this is bigger than most elections because of census redistricting. Right or wrong, the rules are that the party in power, in most states, gets to determine the Congressional districts, which sets up Republican control of Congress for the next 10 years. All of this is available at any political site, so feel free to look it up, and don't pester me with link requests. Yes, it is common knowledge, and 5 minutes at RCP confirms this.

 

My questions are:

 

1. It's up for debate as to whether the Republicans should be old school conservative or try another round of neo-conservatism. To define it simply: an old school conservative would never have supported the Iraq War, while a neo-con sees nation building as a tool to protect/advance American interests.

 

Which do you think is better for the country?

 

2. It seems clear that social issues only come to the forefront when the economy, etc. are doing so well that nobody has anything else to talk about(read: start trouble with if you are the minority party).

 

Should the Republicans bow to the religious....um, fervent people, and spend any time on their social issues, or, should they focus like a laser on the economy and the wars, and ignore them, even if the economy/wars get better?

 

3. Should there be a new "Contract with America", as in, a specifically defined document that outlines exactly what they propose to do, and, that serves as a performance indicator?

 

4. Should Republicans take a "Bushido" approach when it comes to Federal entitlement programs? As in, should they simply say "we are going to fix/reform/remove these programs for the good of the country, even if it costs us our careers"? Would that approach be as suicidal as it seems, or, would it be accepted, an even admired, by the people?

 

5. Can the Republicans define themselves, as they did so effectively in 1980-87 and 1994-2002 as the party of common sense solutions and rational approaches? What would you have to see to believe that about them? Or, is the "class warfare" argument still too strong?

 

It comes down to Introspection. This is a word that is foreign to most liberals. Only a few good ones, like James Carville/Paul Begala, actually know what it means, never mind bothering to actually spend any effort on it. Will the Republicans admit their mistakes and learn from them? Or, will things actually be as Obama would have us believe, and will it be the same thing all over again?

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

They will impeach Obama. They have no program, no ideas and nothing to govern on. Almost half of Republicans think Obama is not a citizen and people like Rush Limbo are saying he is a communist. Ya, they will try.

[OCinBuffalo]

They will impeach Obama. They have no program, no ideas and nothing to govern on. Almost half of Republicans think Obama is not a citizen and people like Rush Limbo are saying he is a communist. Ya, they will try.

Do you really think that anybody believes this crap? Do you really think that people will be looking at what happens on an am radio show, or what some questionable poll says, instead of Obama's performance in office?

 

These things don't even qualify as straws to grasp at. More like, impressions of straws. Yes, that's it! This is an impressionist's view of grasping at straws. This abstract painting also has Biden's head up Hillary's ass, but his lips are stretching out far away from this grotesque construct, as a representation of his usual form of speech: talking out other people's asses. Meanwhile, poor old Leon Panetta sits in the corner in abject sorrow, wondering how he has gone from re-election in 1996 to this surrealistic existence.

[IDBillzFan]

Almost half of Republicans think Obama is not a citizen and people like Rush Limbo are saying he is a communist.

Actually, 1 in 4 people believe Obama is not a citizen, which is precisely the number of people who believe 9/11 was a Bush conspiracy.

 

But I gotta hand it to you, Conner...regardless of your username, you really stay on point.

[Doc]

They will impeach Obama. They have no program, no ideas and nothing to govern on. Almost half of Republicans think Obama is not a citizen and people like Rush Limbo are saying he is a communist. Ya, they will try.

Impeach him? Based on what?

[3rdnlng]

Impeach him? Based on what?

 

You could start with not securing our borders and usurping the Constitution. After all, he is sworn to uphold the Constitution.

[Adam]

Almost unbelievably, given 2008, it's becoming clear that the Republicans have a better than average chance of taking the House and Senate. There is a going to be a slaughter in the Governor's races. Same with State legislatures, and this is bigger than most elections because of census redistricting. Right or wrong, the rules are that the party in power, in most states, gets to determine the Congressional districts, which sets up Republican control of Congress for the next 10 years. All of this is available at any political site, so feel free to look it up, and don't pester me with link requests. Yes, it is common knowledge, and 5 minutes at RCP confirms this.

 

My questions are:

 

1. It's up for debate as to whether the Republicans should be old school conservative or try another round of neo-conservatism. To define it simply: an old school conservative would never have supported the Iraq War, while a neo-con sees nation building as a tool to protect/advance American interests.

 

Which do you think is better for the country?

 

2. It seems clear that social issues only come to the forefront when the economy, etc. are doing so well that nobody has anything else to talk about(read: start trouble with if you are the minority party).

 

Should the Republicans bow to the religious....um, fervent people, and spend any time on their social issues, or, should they focus like a laser on the economy and the wars, and ignore them, even if the economy/wars get better?

 

3. Should there be a new "Contract with America", as in, a specifically defined document that outlines exactly what they propose to do, and, that serves as a performance indicator?

 

4. Should Republicans take a "Bushido" approach when it comes to Federal entitlement programs? As in, should they simply say "we are going to fix/reform/remove these programs for the good of the country, even if it costs us our careers"? Would that approach be as suicidal as it seems, or, would it be accepted, an even admired, by the people?

 

5. Can the Republicans define themselves, as they did so effectively in 1980-87 and 1994-2002 as the party of common sense solutions and rational approaches? What would you have to see to believe that about them? Or, is the "class warfare" argument still too strong?

 

It comes down to Introspection. This is a word that is foreign to most liberals. Only a few good ones, like James Carville/Paul Begala, actually know what it means, never mind bothering to actually spend any effort on it. Will the Republicans admit their mistakes and learn from them? Or, will things actually be as Obama would have us believe, and will it be the same thing all over again?

Why do they have to be so defined? If groups splinter off, all the better.

 

The more choices we have, the better the country can become. The two-party system has been a complete and utter failure

[RkFast]

You could start with not securing our borders and usurping the Constitution. After all, he is sworn to uphold the Constitution.

 

Ladies and gemmen...the right-wing conner.

[3rdnlng]

Ladies and gemmen...the right-wing conner.

 

What are you, stalking me now? You are comparing me to Conner? I'm not going to get into another pissing contest with you. I'm tired of your meaningless dribble and unfunny attempts at humor.

[DC Tom]

You could start with not securing our borders and usurping the Constitution. After all, he is sworn to uphold the Constitution.

 

You can do that with just about ANY recent president.

[3rdnlng]

You can do that with just about ANY recent president.

 

I don't disagree with you at all. It doesn't change the fact that this President is finding any loophole he can to ram his agenda down our throats. Now they're talking about passing legislation that the American people just plain don't want in a lame duck session if they lose control of Congress. Obama will be behind it too.

[Adam]

I don't disagree with you at all. It doesn't change the fact that this President is finding any loophole he can to ram his agenda down our throats. Now they're talking about passing legislation that the American people just plain don't want in a lame duck session if they lose control of Congress. Obama will be behind it too.

Is it Obama we should be mad at, or the American people, themselves? We put the politicians in office, then blame them for everything......where is the accountability.

[Alaska Darin]

I don't disagree with you at all. It doesn't change the fact that this President is finding any loophole he can to ram his agenda down our throats. Now they're talking about passing legislation that the American people just plain don't want in a lame duck session if they lose control of Congress. Obama will be behind it too.

Following in the footsteps of the previous administration. Almost scary, huh?

[OCinBuffalo]

Is it Obama we should be mad at, or the American people, themselves? We put the politicians in office, then blame them for everything......where is the accountability.

Ok, anybody who voted for Obama solely because he was black(identity people), or, because voting for a black guy made them feel good/superior/etc.(liberal white guilt people), while spending exactly 0 time examining his qualifications and balancing his lack of executive experience and his lack of tangible success in any field....against his unique charismatic drive and the potential of that....are utter morons. Each deserves a kick in the crotch.

 

There. Oh...wait...that didn't solve anything.

 

He said he could do the job, and clearly, he can't. You can't blame the people who legitimately believed him after careful consideration.

[Adam]

Ok, anybody who voted for Obama solely because he was black(identity people), or, because voting for a black guy made them feel good/superior/etc.(liberal white guilt people), while spending exactly 0 time examining his qualifications and balancing his lack of executive experience and his lack of tangible success in any field....against his unique charismatic drive and the potential of that....are utter morons. Each deserves a kick in the crotch.

 

There. Oh...wait...that didn't solve anything.

 

He said he could do the job, and clearly, he can't. You can't blame the people who legitimately believed him after careful consideration.

Not what I meant- America elected him. They couldn't come up with another candidate in this wonderful two-party system.

 

To be honest, I don't think that he is incompetent, nor was Bush. I think we have made our government so bureaucratic that the job can't be done. There is a solution, but people would cry "lunatic" to anyone who suggests it.

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

Actually, 1 in 4 people believe Obama is not a citizen, which is precisely the number of people who believe 9/11 was a Bush conspiracy.

 

But I gotta hand it to you, Conner...regardless of your username, you really stay on point.

 

On President Barack Obama’s birthday, a new CNN/Opinion Research released Wednesday shows 41 percent of Republicans believe Obama was “probably” or “definitely” born in another country.

 

The poll of 1,018 adults shows 27 percent of Americans believe the president was “probably” or “definitely” born in another country, compared with 71 percent who think he was born in the United States.

 

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40644.html

 

And a vast majority of those 25% are the crazy base of the GOP. It's even worse if you just look at the South:

 

 

Dixie may once have been the so-called land of cotton, but it has become the cradle of creeping Birtherism. According to a new poll from Research 2000 (commissioned by Daily Kos), a majority of Southerners either believe that Barack Obama was not born in the United States (23 percent) or are not sure (30 percent). Only 47 percent of Southern respondents believe Obama was born in the USA. By contrast, 93 percent of Northeasterns said yes, he was born here, 90 percent of Midwesterners did and 87 percent of Westerners.

 

Wow.

 

And while 93 percent of Democrats say he was born in the country and 83 percent of Independents, the figure is only 42 percent for Republicans. A majority of Republicans either believe he was born abroad (28 percent) or don't know (30 percent).

 

This is no secret. I suppose Fox didn't mention this much, but most other news outlets did mention it

 

 

Yes, impeachment will be hard to hold back once the Media Stars of the Conservatives get moving on it. Obama will forget to salute the Marine when he gets off a plane, and BINGO!! "The worst crime committed against the Constitution EVER!!"

[Adam]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40644.html

 

And a vast majority of those 25% are the crazy base of the GOP. It's even worse if you just look at the South:

 

 

 

 

This is no secret. I suppose Fox didn't mention this much, but most other news outlets did mention it

 

 

Yes, impeachment will be hard to hold back once the Media Stars of the Conservatives get moving on it. Obama will forget to salute the Marine when he gets off a plane, and BINGO!! "The worst crime committed against the Constitution EVER!!"

Obama was born in this country. That's how it is.

 

Bush had nothing to do with 9/11. That's how it is.

 

MORE than 1 out of 4 Americans are morons. That's how it is.

[DC Tom]

Obama was born in this country. That's how it is.

 

Bush had nothing to do with 9/11. That's how it is.

 

MORE than 1 out of 4 Americans are morons. That's how it is.

 

But Dave's morons are better than Wacka's.

 

And back to the original post...does anyone honestly believe that the Republicans, if they get control of Congress, will do anything more productive than demonize the Democrats?

[Alaska Darin]

But Dave's morons are better than Wacka's.

 

And back to the original post...does anyone honestly believe that the Republicans, if they get control of Congress, will do anything more productive than demonize the Democrats?

Depends on what you mean by productive. By my definition? No.

[IDBillzFan]

Obama was born in this country. That's how it is.

 

Bush had nothing to do with 9/11. That's how it is.

 

MORE than 1 out of 4 Americans are morons. That's how it is.

And Conner once again is missing the point.

 

That's how it is.