How Do Conservative Democrats Differ From Republicans?

[PearlHowardman]

If I'm a conservative Republican and my newly elected member of congress is a conservative Democrat should I really be upset? Listening to conservative Democrats they sound like Republicans to me. Especially the conservative Democrats from the South, Mid-West, and West.

 

I saw the map of USA counties - which ones were red and which ones were blue for the 2008 Presidential election. I realized that they might all be a conservative purple color, not red and blue.

 

And if Obama governs from the Center, who really lost in the 2008 Presidential election? Liberals?

[IDBillzFan]

Oh, man. I've had a long day, and someone suggesting that Obama could possibly govern from the center is just the laugh I needed to end the day.

 

That's for the chuckle.

[YellowLinesandArmadillos]

If I'm a conservative Republican and my newly elected member of congress is a conservative Democrat should I really be upset? Listening to conservative Democrats they sound like Republicans to me. Especially the conservative Democrats from the South, Mid-West, and West.

 

I saw the map of USA counties - which ones were red and which ones were blue for the 2008 Presidential election. I realized that they might all be a conservative purple color, not red and blue.

 

And if Obama governs from the Center, who really lost in the 2008 Presidential election? Liberals?

Depends on the issue. Actually, I would argue the losers are Republicans and the wingnuts on both sides. Labor will probably be helped, enviros and diversity issues. But from a budget standpoint and to a lesser extent tax side of things it will be moderate with progressive priorities despite the budget limitations.

[StupidNation]

Depends on the issue. Actually, I would argue the losers are Republicans and the wingnuts on both sides. Labor will probably be helped, enviros and diversity issues. But from a budget standpoint and to a lesser extent tax side of things it will be moderate with progressive priorities despite the budget limitations.

 

Slightly different take...

 

Labor will be hurt and you will see more out-sourcing unless Obama has the guts to gut NAFTA and other managed trade agreements which aren't free at all.

 

Enviros and lawyers get a big boost. Perversity, oops diversity, will definitely increase.

 

I think his election helps conservatives, but hurts the GOP. The GOP will be more conservative because of him, but they won't actually become conservative with there strong neo-con footing of perpetual war and big spending. I think the GOP will attempt to capitalize on making Obama the boogey-man to appear to be conservative.

 

I honestly believe this next few years will either throw this country into a liberal bastion of education and media, or turn on itself to the GOP in a major way. Either way Americans are screwed until the issues are less about right and left and what is more sound.

 

I really don't see any difference between a conservative Dem and a Republican. Bob Conley, who ran for Senate as a Dem, was far more conservative than Lindsey Graham. Most conservatives voted Lindsey because of the "R" next to his name.

[PearlHowardman]

I really don't see any difference between a conservative Dem and a Republican. Bob Conley, who ran for Senate as a Dem, was far more conservative than Lindsey Graham. Most conservatives voted Lindsey because of the "R" next to his name.

 

Kind of what I was thinking. But I may have spoken a day too soon regarding Obama governing from the center.

[SD Jarhead]

A great example of a 'new' Democrat that I would support is Jim Webb. I read his book "A Time to Fight" and really like his viewpoint. It's a good read about where he feels Republicans have gone wrong.

[StupidNation]

Kind of what I was thinking. But I may have spoken a day too soon regarding Obama governing from the center.

 

Sadly, he's a radical in moderate's clothing. If you study his positions, his beliefs, his theology and philosophy he's not a moderate. Still, he's my president and I have hope in him to do the right thing. When or if he doesn't I hope to be level-headed in my criticisms.

 

My biggest hope is his promise not to have lobbyists run the White House. If he could just pull that off and moderate spending I would be happy considering his background and personal beliefs.

[PearlHowardman]

Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve, has been nominated by Obama to be his treasury secretary.

 

"If nominated and confirmed by the Senate, Geithner, 47, would assume chief responsibility for tackling an economic slowdown and credit crunch that threaten to create the deepest recession in more than a generation. In his current post in New York, he has played a key role in the government's response to the financial crisis and has worked closely with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve.

 

"As a Treasury Department official during the Clinton administration, Geithner (pronounced GITE-ner) dealt with international financial crises and played a major part in negotiating assistance packages for South Korea and Brazil.

 

"Lawrence Summers, a former treasury secretary and one-time Harvard University president, was being considered as an economic adviser. Economic posts also seemed likely for Obama's top two economic advisers during his campaign, Austan Goolsbee and Jason Furman."

 

I don't think these guys are liberals! Conservatives?

[/dev/null]

A great example of a 'new' Democrat that I would support is Jim Webb. I read his book "A Time to Fight" and really like his viewpoint. It's a good read about where he feels Republicans have gone wrong.

 

He's one of those Conservative Blue Dogs that is allowed to be a Conservative Blue Dog when the majority has enough votes to pass their legislation without him. But when a vote is close he'll fall into line

[The Dean]

If I'm a conservative Republican and my newly elected member of congress is a conservative Democrat should I really be upset? Listening to conservative Democrats they sound like Republicans to me. Especially the conservative Democrats from the South, Mid-West, and West.

 

I saw the map of USA counties - which ones were red and which ones were blue for the 2008 Presidential election. I realized that they might all be a conservative purple color, not red and blue.

 

And if Obama governs from the Center, who really lost in the 2008 Presidential election? Liberals?

 

 

 

Oh, man. I've had a long day, and someone suggesting that Obama could possibly govern from the center is just the laugh I needed to end the day.

 

That's for the chuckle.

 

 

I think it is fairly clear that Obama will rule from the center. (Of course, that depends on what you believe the center to be.) That should be obvious by his choice of advisers. Warren Buffet, Paul Volcker and guys like T. Boone Pickens are not high profile liberals.

 

In my lifetime the country has moved steadily rightward. Democrats that used to be legitimate national presidential candidates (McGovern, McCarthy, Udall) would be considered FAR LEFT, now. In fact, the idea that some called Clinton "liberal" is laughable. A liberal wouldn't have championed NAFTA, a liberal wouldn't have allowed the unregulated mergers of giant corporations, without some overview...and I could go on.

 

Now, depending on what kind of "conservative Republican" you are, there may be changes you don't like. Obama is certainly socially progressive (but, he has even toned that down, with his refusal to fully back same sex marriage), so don't expect the goosestep march back to the days of Ozzie and Harriet to continue. Of course, in my mind at least, social conservatism pretty much = racism/bigotry/sexism. The biggest difference you will find is that the Religious Right will hold less sway with the administration, and that has to be a GREAT change. But, if that worries you, I wouldn't be too worried, as the Religious Right is still powerful, has a lot of influence in Congress and with big business...but, at least during Obama's reign, they won't have a complicit President.

 

But, if you pay attention to many here on PPP, there will simply be NO change. Everything will stay exactly as it is. That's what eyrnthered says. So, if you like the way it is now, you should be happy. But, of course they are wrong. There will be some change. Just don't expect a revolution, as none was promised.

[Max Fischer]

I think it is fairly clear that Obama will rule from the center. (Of course, that depends on what you believe the center to be.) That should be obvious by his choice of advisers. Warren Buffet, Paul Volcker and guys like T. Boone Pickens are not high profile liberals.

 

In my lifetime the country has moved steadily rightward. Democrats that used to be legitimate national presidential candidates (McGovern, McCarthy, Udall) would be considered FAR LEFT, now. In fact, the idea that some called Clinton "liberal" is laughable. A liberal wouldn't have championed NAFTA, a liberal wouldn't have allowed the unregulated mergers of giant corporations, without some overview...and I could go on.

 

Now, depending on what kind of "conservative Republican" you are, there may be changes you don't like. Obama is certainly socially progressive (but, he has even toned that down, with his refusal to fully back same sex marriage), so don't expect the goosestep march back to the days of Ozzie and Harriet to continue. Of course, in my mind at least, social conservatism pretty much = racism/bigotry/sexism. The biggest difference you will find is that the Religious Right will hold less sway with the administration, and that has to be a GREAT change. But, if that worries you, I wouldn't be too worried, as the Religious Right is still powerful, has a lot of influence in Congress and with big business...but, at least during Obama's reign, they won't have a complicit President.

 

But, if you pay attention to many here on PPP, there will simply be NO change. Everything will stay exactly as it is. That's what eyrnthered says. So, if you like the way it is now, you should be happy. But, of course they are wrong. There will be some change. Just don't expect a revolution, as none was promised.

 

Good analysis. Obama hasn't taken power and he's already driving these guys mad because by all indications he's not going to easily fall into their right-wing radio world view. "He's a socialist!!!"

[/dev/null]

I think it is fairly clear that Obama will rule from the center. (Of course, that depends on what you believe the center to be.) That should be obvious by his choice of advisers. Warren Buffet, Paul Volcker and guys like T. Boone Pickens are not high profile liberals.

 

In my lifetime the country has moved steadily rightward. Democrats that used to be legitimate national presidential candidates (McGovern, McCarthy, Udall) would be considered FAR LEFT, now. In fact, the idea that some called Clinton "liberal" is laughable. A liberal wouldn't have championed NAFTA, a liberal wouldn't have allowed the unregulated mergers of giant corporations, without some overview...and I could go on.

 

Now, depending on what kind of "conservative Republican" you are, there may be changes you don't like. Obama is certainly socially progressive (but, he has even toned that down, with his refusal to fully back same sex marriage), so don't expect the goosestep march back to the days of Ozzie and Harriet to continue. Of course, in my mind at least, social conservatism pretty much = racism/bigotry/sexism. The biggest difference you will find is that the Religious Right will hold less sway with the administration, and that has to be a GREAT change. But, if that worries you, I wouldn't be too worried, as the Religious Right is still powerful, has a lot of influence in Congress and with big business...but, at least during Obama's reign, they won't have a complicit President.

 

But, if you pay attention to many here on PPP, there will simply be NO change. Everything will stay exactly as it is. That's what eyrnthered says. So, if you like the way it is now, you should be happy. But, of course they are wrong. There will be some change. Just don't expect a revolution, as none was promised.

 

Good point on the "liberal democrat" candidate vs the "conservative Republican" candidate

 

The last real "conservative Republican" President was Reagan.

Reagan was so far to the right of what was expected and such a successful "conservative" that the following Republicans wanted to be so conservative that they out-conservative'd Reagan

Reagan was so far to the right of what was expected and such a successful "conservative" that the following Democrats wanted to "change" that so they ran against the conservatives

 

The "Conservatives" (GHWB, Gingrich, and GWB) overstepped their "Conservative" base and the Democrats (Clinton and the DLC) underestimated the center-right trend of the country

 

What ended up happening was the Conservative candidate representing the majority over-extended and the Liberal candidate moved more to the center-right

 

If Obama "pulls a Clinton" and governs from the center-right I will support him (as long as he doesn't commit any felonies in the Oval Orafice). I won't trust Obama any more than I can throw Slick Willy or George W. But as long as he understand the country he is governing, I will support him as much as I have supported George W Bush, Bill Clinton, George HW Bush, Reagan, and Carter....ie all Presidents during my lifetime

[Bishop Hedd]

If I'm a conservative Republican and my newly elected member of congress is a conservative Democrat should I really be upset? Listening to conservative Democrats they sound like Republicans to me. Especially the conservative Democrats from the South, Mid-West, and West.

 

I saw the map of USA counties - which ones were red and which ones were blue for the 2008 Presidential election. I realized that they might all be a conservative purple color, not red and blue.

 

And if Obama governs from the Center, who really lost in the 2008 Presidential election? Liberals?

 

That was all Howard Dean's idea. Having a Democrat party that would appeal to the...sorry...lcd, while still encompassing the north eastern efette snobs, previously the republican party's domain. He obviously succeded so I guess he has the last "YEEEEEAAAAAH'!

[Dr. Fong]

How about just stop worrying about labels and try to figure out who the hell is going to get into office and look out for our country rather than themselves.