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  #21  
Old 06-11-2014, 11:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie View Post
A few thoughts:

It's interesting that Can't-or gerrymandered himself out of a job. In building what he thought would be a district so conservative he'd never lose, he built one so conservative he couldn't win. Amazing bit of backfire.

It's frightening because it furthers the idea that Republican should never compromise. Can't-or allegedly is ousted because he suggested that just maybe they should find common ground on immigration. Since compromise is what makes democracy work, it's a little scary. I wonder if the American people will continue to support a congress that literally does absolutely nothing, and now, even runs on a promise to do absolutely nothing.

I also wonder if this won't force even more extreme candidates for national office. Republicans already face an electoral math problem. Pushing the party even further right will make that even more difficult to over-come. As a Democrat, I'm tempted to see that as good news. But really it's not. We're watching what is really a very small group of people move the collective conversation further right. It's moving Democrats to the right as well. Look at the health care issue. We enacted the Nixon/Romney solution - what was always seen as the "Republican" plan. Now it's called "So************************m". The only bright spot - if indeed the Republicans move so far to the right they can't win the White House for several more cycles, the Supreme Court will shift and stay that way for a very long time.

I suspect, however, that middle Republicans will start to get tired of the extreme rhetoric at some point. Some already realize that demonizing the fastest growing demographic in the country is political suicide. Someone will come along and find the right combination of language and charisma to convince the base that they need to change. It's not outside the realm of possible that we'll see the Republican party split. If that were to happen, the Tea Hatters would be exposed for what they are - a small, angry, racist faction. The return of a reasonable Republican party would attract a lot of the Independents who left when things started getting so weird.
Well put sir.
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  #22  
Old 06-11-2014, 12:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie View Post
A few thoughts:

It's interesting that Can't-or gerrymandered himself out of a job. In building what he thought would be a district so conservative he'd never lose, he built one so conservative he couldn't win. Amazing bit of backfire.

It's frightening because it furthers the idea that Republican should never compromise. Can't-or allegedly is ousted because he suggested that just maybe they should find common ground on immigration. Since compromise is what makes democracy work, it's a little scary. I wonder if the American people will continue to support a congress that literally does absolutely nothing, and now, even runs on a promise to do absolutely nothing.

I also wonder if this won't force even more extreme candidates for national office. Republicans already face an electoral math problem. Pushing the party even further right will make that even more difficult to over-come. As a Democrat, I'm tempted to see that as good news. But really it's not. We're watching what is really a very small group of people move the collective conversation further right. It's moving Democrats to the right as well. Look at the health care issue. We enacted the Nixon/Romney solution - what was always seen as the "Republican" plan. Now it's called "So************************m". The only bright spot - if indeed the Republicans move so far to the right they can't win the White House for several more cycles, the Supreme Court will shift and stay that way for a very long time.

I suspect, however, that middle Republicans will start to get tired of the extreme rhetoric at some point. Some already realize that demonizing the fastest growing demographic in the country is political suicide. Someone will come along and find the right combination of language and charisma to convince the base that they need to change. It's not outside the realm of possible that we'll see the Republican party split. If that were to happen, the Tea Hatters would be exposed for what they are - a small, angry, racist faction. The return of a reasonable Republican party would attract a lot of the Independents who left when things started getting so weird.
Making the legislature dysfunctional can create a "crisis." I know of a party in Europe, in the early 30's, that included sabotaging the legislature as part of its successful bid to sieze power....

The demographic disaster happening to the Republicans at the national level may be spurring some to contemplate drastic solutions. Perhaps there is some thought in dark corners that radical change can happen in a crisis.
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  #23  
Old 06-11-2014, 12:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donquixote99 View Post
Making the legislature dysfunctional can create a "crisis." I know of a party in Europe, in the early 30's, that included sabotaging the legislature as part of its successful bid to sieze power....

The demographic disaster happening to the Republicans at the national level may be spurring some to contemplate drastic solutions. Perhaps there is some thought in dark corners that radical change can happen in a crisis.
Who knows - they might start pointing guns at federal agents or shooting cops.
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  #24  
Old 06-11-2014, 01:02 PM
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It's just a few very small steps from paramilitaries acting with impunity on the Nevada range, and paramilitaries acting with impunity in other places, and then lots of places....

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  #25  
Old 06-11-2014, 01:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie View Post
Also worth note: Cantor was the only Republican Jew in the House. It would be foolish not to realize that played a role in all this. Christian conservatives haven't been less than vocal about their desire to see Christian dogma instituted into US law. Cantor didn't fit that social agenda.
I

I doubt he being a Jew played a part in his down fall.
Conservatives are the strongest supporters of Zionism/Israel
and some of their biggest money donors are Jewish.

From all reports Cantor was confident and neglected his home base.
It is felt that he probably could have overcome the Obama/immigration
association if he had spent more time in his constituency.

Last edited by Dondilion; 06-11-2014 at 04:25 PM.
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  #26  
Old 06-11-2014, 04:23 PM
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Cantor to step down as majority leader.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...y.html?hpid=z1
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  #27  
Old 06-11-2014, 05:33 PM
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I think Eddie touched on something that I've been wondering about;

Isn't the essence of political Conservatism supposed to be an opposition to extremism/ radicalism of any sort?

Dave
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  #28  
Old 06-11-2014, 05:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dondilion View Post
I

I doubt he being a Jew played a part in his down fall.
Conservatives are the strongest supporters of Zionism/Israel
and some of their biggest money donors are Jewish.

From all reports Cantor was confident and neglected his home base.
It is felt that he probably could have overcome the Obama/immigration
association if he had spent more time in his constituency.
Except I don't believe these people are really "conservative" in the classic sense. Not in the Barry Goldwater/ Ronald Reagan vein, Don. They are more like "right wing radicals", IMO.

Dave
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  #29  
Old 06-11-2014, 05:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donquixote99 View Post
The ability to banish people through ideological attacks always brings certain sorts of personalities to the fore....

Technically, they are called "louts."
Quote:
Originally Posted by donquixote99 View Post
I love it when I hit upon just the right word!
like the new (to me) word I've learned since buying a membership at Planet Fitness; "Lunk", short for "Lunkhead";

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lunkhead

Or as one of the employees told me; "A noisy, obnoxious, and judgmental idiot."

Dave
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  #30  
Old 06-12-2014, 06:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStreak View Post
like the new (to me) word I've learned since buying a membership at Planet Fitness; "Lunk", short for "Lunkhead";

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lunkhead

Or as one of the employees told me; "A noisy, obnoxious, and judgmental idiot."

Dave
e.g., a Republican
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