Comments on: Who Will Survive?

By: Chester

Chester — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:31:36 +0000

I think it has become apparent that “the traditional GOP strength on both economic management and foreign policy/defence (sic) leadership” was all just marketing. It wasn’t eroded by the Democrats or Bush or McCain but by people’s realization that there was nothing behind the bluster.

By: tenaciousd

tenaciousd — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:14:32 +0000

I’m glad I have family members who can attest to it, but I once told the more radically liberal elements of my family to be thankful for Bush. If there were going to be a Republican takeover of Washington, then Bush, Delay, et al. were exactly the men you wanted in charge. They’ve done more for the Democrats than they could ever have done for themselves. It’s going to be a come-uppance of Biblical proportions.

By: angela

angela — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:42:22 +0000

Itâ€™s exactly this balls over brains approach thatâ€™s put the GOP in this soup.

Nonsense. You might be mistaking “spine” for “hubris” in which case we agree.

If you think the GOP needs to move even farther left to regain control, then there’s really not much point in even having a GOP. We’ll just be like China, a 1 party system.

Enough with the new federal programs, departments and deficits. We have far too many entitlements, and too much interference in our daily lives. Somebody needs to say “No” when the socialists and the corporations come begging.

If they have no interest in that, then I have no interest in them.

By: Xanthippas

Xanthippas — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:35:11 +0000

Daily Kos should thank Bush every day for making the Republican Party poison.

Well, I wouldn’t go that far. Most of us would be content with a more divided government if it meant that a more competent and less harmful administration had been in power the last eight years.

By: mbtogut

mbtogut — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:14:12 +0000

I can’t shed too many tears about the Republican meltdown, given the politics of division they’ve practiced at the national level for so many years now. The party of Rove is getting it’s just desserts and needs to be rebuilt from the bottom-up.

By: Derek Copold

Derek Copold — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:42:26 +0000

We need Republicans with spines.

It’s exactly this balls over brains approach that’s put the GOP in this soup.

By: angela

angela — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:29:21 +0000

I wish the media would thrash the people who stereotype and disparage “rednecks” as hard as they do Bachmann. I am so tired of “America the thin skinned” I could throw up.

I am as conservative as you’ll get and I am not voting R this year. My rep even correctly voted against the bailout, but for the wrong reasons, so I am done with him too.

We don’t need any more open minded Republicans. We need Republicans with spines. We need to redemonize socialism, and take back our country and our freedoms.

By: kitstolz

kitstolz — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:23:01 +0000

I agree that McConnell will probably squeak out a win, for one, and suspect that Lungren has a better than even chance.

But note that so many of the other threatened GOP names are known for their outrageousness — Sali, Bachman, Rohrabacher, Shadegg.

The Overton Window has closed on the far right. Republicans who survive this election will be a quieter group, perhaps even more thoughtful, more open-minded.

This election won’t be good for the party in the short run, but in the long run could be good both for the GOP and the nation. We can hope.

By: Indya

Indya — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:04:39 +0000

Bachmann deserves exactly what she’s getting, as does anyone else who aids and abets the crazy neo-McCarthyism she proffers or the xenophobic, racist, anti-Muslim smearing. The Republican Party disgraced itself when it permitted such dialogue to go on. I mean, why? When there were such clear differences on the issues, they couldn’t sell them. The truth is that they were just not to be trusted, and they are reaping the whirlwind. They need the wilderness and need it badly.

By: One Lazy Dog

One Lazy Dog — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:57:47 +0000

Right or not, the democrats (w significant support from Bush and McCain) have substantially eroded the traditional GOP strength on both economic management and foreign policy/defence leadership. It took a lot of effort to squander these traditional strengths. I don’t think Obama will create any easy opening for the GOP to re-establish their ‘brand’.

Even though policy purists may decry issues such as universal healthcare as socialism etc etc, the general public may find it much to their tastes (as they find many entitlement programs). It’ll be a long haul for the GOP to re-invent themselves, as they are now on the wrong side on virtually all issues (from a general public point of view).

By: bayesian

bayesian — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:53:58 +0000

Nyx -

Yeah, but I seriously nominate McCain for an assist if not equal credit – this was going to be a horrible cycle for the Reps no matter what, but for the last few months Mr. Maverick hasn’t missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity to make it a little less poisonous – never mind the SAM as long as he can bravely drop his bombs.

By: nyx

nyx — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:08:54 +0000

This is the apocalypse. Daily Kos should thank Bush every day for making the Republican Party poison.