In the GOP- No longer the minority
Party affiliation with the GOP is dead even with the Democrats for the first time since 2005 according to the most recent Gallup poll, with 32% being hardliners in each and 45% being “leaners” for each.. Honestly, this is a bit of a bummer, because I was looking forward to trying to obtain minority status and therefore extra funding from OSU for being a Republican. This is good news overall, however, because it means many people are no longer giving Obama a free pass, blaming the woes of today on Republicans (Even though Democrats have controlled Congress for the past two and a half years, but 57% of Obama voters got that question wrong so this presumably makes sense).
From the Gitmo flip-flops to Scare Force 9/11 to Pelosi’s lying antics to the huge budget to the continuation of Iraq and Afghanistan to the continuation of the recession to more and more broken campaign promises (Breathe Derek, breathe.) But ultimately this is just the Republican party regaining its footing and the Democrats, well, being Democrats. While Steele isn’t much help, at least most of the party’s affiliates are coming back to the conservative ideology of small government, moving away from Bush’s neoliberal big government mess.
Obama’s approval rating remains steady, sitting close to his regular average of 63% approving and 30% disapproving, but this will soon drop, as a recent poll shows that Americans think it is time for Obama to stop blaming Bush and to start taking responsibility more than 3 to 1. Seeing as how the coming mess of the deficits and inflation now is all on Obama, Obama supporters along with many independents might start jumping ship at a faster rate.
Hot Air gives a few reasons:
They’ve been within a point or two several times but the last month Republicans were dead even with Democrats (including leaners) was June 2005. It’s a huge swing from a month ago too, from 50/39 to 45/45. What gives? I’d love to say it was the tea parties but the April poll was taken several days after the rallies, not before. Nothing major’s happened in the last few weeks that would account for a sudden shift, either. I can only assume that the scope of Obama’s budget and what it means for future deficits has finally started to sink in. And with health care coming to the floor of the House, not a moment too soon.
Another recent Gallu[ poll shows that a majority of Americans are pro-life than pro-choice for the first time in more than a decade (Presumably longer, but the polling data only goes back 15 years.) This coincides with more American’s saying they want less government involvement in their lives and the overall favorable view of the tea parties.
Is this the shift I’ve been praying for? Is this the end of the zombie pandemic? Seeing as how the shift came shortly after the start of my blog, I think I’ll go ahead and claim this as my victory.
Party affiliation is such a joke and the populace is so uninformed/misinformed I would take more credence and confidence in my party NOT being embraced by the ignorant voting community.
“While Steele isn’t much help, at least most of the party’s affiliates are coming back to the conservative ideology of small government”
Well the first part is correct. Steele needs to realize that sitting on Faux News and being quoted saying dumb things doesn’t help anyone. However I take issue with this second part and actually chuckled a bit. Unless you’re suggesting virtually all members of the party did a complete 180, I think you’re mistaken. Early last year the National Taxpayers Union ranked all candidates of both party primaries based on their proposals and congressional/state records. All but one Republican received an F if my memory serves me right and I imagine you know who that is(He was given a 96%). McCain’s bloated budget was criticized by virtually every taxpayer group and rightfully so, we would see rampant overspending with him and Palin in the White House as well, one reason why party affiliation is a false dichotomy and idiotic ideal to follow.
The two parties are virtually the same. The Republicans aren’t small government fiscal conservatives anymore, especially not the ones who “head” the fallen party. No true conservative would even consider voting for McCain.
“Unless you’re suggesting virtually all members of the party did a complete 180, I think you’re mistaken.”
Not all of them were such big government supporters, at least not when compared to the Democrats. When compared to Ron Paul maybe, but they were moving in the direction of big government and now are on there way back.
“one reason why party affiliation is a false dichotomy and idiotic ideal to follow.”
Something in its natural state cannot be called a fallacy. Saying you can only vote for two people is, but there are technically millions of valid candidates. Vote for whom you please, but you should know that if you vote 3rd party when they clearly do not have the support, you are only giving a vote to the winner.
“The two parties are virtually the same”
Now I’m chuckling.
“No true conservative would even consider voting for McCain.”
Unless he is up against Obama, then anyone with half a brain would vote McCain. I’m a poet and I didn’t even realize it.
“Not all of them were such big government supporters, at least not when compared to the Democrats.”
Haha. Such a high honor it is to be less big-government than the party of FDR. All of them were charged, by the NTU, with attempting to increase the nation’s largest budget if elected. Big budgets = big government. Not to mention their unanimous support of such big government measures as the Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, and torture. Neo-conservative is not conservative, quite the opposite although neo-conservatism and neo-liberalism are closely aligned and, considering they are the dominant forces at work in the two parties, the two parties are therefore virtually the same (besides on petty social issues which they would lead you to believe are deciding differences).
An interventionist foreign policy, Keynesian economics, bloated budgets and government overspending, welfare state and police state measures domestically, absolutely no monetary policy, almost unanimous support of the: Patriot Act, REAL ID Act, Military Commissions Act, war funding, and Bush’s budgets. Do I really need to go on listing similarities? Sure they pretend to differ within each ideology (invade this country, not that one!, let the Fed artificially inflate interest rates here, not there!, waste money on military blunders, not abortion!) but these aren’t true differences. Unfortunately the false two-party system has convinced people that such minor and inconsequential differences are to decide their vote and our nation continues to slide.
Learn principles, not party loyalty. Or do your principles just echo the party slogan? Congratulations on being yet another party sheep, I’m sure your party will reward your baseless support with more of the same.
Wow, that last one was definitely not Justin Higgins. BTW apparently he doesn’t know how your philosophy works. Otherwise he’d know your ideas are quite different. I applaud you for pointing out this party affiliation story though, as this applies to ELECTORAL POLITICS. You have to know what your voting base is, and it is very important to consider party support because the Republican Party has always been more friendly to Conservative Libertarianism, for as long as I have followed politics.
“the two parties are therefore virtually the same ”
Taxes: Republican agenda- cut them, Democratic agenda- raise them
Budget: Republican agenda- spend as little as possible and try to balance the budget, Democratic agenda- shop til you drop
Guns: Republican agenda- respect the 2nd Amendment and keep your guns, Democratic agenda- ban numerous guns while upping taxes and regulations to make the other firearms unattainable or unusable
Abortion: Republican agenda- Most are prostates rights, but many believe it should be a felony, ergo, they want it to be illegal. Democratic agenda- free abortions paid for by yours truly.
Overall, Republicans have a much stronger respect for government than the Democrats do. If you think they are the same, you are looking in the wrong place. Keep your head on your shoulders and out of your ass.
“Learn principles, not party loyalty.”
Don’t get me wrong, I vote on principle, not party. However, it just so happens that the Republicans running share my view 95% of the time, hence why I vote Republican 95% of the time.
If I see reason to vote otherwise, I do. I could care less about Republican and Democrat, that isn’t the issue. The issue is where each stand on the political spectrum.
Cutting taxes is useless unless you cut spending. In fact, as Reagan and Bush showed, it’s far more disastrous. Try voting for someone who actually aims at SPENDING cuts, I doubt you ever have.
“Budget: Republican agenda- spend as little as possible”
Lmao. You really are blind if that’s the way you feel. Spending cuts and small government hasn’t been a Republican policy since Coolidge.
“Guns: Republican agenda- respect the 2nd Amendment and keep your guns”
So the Republicans pay you lip service concerning guns and you blindly accept?
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=79566419751&h=yFHRP&u=T9Sk5&ref=mf
There’s a true conservative talking to a gun group. Republicans don’t give a damn about the second amendment, they just talk about it more and are less blunt about control. Here in Illinois the southern Republicans are blocking concealed carry in much of the same way Chicago Dems are.
As for abortion I already addressed their social differences, by far the biggest differences and therefore the ones they blind you with to make you think they’re so different.
Stay willfully ignorant, it’s easier that way. Blue vs. Red, (R) vs. (D). And no matter which one you choose, the country fails.
“I could care less about Republican and Democrat”
You care so little you devoted a blog entry to rally behind one of the twin parties?
“I doubt you ever have.”
I’m 19, I haven’t had much of a chance.
You do realize that Rand Paul is a Republican right?
“Here in Illinois the southern Republicans are blocking concealed carry in much of the same way Chicago Dems are.”
RINOs
Abortion is a big issue for me, so yes, it is a big difference.
“Stay willfully ignorant, it’s easier that way. Blue vs. Red, (R) vs. (D). And no matter which one you choose, the country fails.
Rand Paul is red (R), so we fail is we have 100 of him in the Senate?
“You care so little you devoted a blog entry to rally behind one of the twin parties?”
Yes, because as I noted, this shows growing dissent for the current administration and Congress. You think Republicans and Democrats are all the same, I think they each have specific political ideologies associated with them, that there is more than just and R or D, there is a lens and platform. Ever wonder why people are wanting to kick people out of the Republican party, wanting to go RINO hunting, or saying Bush isn’t a real Republican?
“I’m 19, I haven’t had much of a chance.”
You did on Nov. 4th but instead voted for a big-government, big-spend liberal. And why did you do so? Because it was all black and white to you (or more accurately, blue and red) and red was slightly better than blue although they differed little. False dichotomy.
“You do realize that Rand Paul is a Republican right?”
And so is Ron Paul. And yet they’re outliers in a party who’s rhetorical platform describes them perfectly (aside from social issues). They’re outliers because the Republican party is a big-government, big-spend, liberal foreign policy making joke of a party. My point in commenting is that you have either a) embraced this big government approach by voting for guys with the (R) next to them or b) embraced the false dichotomy of red v. blue.
“RINOs”
The majority of the GOP. Once again either the party has shifted platforms to embrace Bush-esque policies or a large majority of the party is RINOs. Based on last year’s Republican primary and general election, I’d say the entire platform has shifted. This explains why both Dr. Pauls are seen as oddballs within the party, because the party no longer acts on what it once claimed was its platform.
“I think they each have specific political ideologies associated with them”
Their core principles - a liberal foreign policy, Keynesian economics, inflationism, bloated budgets and government overspending, the welfare state and police state measures domestically, absolutely no monetary policy, almost unanimous support of the: Patriot Act, REAL ID Act, Military Commissions Act, war funding, and Bush’s budgets - are virtually the same. Sure there are minor differences but I’m arguing that at the core the “changes” they propose are small and inconsequential, that it’s these core principles that are harming this nation.
“Because it was all black and white to you (or more accurately, blue and red) and red was slightly better than blue although they differed little. False dichotomy.”
I love how you claim an action to be fallacious. It isn’t false dichotomy unless I said that there were only two choices and you had to choose between them. Of course there were other choices, but voting for any of them would be throwing my vote away, or more accurately, giving Obama another vote. I would rather choose the lesser of two evils than enable the larger evil. McCain was far from perfect, trust me, I know. But between him and Obama, you know which one is the better choice. Say it is false dichotomy all you want but those are the two viable choices. Voting for anyone else is essentially voting for the victor.
“They’re outliers because the Republican party is a big-government, big-spend, liberal foreign policy making joke of a party.”
That is the Bush-era party. I hated Bush’s big government and his overspending. Note how getting in with the President (if he is in your party) means you get more power and influence. It is all Washington. Complain all you want but there is a reason why so many Democrats are voting with Obama when it goes against what they truly believe. They are all trying to advance their careers. The thing I like most about Ron Paul is that he has an outspoken ideology and sticks to it. It bothers me that so many politicians would rather vote with their party than with their ideology. You are trying to say that the Republican party is George W Bush’s party. It isn’t any longer. RINOs are getting shunned. Just look what is happening to Jeb Bush and Meghan McCain. They are getting thrashed. Even Colbert said to Meghan “I will make you a Republican” when she went on his show. This is not the norm. This is not the Republican party. This isn’t conservatism. This was a momentary blip. A speedbump. You will occasionally find someone who gains control and has the same letter as you, but not the same ideology. This is the nature of life. Just as how there is diversity in America, there is diversity within parties.
“you have either a) embraced this big government approach by voting for guys with the (R) next to them or b) embraced the false dichotomy of red v. blue.”
No, I did what was best for my country and picked the lesser of two evils. If there was a frontrunner who shared my views, guess what, they would have received my vote. However, I had to pick who was closest. It’s the old saying: “If you agree with me on 13 out of 15 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 15 out of 15 issues, go see your doctor.”
“The majority of the GOP”
Not anymore thank God.
“I’d say the entire platform has shifted. This explains why both Dr. Pauls are seen as oddballs within the party”
Well they are a bit crazy. They both are actually some of the most far right wing members, so it is natural that they’d be considered oddballs. Politics is unfortunately about being middle right or far left (at least currently).
“Keynesian economics,”
I didn’t know that Republicans were socialists. This explains why they voted against the stimulus bill, are complaining about rising deficits, and want less regulations. Perfect sense.
“liberal foreign policy”
This was largely Bush, but most Republicans are close to Realists, they just supported the Iraq war for different reasons. Yes, Bush is a liberal in IR, hence why he used the moronic theory that is the democratic peace in his argument for the Iraq war. I think he is on the right side of the issue for the wrong reasons.
“inflationism”
I didn’t know this was an ism. Again, Bush. Republicans are reverting back to their normal state of balancing a budget. A little inflation is good, it is the sign of a healthy economy. Hyperinflation (what we will be feeling soon) is bad.
“welfare state”
See, Republicans are typically for cutting welfare. I am. Ever wonder why the Republicans blasted Obama for saying he wants to “spread the wealth around”?
“police state”
I shrug at this notion.
“Patriot Act, REAL ID Act, Military Commissions Act, war funding, and Bush’s budgets ”
Hey look! All Bush ideas. Bush would be a Democrat if he could. Again, right side, wrong reasons. Some of those are problematic, mainly because they weren’t read before the vote and no one was willing to make a true stand against them. It was all down in fear of another terrorist attack. And Conservatives support war funding. So do Liberals. The difference is the justification of war and the manner in which it is applied. Example: Liberals love international law and IWOs like the UN, so they are more likely to twist international law or try to bother with things like the UN. Conservatives on the other hand, say F*** international law because it doesn’t have any basis, we are sovereign, therefore we do what we need to, regardless of what the French think about it.
“It isn’t false dichotomy unless I said that there were only two choices and you had to choose between them.”
You essentially told yourself that there were two choices (two evils) and that you must choose between them. That’s not voting on principle, that’s voting on either party affiliation or the false dichotomy of two perceived choices. In my opinion, either of these two methods is incorrect although common.
“That is the Bush-era party. I hated Bush’s big government and his overspending.”
The argument I have made from the beginning is that this was not solely a Bush-era thing and I used the Republican primaries as a great example. At a time when no one needed Bush, (and his support was actually negative), virtually all of the Republicans embraced and debated on behalf of Bush’s big government neo-conservatism. While we’re seeing some deviation now as they become an opposition party to Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, the Bush era certainly hasn’t passed and neo-conservatism runs the GOP. I’m willing to buy into your optimism if you’re claiming the party will become fiscally conservative later on but I fail to believe they have already thrown Bush’s style of “conservatism” out.
Will they become small government advocates? Now that’s far less likely considering their record since Coolidge.
“No, I did what was best for my country and picked the lesser of two evils. ”
So choice B. While failing to embrace the views per say, you chose the lesser of two evils.
“Not anymore thank God.”
I believe so. Of course it’s hard to tell considering Republicans don’t have much executive power anywhere anymore.
“I didn’t know that Republicans were socialists.”
Well that depends on your definition of socialism. However everyone should keep in mind that when you say they oppose bailouts you mean they oppose DEMOCRATIC bailouts. Bush’s bailout? Oh that was necessary.
Just letting a central bank control the influx of money and its value is a key to Keynesian economics. This one’s undeniable. Socialists? Maybe. Keynesians? Definitely.
“This was largely Bush”
Lol and every president since McKinley, minus a couple. Reagan’s Cold War interventions? Disastrous. Face it, interventionism and the American empire are bipartisan ideals. Of course, the empire will fall.
“I didn’t know this was an ism.”
Can’t be too obscure, I learned about it in intro economics. It goes along with the Fed again, anytime you let inflation and deflation occur at the push of a button you’re asking for trouble. And the debt Bush and his neo-con cronies in Congress built up? Yep, inflation haven.
“See, Republicans are typically for cutting welfare.”
Eh, mostly rhetoric. You can’t establish a welfare state like we have today without bipartisan support.
“I shrug at this notion.”
I shrug at your ahistorical shrug. You should worry about these things if you truly worry about big government and its encroachment.
“Hey look! All Bush ideas.”
Hey look! All supported by members of the GOP and the Republican platform for the last eight years. Bush couldn’t have done it himself. Were the Republicans voting this way because the party said to or because they truly believed they were best? I don’t know them all personally so I can’t answer that however neither answer is good and neither answer gives me a reason to trust in change from the GOP.
“And Conservatives support war funding.”
Well neo-conservatives do. Ron Paul does not.
“Conservatives on the other hand, say F*** international law”
There’s a right and wrong way to say that. Throwing out past agreements you signed or obstructing another nation’s sovereignty isn’t just saying f*ck criminal law, it’s committing a crime. But you’re right in saying we should not join foreign entanglements or alliances, especially not those that would compromise sovereignty (although the case could be made that ALL entanglements compromise sovereignty to some extent). Of course if I had it my way we wouldn’t have allies and certainly wouldn’t take part in the U.N., NATO, or the like.
“That’s not voting on principle, that’s voting on either party affiliation or the false dichotomy of two perceived choices.”
I’ve told you before, I voted based on principle. Had I voted for a 3rd party candidate, my vote essentially would have gone to the winner of the election, as that is one less vote against them. No third party candidate had a chance at winning. Not even close. Therefore, yes, I chose between the Republican and Democrat candidates. Is this false dichotomy? No, it isn’t. I am choosing between the only two VIABLE choices. There were other choices, but my vote wouldn’t have mattered.
“virtually all of the Republicans embraced and debated on behalf of Bush’s big government neo-conservatism”
What are you basing this on? They all wanted to lower taxes and all wanted a balanced budget. Are you basing it on Gitmo and waterboarding? That isn’t liberal, that is warfare. Again, you don’t need to be a liberal to support a war.
“they have already thrown Bush’s style of “conservatism” out. ”
Not entirely, but for the most part. Of course, there are some Bushites in Congress.
“Will they become small government advocates?”
They are small government activists, they just aren’t anarchist activists like RP.
“Bush’s bailout? Oh that was necessary. ”
No it wasn’t. Note how at the tea parties, those who voted in favor of the bailout were booed.
“Just letting a central bank control the influx of money and its value is a key to Keynesian economics. This one’s undeniable. Socialists? Maybe. Keynesians? Definitely.”
Not so much. A central bank that has total control is in some ways Keynesian, but it is only truly Keynesian when that central bank abuses its power and plays too much of a role in the market.
Keynesian economics tell to raises taxes in times of recession. What are the republicans promoting again? They also say to spend a deficit on shovel-ready projects to promote growth. Wasn’t that the Democrats?
Honestly, it is a stretch to say the Republican party is Keynesian.
“Face it, interventionism and the American empire are bipartisan ideals.”
How convenient of you to not quote my explanation. Notice how I said it is, but their implementation and reasons are different, while the outcome is the same.
“Of course, the empire will fall.”
Except we aren’t an empire
“t goes along with the Fed again, anytime you let inflation and deflation occur at the push of a button you’re asking for trouble.”
You do realize my latest post is about just this?
‘All supported by members of the GOP and the Republican platform for the last eight years.”
Again, quote me in full. They did it to advance their careers as politicians and to get in with the President.
“Well neo-conservatives do. Ron Paul does not. ”
Don’t be so broad blanketed with your statements. Again, just because someone is a liberal does not mean they always support intervention, and just because someone is a realist does not mean they never support war. Realists were extremely split on the Iraq war. RP’s ideas on war and foreign policy are unfeasible. They essentially remove the US from power politics.
“There’s a right and wrong way to say that. Throwing out past agreements you signed or obstructing another nation’s sovereignty isn’t just saying f*ck criminal law, it’s committing a crime.”
The funny thing about international law is that it is so broad and twisted, I could make an argument for just about anything. Technically, the Iraq war was legal and so is water-boarding according to international law. Who’da thunk it?
“Of course if I had it my way we wouldn’t have allies and certainly wouldn’t take part in the U.N., NATO, or the like.”
I think it is ok to be part of them and actively participate, just not to let them get in the way of US interests. Global governance is a dream and a far one at that.
Lol alright I don’t have much time and we seem to be spinning our tires here as usual so I’ll leave it at that for the most part. Just a couple things:
“They are small government activists, they just aren’t anarchist activists like RP.”
Lol you don’t actually mean that do you? Federalism and small government conservatism is not anarchy? Are you calling Madison an anarchist?
“Except we aren’t an empire ;)”
Yes we are. A full-fledged empire of bases and global hegemony. Bring it up on the group page if you want to debate it.
“RP’s ideas on war and foreign policy are unfeasible.”
They didn’t seem too unfeasible to Washington or Jefferson or Madison. In fact a neutral nation which trades with all and fights with none is the greatest force for prosperity in world history. An empire which angers all and goes broke in the process is reaping its own destruction as we’re seeing with the American empire.
“Federalism and small government conservatism is not anarchy? Are you calling Madison an anarchist?”
No, I am calling RP an anarchist. A Confederate might be closer to the truth, as it seems he hates everything about the federal government. He is a bit of a nutter butter.
“A full-fledged empire of bases and global hegemony”
An empire of bases? An empire is a nation that conquers, not frees. We have consistently fought for other countries’ rights to be their own nation and give them their freedom from other empires. Note how we never forcibly took over another nation and kept it for ourselves (you could argue native americans but much of our nation we bought). We are a the hegemon. We are the greatest power, but that doesn’t make us an empire.
Yes, Madison. He was so antiwar, he decided to go to war with Great Britain. Oh, and he wanted Canada. Bad.
Jefferson initiated the Barbary war. He also seemed to like embargoes.
Again, you aren’t going to be able to say we are an empire nor are you going to be able to say that Conservatives of today are far left of those of the past.
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