Why The Republican Party Is Over

[berni_mccoy]

They are going to blame John McCain for this loss and for the loss of their many Senate Seats. I've not seen one pundit blaming Palin. And the reality is, McCain and the GOP are going to lose both the Presidential and many downticket races, NOT because of John McCain, it's because of their right wing extremism that is exemplified in Sarah Palin. When Americans saw her there were three reactions: Democrats were "Hell No.", Moderates were "WTF?!" and the Far Right were "OH YEAH!".

The Republican party has been infected with the lust for the win and control. They have been infected with the very ideas that Americans reject: divisiveness, in-your-face evangelization that their ideas are the only ideas, and the need to demonize anyone who is not with them. America is soundly rejecting their non-Democratic approach to both politics and policy. Some, small percentage of Republicans see this, but the vast majority can't figure out what the hell they are doing wrong.

It's as if they are 2-dimensional creatures living in a 3-dimensional world. They can only see their slice of reality. All others just don't exist. And this is going to be the downfall of their party. This will be an implosion of epic proportions.

[sampsonblk]

1. Dm good analysis

You hit the nail on the head.

Also, the right-wingers I talk to aren't trying to figure out what they've done wrong. They just think everyone is stupid except them. They just won't get it.

[elocs]

2. Let Democrats get too smug and overconfident that they will continually hold power

and we will be in for a rude awakening. I think that the rumor of and delight in the demise of the Republican party is premature.

[Essene]

5. Precisely. A stockholm syndrome is already in effect... imo

I personally was appalled to see the ad of Hillary Clinton on behalf of Franken... arguing that voters should elect him so that they'd have the 60 filibuster-proof majority. That's creepy.

The Dems overplayed their "mandate" in 2007. They are going to make a similar mistake next year, i am afraid.

Rather than moving center and building a long-term coalition similar to the "conservative coalition" of the Reagan years (which included s-called reagan democrats), I'm afraid they will overplay this election and instantly alienate a large chunk of those wanting change.

As far as i am concerned, they oughta be very seriously focused on bi-partisan ideas... especially on issues where the nativist and theocratic types can be kicked to the curb... for good.

[olegramps]

15. Obama's message is One America.

He is the leader of the Democratic Party and as such he will set the course of the party for the next eight years. Respectfully, while you on one hand call for unity, then on the other hand say we are to kick those who disagree to the curb. That has bee the policy of the right wingers who have conquered by division and hatred of anyone who disagrees with them. It has been their downfall and could, if pursued, eventually lead to their outright destruction. A house divided against it self can not stand. One Nation-E pluribus unum.

[Gman2]

16. Quite the worrywart

With all the moderate republicans fleeing the sinking ship, and their inevitable chumminess to our newfound power, we need not worry too much about our going buck wild. We just need a fine enough sieve to catch any jetsom or flotsom, so as not to find a freeper colony in our midst.

[berni_mccoy]

12. I agree that part of the GOP's ability to come back depends on the Democrats

But if they don't screw up and are able to turn even a few things around, then the GOP has no hope for at least the next 8 to 12 years.

[Essene]

3. "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated" - mark twain

Something is dying, yes.

But it's not the Republican Party. It has the chance of being hit with a fatal blow in the coming 2-4 years but it's not dead.

What has died, however, is the collective politics of the GOP. The cynical cultural warfare... and cynical application of power.

The coalition that's defined the GOP since the early 1990s has fragmented, and we're seeing open revolt among the competing factions. This happened to a lesser degree in 2000 primaries (ironically with Mccain on the moderate side), but it's been rock solid for 8 years.

The nativism. The nationalism. The culture warriors hiding behind morality, faith, pro-america ploys.

The collective IDENTITY of the Republicans has died.

But let's not kid ourselves... these competing interests and groups remain. The party can go in several directions.

[niceypoo]

4. Given the array of 'issues' that the Republicans run on these days, one must ask.....

Why does the Republican party exist?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

6. They'll be back

It might take an election or too but they'll reappear as a political force.

Palin is already running for the 2012 nomination, and I suspect that Palin or another wacko-conservative will unify the Theo-republican base for 2012 and be soundly defeated by a President Obama. After that I suspect there will be an ideological realignment within the GOP that will bring it forward to being competitive with the Democratic Party again.

[berni_mccoy]

7. Their ability to come back depends on how the Democrats do in the next 2-4 years.

[nomaco-10]

8. I don't think they should blame moose breath...

mclame is the one that picked her. That's on him.

Yes, the repub party is in free fall and it is a lovely thing to watch. All the hand wringing and teeth gnashing, the frustration and fear are palpable now. And I'm as giddy over it as a teenager who just got their first driver's permit.

[berni_mccoy]

11. I'm not blaming Sarah, it's the PARTY that can't recognize how they are losing

Sarah is just the embodiment of their extreme ideology.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Why blame Sarah?

I don't see why Sarah is to blame. Or even McCain. Most recent blame seems to be with Bush / Cheney. Both are ultra-divisive, both wanted war-at-any-cost, both relish the rip-off of the country in favor of a few oil barons. Roots of the downfall may go back to Ralph Reed, Pat Robertson, and the Christian Coalition take-over of the Republican party platform.

Good riddance, if indeed we are rid of it. I doubt it, though. It's not easy to stop zombies.

Sarah doesn't have what it takes to be veep, and doesn't have what it takes to bring down a party.

:hi:

[berni_mccoy]

10. I'm not blaming Sarah, it's the PARTY that can't recognize how they are losing

Sarah is just the embodiment of their extreme ideology.

[Orsino]

13. Blame McCain for Palin.

But blame Alaskans, too, for letting Palin anywhere near "executive" power.

[global1]

14. In The Aftermath of Bush/Cheney (*CO) No Matter Who The Repugs Would Have Run.......

they would have lost.

McCain/Palin just got caught up in the Bush/Cheney wake. But as in all things Bush has screwed up in his lifetime - it's never his fault - it's always somebody else's fault. Therefore McCain will get the blame. And once again Bush will skate through this - hoping someone else will clean up so that he and his minions can re-write the history of the last 8 years in a more favorable tone than the reality of the last 8 years. The 43 Bush library will rank right up there with Fantasyland.

If Bush/Cheney would have run the type of administration that they could have (remember Bush had the world eating out of his hand after 9/11) no Dem would have had a chance in 2008.

But after lies, wars, spying, outing spies, torture, continuous partisan bickering, financial meltdown, energy issues, high unemployment, drop of the dollar, loss of status around the world by are friends and allies, etc, etc, etc ---- what do you expect?

Yes - the Repug party is in complete disarray now. Looking back through the Reagan and Bush One years - and after 8 years of this Dodo Bush - we've should all have come to the conclusion that what they've collectively been shoveling to the American people - just doesn't work.

Finally - I think the American public has gotten this message loud and clear - and they are going to hand the Repugs a resounding defeat on Nov 4th.

I only hope that what remains is recoverable - and that Barack Obama can work across the aisle - to clean up this mess. Yes - he'll need the help of a Democratic Congress - but the only way to really turn this around is to enlist the other side as well. If they the Repugs fight him all the way - and we have continued divisive partisan politics - God help us.