Who Has The Most Power Over The Republican Party?

[TomCADem]

Poll question: Who Has The Most Power Over The Republican Party?

After the 2008 election, we heard that the Republican party would engage in some introspection, and try to re-evaluate what it stood for. However, nearly a year after the election, it is back to the future with many of the old people running the Republican party, still running the Republican party. So called "new" faces for the Republican party like Bobby Jindal, have fallen by the side of the road. Indeed, the most interesting thing about the Republican party is that so much of the power in the party appears to be concentrated outside of the normal party apparatus. Can you imagine if Rachel Maddow had the same power over the Democratic Party that Beck, Limbaugh, etc. does over the Republicans?

So, with these thoughts, who do you think has the most power over the Republican party?

[boobooday]

1. You forgot some important power mongers

AIG
Boeing
Lockheed Martin
Halliburton/KBR
United Health
Enron
etc.

[TomCADem]

5. What About News Corp/Fox News (Rupert Murdoch)?

I voted for him because Glenn Beck and Karl Rove both work for him, and the biggest difference I see today from the past is that with the development of Fox News, the news cycle is often dominated by Fox News generated controversey.

Look at Italy with Silvio Bescoloni. Rupert Murdoch has similar influence and power over here, but he is more discrete about it than Silvio.

[tblue]

7. Exactly. Multinational corporations. nt

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. Barack Obama. He can dictate all Republican actions by doing the opposite.

This is what Bush never got about Al Queada... if you reflexively take an opposite stance then the other party is controlling all of your actions.

[jwirr]

3. I voted for chainy because he is the closest on your list to a corporation. nt

[Ian David]

4. Other: Richard Mellon Scaife

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mellon_Scaife

[madamesilverspurs]

6. The highest bidder. Always.

[dbonds]

8. Those are just faces of corporate interest

Corporations are the real power behind both parties. They don't really care about social issues, those are just a way to motivate the right wing base - or the left wing base as long as that doesn't cost them money. Its all smoke and mirrors about how they can manipulate the system to get the biggest bottom line.

[Garam_Masala]

19. Correct! A lot of the TARP money went to bank Tycoons who

contribute to both parties....a lot! The BIG corporations control 90% of
politicians, don't ever forget.

[ROFF]

9. Satan

[depakid]

10. They all cower before Limbaugh

How pathetic is that?

[Arkana]

11. Those teabagging morons who enjoy rubbing their balls on each others' faces

control the Republican Party's agenda. Gone are the days of Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and even the good parts of Nixon. The inmates run the asylum now.

[Lost-in-FL]

12. Religious right preachers. nt

[DailyGrind51]

13. Wall Street has bought and paid for all of the Republican Party and half of the Democratic Party!

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Other: President Obama

He speaks or acts, they react predictably.

[polichick]

15. Well, Idiot Rush makes them pee their pants...

He reminds me of these Dylan lyrics:

Idiot wind, blowing like a circle around my skull,
From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

[Ikonoklast]

16. Koch brothers.

They are the ones funding a great deal of the astroturf organizations.

Anti-everything, except oil.

[POAS]

17. The GOP is owned by the money interests, the Dems are

just rented!

[marlakay]

18. Money and no abortions

thats all they seem to care about.

[southernyankeebelle]

20. You forgot to mention Dick Armey of Freedoms Works

[prostomulgus]

21. Aryan Nations. nt

[iceman66]

22. The people who sign Limbaugh's checks.

[TheKentuckian]

23. Rupert is how they are able to maintain any semblance of structural integrity

Fox Entertainment and Distraction and his other arms like the Wall St Journal are the only way they can maintain enough cohesiveness to get their talking points and non-agenda together.

[Spirochete]

24. President Obama

He can get them to react to anything he does.