"all politics is local", or how Iowa went blue..the story of the demise of the republican party

[Peacetrain]

We are on the edge of movement that rivals FDR, and Reagan, in switching up the power base.

You can thank Dean for his 50 state strategy and Obama for implementing it.. This has been the main reason we are where we are.

But there is someone else to thank, that we do not mention here very often.. And that is Karl Rove and his strategy of getting Bush elected by just focusing on the religious right.


Below I have taken a couple of snippets out of an article (linked below) that shows part of how Iowa has gone blue, and why the rest of the country is moving democratic.

For those who do not want to read the whole article, I will get you up to speed on the players in the snippets that I have pasted.

EDIT, in the article itself there is a mistake.. they print that Iowa went Republican the governorship and state house..it actually went Democratic

Salem in the former head of the Republican Party locally who was ousted in 2006 by the religious right.

Warnstadt is the democratic representative

Blanchard was the republican who ran against Warnstadt. She was the religious right representative.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Out campaigning, Warnstadt said, he heard from a lot of "disenchanted" rank-and-file Republicans that they didn't recognize their party any more. Warnstadt said for some in the party, "a cut-and-dry definition of what a good Republican should be" factors solely on being right wing on social issues. That, he said, leaves out some moderate or business-faction Republicans.

The rift may be wracking the Woodbury County GOP, but it's also present in the Republican Party of Iowa, Salem said. Some eyebrows were raised when U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, a moderate on some issues, wasn't sent as a delegate to the national convention this summer.

At stake is Republican electoral success in the long run, Salem said last week, because the party keeps shrinking under conservative evangelical leadership, pushed in part by the Iowa Christian Alliance, or ICA, formerly known as the Christian Coalition. By comparison, he said, Ronald Reagan expanded the party with a "big-tent strategy" in the 1980s with great success.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yet Salem said he's heard local Republicans variously criticize Catholics, Lutherans or Mormons for not having the right kind of religiosity.

"People were all of a sudden being exclusive. Instead of saying, 'OK, you are a Christian, welcome to our group,' they were saying, 'Wait a minute -- what kind of a Christian are you?'" Salem said.

"It's not whether you are Christian or not but whether you are Christian enough."


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/10/05/news/local/32d9043b4cc1729b862574d80013350a.txt

[abumbyanyothername]

1. And in the worse way

McCain simply tossed Iowa out the window by coming out against ethanol subsidies -- no further comment.

I think McCain is right about ethanol, but he could at least offer something to Iowa farmers -- switchgrass, wind . . . anything that would help them see how they could play a part in energy independence without burning up more energy than they are producing (ethanol).

But of course, that is not the approach of Mr. Straight Talk when I want to and fuck anyone who dares question me.

[Peacetrain]

4. The weirdest thing was that he was back here last week

and gave the worlds worst grumpy out of sorts interview with the Des Moines Register.

[Hippo_Tron]

7. I'd buy their farms for enough money to do whatever they want for the rest of their lives...

And to send their kids to whatever college they can get into. It's far cheaper to do that than to keep paying ethanol subsidies. Of course our country has a serious problem with the notion of "handouts" especially when someone else gets that handout.

And while McSame is right on Ethanol right now, that's only because he knows he will lose Iowa by 10 points.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/11/13/8393132/index.htm

[jwirr]

2. Oh so right! I am one of those Lutheran Christians who believe in the

separation of Church and State and we also do not follow a whole bunch of other fundie ideals and fantasies. I knew that was going to happen sooner and later. I now live in Northeast Minnesota and it is very interesting how right wingers will move to our little towns and try to "teach" us how to live. We are not interested in becoming a pug light state. It is taken as an insult.

[Peacetrain]

3. My husband is from Minnesota !!

:hi:, and we have tons of family up there. I had heard there had been a huge influx from Texas I think, that was just trying to turn Minnesota politics around about 6 years ago.

But yep, these Rovian Christians, don't think the other Christians are. Sort of the K Street group on the theological basis

[Wapsie B]

8. I saw this influx big time when I was living in Iowa City.

At the time I was still a registered goper. The gop caucus was walking distance from my house so I decided to go. I was floored by all the Robertson supporters there, openly admitting they had moved here to organize. Those I talked to were from Kansas and Texas.

[Peacetrain]

9. That is what my friend said.. that she could not get over

all these new comers from the bush camp, and they went to Mpls, in 2000 and then tried to get on boards and committees and change the culture of the Mpls community. It was interesting to say the least.

[Wapsie B]

10. I remember talking to several people after the caucus was over.

Every one was astounded by the takeover of the fundies. Several of course thought it was an anomaly, that it would quickly go away after the election. But conservatives established a community for themselves in that den of liberal iniquity that is the University of Iowa.

[Peacetrain]

5. kicking back up.. republicans at war with one another

This has to be good for our side!!!!!



Yet Salem said he's heard local Republicans variously criticize Catholics, Lutherans or Mormons for not having the right kind of religiosity.

"People were all of a sudden being exclusive. Instead of saying, 'OK, you are a Christian, welcome to our group,' they were saying, 'Wait a minute -- what kind of a Christian are you?'" Salem said.

"It's not whether you are Christian or not but whether you are Christian enough."

[47of74]

6. These people never heard of Matthew 23

Obviously the "Christian fascists" that Salem complained about have never heard of Matthew chapter 23.