May 21 2009
Far Right Repulsed Center In Purity Wars – Self Destructed GOP
I noted many times that the  purity wars which erupted after 2004 election when the far right ‘true conservatives’ went insane (and decided insulting moderates at high volume would win their lousy arguments) that the only result of the purity war would be a smaller, impotent GOP.
Pew Research has the graph which proves I was right all those years ago and since
Note how the Democrats really have not budged much since 2004. But look at what all the insults from the far right did to the GOP – just shoved people out of the party and into the center where they voted Democrat more (not all, just enough to toss the GOP and far right hot heads out of power). And as the Dems start to lose ground more recently because of their lurching shift to the liberal left, note how the GOP is not gaining anyone back  – just us independents.
Who, I must note, are 50-90% larger than those still in the GOP. We now know who is the silent majority and who is the loud (mouth?) minority.
I hate it when I am right sometimes. It did not have to come to this if the right could show some self control and respect.
Way to go true conservatives. You did for conservatism what Clinton did to liberal Democrat control of the Congress. Pat yourselves on the back! Between destroying the conservative coalition and leaving the nation with the same old immigration mess we have had for the last 3 decades you folks are turning out to be quite impressive.
Addendum: And let’s be clear, this has nothing to do with Bush. By the end of his second term the far right hated the man as much as the far left. The only group holding his poll ratings up (30%) were us in the center. So don’t go off blaming Bush – that is just denial which contradicts reality.
I also wonder if the move to Independent has anything to do with the trend toward open primaries. With open primaries you don’t have to declare a party and you don’t get all that fund raising material.
Rick
Glenn Beck has this graph today.
“Camp Paradiseâ€. Love it already.
The name is adequate. Sure they’re stuck in cells. But I would love to be in the Caribbean. Not to mention the free meals, health care, and prayer rugs they are issued courtesy of the American taxpayer. Yes sir, they are treated harshly. Did I mention it’s the Caribbean?
JDavis,
Good question – who are these people who cannot lead and think insults against centrists are the answer? You tell me!
All I am noting is the result of their acts.
This might trump the Republicans’ lack of leadership:
He has emptied the treasury and there is no getting it back.
Oh and there is this:
“He has emptied the treasury and there is no getting it back.”
The Cloward-Piven strategy, no?
I have a problem with this term “purity wars” versus the principles of conservatism. I liked what Grover Norquist wrote in his “Leave Us Alone” book. I started on Mark Levin’s new book about Liberty versus Tyranny and saw that he referenced Russell Kirk’s ten principles of conservatism:
http://www.permanentthings.com/kirk/ten-principles.html
Anyone agree with these ten principles?
I remember reading about him and took note of whom he debated with…one of them was Saul Alinsky. Also, F. A. Hayek.
Both would have been interesting debates!
Purity wars at this time in our history is a non issue. The republican party was been a coalition of center-to right for 3 decades wereas the dems have gone to the extreme left during that time, even the so called blue dogs have shifted to follow their leaders.
We are at very dangerous point in our nations history and most republicans or center minded people must come together and defeat this enemy and stop this squabbleing between us. Name calling is for babies we are suppose to be the more intelligent then worrying about who is more conservative then the other. Each one of us has their own veiw of what conservatism means and it is definitely not what the dems. believe in.
[…] he/she be in therapy of some kind? Is it any surprise the center of America (its heart and soul) Â has dumped the GOP. If they aren’t acting like children they are screaming insults at those who don’t […]
There is both “interesting” and “troubling” info in this analysis of the internals of this PEW poll:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/23/video-glenn-beck-on-the-rise-of-independents/
The point that the GOP has shed more “conservatives” than “moderates” in the “actual numbers” (vs per centage) isn’t a surprise to me. But, the data on the views of our youth is sad. As the article states, “the kids aren’t alright”.
Hopefully this poll isn’t right.
On my radio show the other night, Stacey McCain talked about shifting the debate in the Republican party from moderate vs. conservative to elites vs. the grass roots. There, he said, is the real divide. The elites are ignoring the very people who elect them by promulgating policies that go against the principles and beliefs held by the base. In this, I somewhat agreed, pointing out that most politicians are forced to show at least some pragmatism or they would be voted out of office. Stacey countered that this doesn’t excuse their abandonment of small government, fiscally responsible policies that would mirror the desires of their constituents.
And that may be the key to bringing factions together. Washington and statehouse elites must find a way to compromise on issues without abandoning what should be their core beliefs.
http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2009/05/22/can-gingrich-ride-an-anti-establishment-wave-to-the-oval-office/
If “moderates support Obama’s agenda”; then, I’d say AJ’s part of the electorate has become radical….and nothing the GOP does can win them back.
Americans Want a Check on Obama’s Agenda
05/22/2009
A majority of Americans say they would vote for a Republican member of Congress in order to provide a check and balance to President Obama’s agenda, according to a new poll.
The poll by McLaughlin & Associates shows that by a 51-41 margin the respondents prefer a check on Obama’s agenda, a 17-point reversal from January when a poll by the same firm showed a 47-40 preference for having more Democrats in Congress in order to help Obama.
The biggest drop came among Democrats as 75% said they want to help Obama pass his agenda, versus 86% in January. Among Republicans, support for more Democrats in Congress fell 4 points from 10% to 6%. Independents had a 3 percentage point shift in the other direction, with 38% saying they would vote Democratic to help Obama compared to 35% in January.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31992
You know I’m sick of hearing about the insults the far right throw whent the vulgararity out of the far left is far more dangerous and they are running Obama and the country right now.
People are not looking for higher taxes or big government as Colin Powell want you to believe. I am an independent because I do not think the Republicans have been acting as conservatives and I am not alone.
Obama is popular for now, but his policies are not. Sooner or later the chickens will come home to roost…quoting his favorite pastor.
The point is to have principles and stick to them and lead others to your cause. We do not have a politician with a clear conservative voice right now…when he or she arrives, they will tap into the country’s conservative roots…hopefully before Obama brings us all to the edge of desrtuction.
Some, who call themselves moderates simple vascillate to whomever and whatever is popular at the time…I’m afraid Col. Powell happens to be one of them.
Jacqui,
First off, most centrists don’t vacillate, they just won’t go as extreme as the far right – who whine and stomp their feet when they can’t get what they want.
But your answer still seems to be to deny the far right repulses and cannot lead – leaders do not need to insult their followers, only losers insult those who see no reason to follow the losers.
Guess what – the centrists are fed up with both fringes, which is why the they are being purged from the political stage. Crist in FL is just the beginning.
Watch and learn.
A.J.
I have commented before I do live here in Florida and I did vote for Gov. Crist. He is extremely popular, but many of my friends and coworkers have stated the same thing over and over what has he really done as Gov.
We accept his stance in being tough on crime but as a Gov. he better be.
He did help the seminoles with expanding their gaming tables.
His policies on insurance are really ideas from the former Gov.
His veiws on global warming are not as popular with many of the people I know.
His enviornmental postions are the same as the last 5 Governors
of our fine state.
His acceptance of the stimulus bill makes him a governor but as a U.S. Senator murky at best, anyone who does not read a bill of that magnitude we must think twice about.
One other thing that I did forget, after posturing about his support for Rudy during the primaries he then switched to Mccain which essentially sealed the deal for Sen Mccain but did not deliver the state.
[…] followed by democrats, with Republicans coming in last place at half the size of the independents, as shown in this recent survey from Pew […]