A Republican Shift?

Glenn Reynolds suggests if anything there's been a softening on social issues by the GOP, despite what he recently heard - more at link on the GOP and fiscal conservatism, as well.

SO I HEARD SOME GUY ON THE RADIO saying that the Republicans have changed from the Reagan era — now they’re a bunch of social conservatives. But back during the Reagan era, I remember hearing that the Republicans were . . . a bunch of social conservatives.

I'd agree that there's been some rhetorical softening. But I think the real shift has been cultural and in media. For espousing ideas that were reasonably mainstream during the Reagan Era, one is promptly labeled a religious kook today. While the Republicans have been and remain the more socially conservative party, the Left has been effective in their demonizing of that aspect, especially every time a social conservative Republican goes astray with a hooker, or in a men's room, for instance. Lastly, televangelists and some notable moderate Republicans have helped demonize this over time, too.

An interesting aside, compare the average televangelist during Reagan to a Rick Warren and you can see how large parts of the religious community have changed, as well. Then there's Huckabee.

As for the future, forget Olympia Snowe on Specter - you wonder why she and Collins are liberals? Great info at that last link.

Maine taxpayers receive more federal funding per dollar of federal taxes paid than the average state. Per dollar of federal tax collected in 2005, Maine citizens received approximately $1.41 in the way of federal spending.

Read Gingrich in this round-up of opinions. He nails it. Big picture, Specter leaving is a significant opportunity, but only if the GOP seizes upon it as a pivot point to genuinely become the party of limited government, reduced spending and low taxes. As for social conservatism, which started this discussion here, morphing into a more democratic-based discussion of a civil society based upon values without Federal legislation is a sound approach that, hopefully, social cons can still embrace. It really is more about values, than just God, in the public square, any way. As for Specter (D) - is being the Party of a 3-plus trillion dollar Federal budget really a good thing? I'm unconvinced.

This switch is a function of personal survival and will make clearer the profound difference between the Democratic Party of big government, big bureaucracy, high taxes and big unions and the Republican Party of lower taxes, less bureaucracy and small business, with its emphasis on the work ethic, civil society and local control back home.

This defection will make the 2010 and 2012 elections an even clearer choice of two directions for America.

Comments

[Leo]

"[Y]ou wonder why [Snowe] and Collins are liberals? . . . Maine taxpayers receive more federal funding per dollar of federal taxes paid than the average state."

Interesting point. Here's the entire list:

http://scatter.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/red-state-blue-state-welfare-state-subsidizing-state/

Notice that only one red state actually pays its way in the federal system.

[Jimbo]

Arlen will not be the last to leave your sad and petty little cult. You are turning the Republican brand into a version of the American Taliban. Onward Christian soldiers! Except, this is a very diverse country and some of us would like to worship as we wish, not according to what the southern Baptists insist on worshiping. If you exclude everyone different from you, your next convention will be held in a phone booth. Please come to your senses.

[LOL]

21% now identify as Republicans. Good luck with that.

Here's what you miss, and it's telling about the movement in general:
"For espousing ideas that were reasonably mainstream during the Reagan Era, one is promptly labeled a religious kook today."

This is because times change Dan. Conservatives want the Reagan years to last forever. But that's not how the world works. Time to grow up and accept this.

[IslamoLlama]

"-- He nails it. Big picture, Specter leaving is a significant opportunity, but only if the GOP seizes upon it as a pivot point to genuinely become the party of limited government, reduced spending and low taxes. --"

Lulz. So you're ditching tax'n'spend Specter but keeping fiscal ironhearts Richard Shelby and Thad Cochran.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/10/gop-cross-overs-earmarks-gain-billion-spending/

"-- Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is actually the second-biggest earmarker, according to the list, with 64 earmarks worth $114 million. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., is a few notches down, with 65 earmarks worth $76 million. --"

But this:

"-- I'd agree that there's been some rhetorical softening. But I think the real shift has been cultural and in media. For espousing ideas that were reasonably mainstream during the Reagan Era, one is promptly labeled a religious kook today. --"

Is even better. Rhetorical softening? Really? Name the last Presidential nominee to an administrative post that wasn't held up by his/her pro-choice stance. Remind me how many tea parties littered with Democrats-Are-Hitler references were happening before 2008.

The heydays of Republican ascendancy - the Republican Revolutions of '80, '94, and '02 - were marked by such phrases as "City on a Hill", "Compact with America", and "Compassionate Conservatism". And they were followed up with substantive policy initiatives. Regan encouraged anti-Soviet military escalation, tax burden redistribution, and steep business deregulation. Gingrich brought welfare reform. Bush brought even bigger tax cuts, further deregulation, and an aggressive military solution to terrorism.

Regan, Gingrich, and Bush all talked a big game about bipartisanship. Senators discussed actual program merits and costs. Congressmen voted their districts first and their parties second. You didn't have people calling each other Socialists and Terrorist appeasers on the floor of the Capital. You certainly didn't have people calling each other radical Christian Muslim Atheists in the run up to Presidential elections.

The rhetoric in the last eight years has been ramping steadily. And, standing in front of the GOP speakers, I think you guys have gone a little deaf. If repeated cries of Porkulus and Unconstitutional and Nazi sound like rhetorical softening to you, I question whether you can still hear at all.

[gary gulrud]

On 'social conservatism' I say expunge the Federal Govt. of all the Interstate Commerce related moral legislation. The States and Local government must be responsible for such hand-wringing.

[happyfeet]

Huckabee is foul enough to where he could singlehandedly taint all things conservative everywhere for all time. He's just that nasty and gross and my God but does he make ugly babies.

[Chris]

"An interesting aside, compare the average televangelist during Reagan to a Rick Warren and you can see how large parts of the religious community have changed, as well." This point needs clarifying.

I do not remember the televangelists of the Reagan era. I bet a lot of others reading either do not remember it, or are too young.

[rrr]

Yet LOL apparently embraces the failed specter of European socialism. I'd say good luck with that, but you're ruining my life as well. Thanks for that.

The obvious conclusion that lefties like LOL apparently have their heads to far in the sand to see is that Republicans lost because there was no way to distinguish them from Democrats and things went bad on their watch. I wonder what would have happened if Bush had actually governed like a conservative instead of simply being the forerunner of the messiah? Think of it. Bush was John the Baptist. How'd that work out for John?

[sestamibi]

No Jimbo, you'll worship as the Taliban wishes.

[john]

Oh dear God, this happens every 20-30 years.

The left takes power and immediately begins to declare that any and all opposition is dead and gone forever.

First of all can people stop lionizing Specter; the man is doing this because he royally pissed off the fiscal conservatives/small govt. types with his vote. He voted for something which was vehemently opposed by his base and that is what killed his chances in the primary. He swore he wouldn't change parties until polls showed he would lose. Hell, the NRSC gave him its support just recently. This is purely a move for survival by a desperate professional politician.

Secondly, if religious conservatives were not important why the hell did Obama spend 20 years in a church, despite the obvious racism present. Apparently he thought the political gains were worth the risk. The left seems to forget that the groups most responsible for their power, blacks and latinos, are even more socially conservative than most evangelicals. Don't forget that Prop 8 passed in that liberal bastion of California.

And the hypocrisy of people like lama is striking. You're decrying such declarations when your side has spent the past 8 years accusing Bush of stealing an election and causing Sept. 11. Your side made every vile, vitriolic, and venomous statement possible regarding him, his friends, his family, and his political allies. I can point to several prominent Democratic politicians who belittled our military in an effort hurt Republicans.

Every side uses hyperbole, so spare me and the rest of the readers your faux outrage.

[Ang]

"Arlen will not be the last to leave your sad and petty little cult. You are turning the Republican brand into a version of the American Taliban. Onward Christian soldiers! Except, this is a very diverse country and some of us would like to worship as we wish, not according to what the southern Baptists insist on worshiping. If you exclude everyone different from you, your next convention will be held in a phone booth. Please come to your senses."

What the Hell Jimbo? What are you smoking? Project much? So where has the Republican party said that anyone shouldn't be allowed to worship as they wish? That's all Dem/Lib territory bud. Take a good look at Peretz Hilton for an example of what happens to you when you hold a view that the "tolerant" left disapproves of.

[lu-ee]

...actually those of us who were and still are social conservatives will always be called "kooks" by liberals, whether in the 80s or the new millenium.

...you know the saying by now "the more things change, the more they stay the same."

...for all of the moral weakness of the founding fathers, as well as American society since the founding, what has made the USA great, was its judeo-christian conservative moral & ethical roots. The greatness that founded and sustained the USA for so long, and can still give sustenance, if given half a chance, is a American society founded upon being pro-life/anti-abortion, pro-family, pro-country, and hard work, as well as being charitable for those in need & promoting freedom in the face of tyranny.

...for the last 45 years, sadly, the political liberal establishment, including liberal republicans and morally liberal conservatives, have looked down upon these time-tested virtues and positive values, and fought against them. They have in their place put a new kind of "civic ethic" based on the freedom to do anything you want, from killing the unborn, to silencing judeo-christian conservative values, to spending without limits, whether it is spending to line the pockets of crooked business people or the pockets of undeserving welfare recipients, who these same establishment politicians wish to have always vote for them. Yet these same liberal establishment politicians & bureaucrats promote and preach, under cover of an ever-changing civil law, their own morals, their own values, their own religion. In place of a conservative God, there is the person or the party. In their minds, it does not matter that any person or party can be wrong or corrupt. In their minds, utopia is built upon "anything goes."

...If a society decides God has no place in the public forum, then the laws of that same God, such as "thou shall not steal", or "thou shall not kill," or "thou shall not covet thy neigbor's wife" or "goods", will mean nothing to that society. "ANYTHING GOES" WILL BE, AND IS, THE PRESENT LIBERAL MORAL MANTRA (WHETHER RIGHT LEANING OR LEFT LEANING LIBERAL, IT REALLY MAKES NO DIFF BTW) which we have seen play out in the USA since the mid 1960s, with many of the roots starting in the 1950s.

...the positive rise to glory and success in not only the material sphere but also the moral sphere that the USA had long enjoyed, and which reached its zenith in the Civil Rights Act of the mid 1960s, has long been declining. The same liberal establishment politicians and appointees, who are constantly and persistently destroying the conservative moral foundation that the USA was built upon, have brought in their wake, disease, war, corruption, and an almost endless & sustained murdering of the unborn, sick & elderly. And yet these same liberals say they are "helping humanity & society" ???

....AND FURTHER YET, they drain & raid the vaults of public funds & savings, in order to prop up decades-old failed & immoral social policies, that only bring sadness, injustice, hatred, selfishness, immorality, bigotry, racism, disease, violence & death.

[democratsarefascists]

"21% now identify as Republicans. Good luck with that."

If you'll believe a Washington Post poll, you'll buy anything.
Like Obama.

[Dennis D]

I do consider it a shift. Being totally anti abortion under any circumstance has not reduced abortions. I now would accept a deal to ban abortion except when the mothers life is in danger or rape or incest. Tens of Thousands of unborn babies will be saved and the Dems will be the ones unwilling to compromise. Another issue is the assault weapon ban. While we all respect the 2nd Amendment common sense must prevail. I don't think the founders expected people to he carrying Bazooka's and think some control is needed but WITHIN the Constitution. Republicans need to present an Amendment to the Constitution limiting some weapons. This is what is called a shift away from extremism and a shift to common sense. Lets use common sense.

[southdakotaboy]

I don't think the founders expected people to he carrying Bazooka's

Posted by: Dennis D | Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 01:51 PM

Except that is kind of what they were expecting. That is what had allowed them to form an army to defeat the British.

Most of the Colonial artillery (with the exception of truely heavy pieces) was from privately raised sources. What I mean by that is a small group of fairly wealthy citizens of a community would raise funds, have a canon made and then form their own little "battery" and join the local militia. This was common practice up to the Spanish American War (after which the practice was no longer allowed by the Army due to supply issues).

[Steve]

The GOP is up now 41% to 38% in voter ID...
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/congressional_ballot/generic_congressional_ballot

COMMON CENTS: http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

[spearweasel]

Bazookas? I keep hearing that. Where are people carrying bazookas?

[SacTownMan]

"21% now identify as Republicans. Good luck with that."

If you'll believe a Washington Post poll, you'll buy anything"

You mean the Washington Compost don't you. I would trust a REAL polling expert:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/congressional_ballot/generic_congressional_ballot

Time to take congress back, just like 1994 all over again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._House_election,_1994

18 months can't come soon enough!

As far as Sen. Sphincter he is just an old hack that will soon be unemployed.

He will just be another Democrat to join the ranks of Xerxes victims!

[Angry Dumbo]

Kierkegaard said, "the day when Christianity and the world become friends Christianity is done away with." Words to live by and ponder. As I interpret it, Christians should not endeavor to be accepted in politics. This does not mean that Christians have no place in politics, but that we will never be a majority, nor should we try to be. Leadership is not staking out majority policies, but speaking to an under-represented minority and building a coalition. Christi

[SacTownMan]

Sorry Steve, looks like we both linked the same thing, either way the gleefull trolls will be crawling back under their rocks after Prince Harry and San Fran Nan get the shaft! It may take longer than 2010 to replace Harry but Nancy is a walking corpse (literally).

[IslamoLlama]

WOLVERINES!

[templar knight]

Bazookas, huh? Where the hell can you even get one? And they are completely and totally unlawful to possess. Got that, Dennis D? Bazookas and explosive devices are illegal to own or possess.

You display your complete ignorance, and lack of ability to research an issue when you make crazy statements like that. And worst of all, the moonbat liberals in the media believe you. Of course, if they bothered to do a little research, they just might learn something, but it would hurt the propaganda value.

[Todd]

Everyone's giving President Obama high marks for his 100 days - even Rush gives him a C. But, if you go by plan versus actual, you know, monthly financial and other statistics, Obama totally fails. I track Obama at my free site, http://www.treatyist.com, on nine statistics, from the trade deficit, federal budget, employment, his environmental promises, and more, all plan versus actual, and he fails. I'll be keeping it up to date, as I think we need to stop grading as successes presidents that fail to lower the federal debt and get trade balanced.

Now, there's little need to shift on social values at all. The real reason the left wants us to shift on values is because the working joe is already there. We only lose the north because the north is sick of free trade and imports. If we drop free trade and go protectionist, we can get the votes we need in the north and succeed.

[John]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: social conservatism is dead as a political force.

[Mike Campbell]

Perhaps you have a point John - social conservatism is dead. Thanks to the left's relentless assault on values, we have a majority of non-traditional families now - mostly single parent female led. What a disaster! Bloated welfare budgets, increased crime, maladjusted children - the budgets for medicaid, free school lunches, subsidized daycare, WIC, food stamps, SCHIP health insurance, are all off the charts. And the left can explode the size of the government to combat the exact problems it created!!! What genius!! For those of you that still hold up single mothers as heroes, please give me your thoughts on this brilliant article: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/fcuk_single_mothers_figuratively/

"If you can't feed em, don't breed em"

[IslamoLlama]

"-- social conservatism is dead as a political force. --"

I completely disagree with you there. It's not as vibrant as it once was, but it will continue to be a force for at least another generation. You're confusing social conservatism as a force and as a party. But there are still plenty of pro-life Democrats, plenty of traditional marriage independents, plenty of Christians liberal, conservative, or otherwise.

The Republican Party was willing to cater to the social conservatives more aggressively. And they were more than happy to pay lip service loudly and proudly. But the neo-cons and the corp-cons were in charge of the party for the last 30 years. When PNACers demanded war, they got it. When millionaires demanded a big tax cut, they got it. But when it came down to things like Terri Shaivo or school prayer, the social cons never really got what they asked for.

So I think you're overestimating the pull social cons really had in their heyday. And I think you're underestimating the pull they carry today. Try running an atheist for governor in any red or purple state. Try removing "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. Try taxing churches. Political suicide.

I wouldn't worry too much.

[Jimbo]

****What the Hell Jimbo? What are you smoking? Project much? So where has the Republican party said that anyone shouldn't be allowed to worship as they wish? That's all Dem/Lib territory bud. Take a good look at Peretz Hilton for an example of what happens to you when you hold a view that the "tolerant" left disapproves of.

Posted by: Ang******

Nice try, but no. You and I know very well that the GOP cult is a smallish, regional party devoted to below the Mason-Dixon line. That is why your sad little party is at 20-21%. You are quickly running out of Americans to turn away. You embrace the standard So. Baptist rants which make women less than men and black people less than white people. No projection, just awareness of the reality you folks created for yourselves. You wanted an all white party, and you are on your way to that. You wanted a very pious consituancy, and you are on your way to that. You wanted inclusion, but to do that you excluded 80% of the rest of us. Frankly, you are getting exactly what you deserve. Ronald Reagan is not alive and cannot help you re-gain yourself. Maybe Newt can help. Maybe Santorum can help. maybe Palin can help. Surely they cannot help themselves. Your party is toast. Good riddance.

[Mike Campbell]

Jimbo - You're lame reasoning doesn't add up - all we have to do to is win back some of the so-called "middle" and we'll be back in charge - you're reward the listless, endorse the perverted, embrace the illegal, and punish the productive will wear very thin on the mushy middle moderates - especially those that work for a living. They'll realize their mistake - the puny tax cuts will expire, inflation will come blazing back, socialized healthcare will lead to rationing, huge deficits as far as the eye can see will reduce the dollar to banana republic status in the world, and schools will be overwelmed with anchor children and malcontents. The only genuine Democratic base is government unions, single mothers, ACORN malcontents, and illegal immigrants. It will be 1861 all over again before they become the genuine majority. Hang in there conservatives - stick to your principles - EVERY poll shows the majority of Americans share our values - WHEN WE STAY WITH THEM.

[Mike Campbell]

Jimbo - where is the liberal majority in these states?

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDkwZGU5OTFkMmYzMDJiMjBkYzA3ODc4ZDQ0OWJiOTA=

[North Dallas Thirty]

Jimbo, you really believe that half of America supports having their taxes raised to crushing levels so that Obama's illegal-immigrant criminal aunt can have cheap housing, free healthcare, fat welfare checks, and a no-show government job so lucrative that she can make illegal contributions to the Obama Party?

Because that is the goal of the Obama Party.

[lu-ee]

...and yet gay marriage failed on the Left Coast and stem cell funding failed in good ol' liberal NJ. go fukin figure. only 3 states out of 50 recognize same-sex marriage and any of those 3 states can be reversed with constitutional amendments.

....social conservatives are in MANY MORE states than just the South. I for one, live in NY and there are millions of others up here who would not change our beliefs NO MATTER WHAT LEFTIST LIBERAL IS IN "CHARGE" or in "OFFICE."

Reagan was so popular and respected not because he UNIFIED or catered to a "BIG TENT" political philosophy but because he never backed down to compromising his principles.

If these damned center left & moderate republicans would just stop being such career patsy politicians and stand for timeless successful conservative principles, many more people of all political stripes would either vote for, or at least sincerely respect, a conservative politician who is not a hypocrite as well as a politician who stands for nothing except what is politically expedient.

...sadly the 85-90% leftist media NEVER uses their propaganda pulpit to point out the liberal left democrat hypocrites & criminals, who are just as bad, if not worse, then any hypocritical center right moderate republicans.

[Ron]

I have been saying this over and over again: There is a final solution to the Republican disease and that is immigration. In American politics, demographics is destiny, and never before have left-liberals had such power, never before have we had the chance to permanently alter the demographics of the country. Legalize, posthaste, the 10 million or so currently undocumented immigrants; give residency permits in a few key states: Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida (the first and the last are in any case the states where they are most likely to settle). Reach out to them, keep reminding them using every medium possible that the Republican Right does not want to see them as human beings, identify the Republican Party as the Party of White Protestant Racism. These, along with the fact that new immigrants and ethnic minorities overwhelmingly vote Democratic, will make sure that at least for fifty years more, Hispanics--25% of the population--will for the most part vote Democratic (and by then we will have implemented most of the policies we want). And if we win over Texas like we won over California, the future is ours. The Republicans will go the way of the Dixiecrats.

Do any of you at your heart believe that this strategy will not work? I mean, I am an immigrant myself and I can see the connection between immigration and the Republican Party's future crystal-clear.

[Ron]

For Mike Campbell: "anchor children"? Call them "American voters". And like it or not, buddy, the math is clear: with a good number of those, we secure the future even if the "mushy white moderates" (read closeted rather than open wingnuts) turn back to the Republican party. And we have a historic opportunity to get this done.

[jesse]

"Bazookas, huh? Where the hell can you even get one? And they are completely and totally unlawful to possess. Got that, Dennis D? Bazookas and explosive devices are illegal to own or possess. You display your complete ignorance, and lack of ability to research an issue when you make crazy statements like that."

Actually, that's not true, which makes it a little ironic for you to be calling someone else ignorant.

Bazookas are legal. They're classified as "destructive devices" under the 1934 National Firearms Act. That doesn't mean they're banned outright, but that you have to register them with the ATF. That involves submitting photos, fingerprints, undergoing a background check, and paying a $200 tax in addition to however much you had to pay for the bazooka itself.

Oh, and if you actually want any explosive rounds for the bazooka? Those are "destructive devices" also, so you have to submit the same paperwork and tax payment for each and every explosive round you want. Non-explosive training rounds are cheaper though.

[TigerHawk]

The argument about which states get back the most federal dollars is rarely productive. Rural and small states almost invariably get back more federal dollars than they contribute, and urban and big states get less. Why? Because every state, regardless of size, gets two senators, and both those senators have votes that need to be bargained for just as much as the votes of senators from big states. So small states are going to get more dollars per capita simply as a functioning of pork-trading. That rural states tend to vote Republican is a curious irony, but nothing more.

[Cattle Baron]

"And if we win over Texas like we won over California, the future is ours."

Yeah, "winning over" California; now that's something to brag about. It's $41 billion in the hole, its school system is the laughingstock of the nation, and it contains the lion's share of the illegal immigrants in the U.S. Congratulations on your "success".

Wherever you came from, please go back, and take as many of your leftist ilk as you can with you. Only then can we recover from this illness that's infecting this nation.

[LOL]

Pork spending is such a small percentage of the overall federal outlays, you're argument is just idiotic Tigerhawk.

If you actually did your research, you'd realize that mean and median incomes in rural and small town areas is generally substantially smaller than in urban areas. Highly urbanized states such as the northeast have higher family incomes on average than in places like say the plains or the south. Places like NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco have high costs of living and high incomes.

The south also contains some peculiarly high rates of poverty relative to the rest of the country, which further drags down red states' ability to contribute to the federal budget. However that high level of poverty also contributes to their outlays of government assistance as well.

It's amazing how often the "pork barrel spending" farce is trotted out by wingnuts compared to its size in the federal budget.

[HoweeCarr]

Read Gingrich in this round-up of opinions. He nails it. Big picture, Specter leaving is a significant opportunity, but only if the GOP seizes upon it as a pivot point to genuinely become the party of limited government, reduced spending and low taxes.

Limited government. Reduced spending. Low taxes. NO mention of moral management by government. A recipe for success. The moralizers on our side can use the pulpit of public opinion ot attempt to sway their fellow citizens of the rightness of their views- attempting to enforce them via government fiat will prove no more popular than when the Left does this.

Just leave us alone!

[Ron]

Cattle Baron: You don't understand--I am willing to tolerate as many illegal immigrants as needed so long as: (a) they do not affect my standard of living, but they don't. I am a tenured professor. (b) They can be converted into Democrat-voting citizens.

It's cold math. I am perfectly fine with some debt and some screwups in certain school districts (where I live, it's all great) as the price of having a long-lasting Democratic majority in this country.

I am hardly a "leftist". If anything, I distrust the public and think that we cannot rely on their political moods alone. Exploiting long-lasting demographic divisions is a more surefire strategy.

[Ang]

To quote Jimbo:

"Blah blah blah...racists.....blah blah blah....theocracy.....blah blah blah.......white men....blah blah blah"

Standard left wing wacko spiel. Make a lot of claims about people you hate without any actual examples of the activity you are accusing them of. Plus ten points for evoking Reagan. Like the Republican party today is one iota more conservative then it was under Reagan. Get real.

What is it with all the anger and hate Jimbo? Did the bad ole Sunday School teacher hurt your self esteem when you were 9? Did he or she touch you in the bad place?

[SDM]

"you wonder why she and Collins are liberals? Great info at that last link."
ok, so maine gets $1.41-to-1 on its taxes. it's a beneficiary of federal largesse - a state that other states subsidize, that's the argument? so, by that analysis, some other liberals must include:
-John Thune - $1.53-to-1
-Tom Coburn - $1.36-to-1
-Jim DeMint - $1.35-to-1
-Mitch McConnell - $1.51-to-1

whereas these Senators, whose economically productive states get squeezed to fund those beneficiary states, must be conservatives:
Ted Kennedy - 82 cents on the dollar
Barbara Boxer - 78 cents on the dollar
Dick Durbin - 75 cents on the dollar
Chris Dodd - 69 cents on the dollar

now that's correlation!

[Cattle Baron]

"I am willing to tolerate as many illegal immigrants as needed so long as: (a) they do not affect my standard of living, but they don't. I am a tenured professor. (b) They can be converted into Democrat-voting citizens."

Spoken like a true Democrat; a problem doesn't exist until it's YOU that's affected, and if the public doesn't want to buy into the program, find another way to rig the vote.

[southdakotaboy]

Ron you make sense up to a point with the whole immigrant thing. What you are leaving out is what is going to happen when the entire lefty plan comes apart at the seams. Your economic plans will not work and when people get frustrated no amout of your lieing to them will cover it up.
That is when you will see those immigrants turn on you. We will be there to bury you after the dust has settled.

[mark l.]

"I am hardly a "leftist". If anything, I distrust the public"

The implication of being a leftist is that people are generally too stupid to spend their money on their own and they need govt to do it more efficiently for them.

can't argue against that for 20% of america. Not sure if obsessing over the 'abject poverty' of 20% of the country and designing a govt to provide for them is a good thing. If 80% of a country is ok to work it out on their own and they are ignored for the most non-productive elements in our society...

at some point, people who are struggling to stay out of the bottom 20%, will come to realize that if they just let go, the govt will catch them, and sustain them with far less effort on their part at the point where they have been struggling to hold onto.

The irony?
unions. not the bottom 20% of society. but they are protected by dems as if they were.

[John Lofton, Recovering Republican]

Forget "conservatism," please. It has, operationally, de facto, been Godless and thus irrelevant. Secular conservatism will not defeat secular liberalism because to God they are two atheistic peas-in-a-pod and thus predestined to failure. As Stonewall Jackson's Chief of Staff R.L. Dabney said of such a humanistic belief more than 100 years ago:

”[Secular conservatism] is a party which never conserves anything. Its history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today .one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution; to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward towards perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt hath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard, indeed, to explain. It .is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It intends to risk nothing serious for the sake of the truth."

Our country is collapsing because we have turned our back on God (Psalm 9:17) and refused to kiss His Son (Psalm 2).

John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com

Recovering Republican

JLof@aol.com

[JSF]

Every time Democrats are elected, they think it is Year Zero and Day One starts with them.

I give you a lessson:

The popular theory in 1992 was that the Exec Branch was a lock for Republicans after 12 years, nope, enter election 1992.

For 40 years, the Dems ruled the House with no problems, in their arrogance, they begat Minority Whip Newt (after Minority Whip Cheney left in 1989) What happened?

1994.

As long as there are elections, things change. The Democrats have NO EXCUSE from this day forward, bring the troops home, shut down Gitmo, etc. Come on, what are you waiting for? isn't that what Speaker pelosi and president Obama promised.

Like Icarus, Democrats cannot think getting ever higher with no accountability cannot hurt them. I await their fall.

[WBestPresidentEver]

Democrats are nothing more than a bunch of old pot smoking cocaine using hippies. The have empty spaces in their brains.
I do not care if they abort all the babies they want to. Most of them are black if you do the research. Looks like the ACLU would be pissed about this.
It is ashame however that the democrats give kids a free ride for not being accountable for their actions. They say, here ya go..Go have sex and take this pill afterwards and that baby will be aborted. They encourage these young kids to have sex and spread disease take the abortion pill, have abortions without having to tell their parents, ect. Democrats have no morals. Never have, never will.
They encourage kids to do most anything they want to do. Steal, kill, rob people, quit school, get on welfare, food stamps, have a lot kids to get a bigger check. They tell kids its not cool to believe in GOD,or to go to church, etc. etc.
This country is pathetic. The leaders in this country are pathetic.
This country has no morals anymore and is getting worse day by day.
Hope you stupid ignorant democraps are proud.
This will soon become a third world country and no one seems to care.
What to do. Who the hell knows. Just sit back and watch America destroy itself I guess.
Go figure.

[Megan]

I am perfectly fine with some debt and some screwups in certain school districts (where I live, it's all great) as the price of having a long-lasting Democratic majority in this country.