Is The Republican Party Morphing Into a Narrowly Defined “Movement?”
Is the GOP morphing into a more narrowly defined, exclusionary “movement?” CNN’s Bill Schneider believes it is.
In a piece in National Journal Magazine, Schneider points to a new poll that suggests many GOPers would prefer ideological purity to electability and writes:
Republicans may soon get their own version of the Ten Commandments. Led by James Bopp Jr. of Indiana, a group of conservative members of the Republican National Committee plans to propose a resolution at the RNC’s winter meeting that would establish standards candidates would have to meet to receive the party’s support.
To be a sanctified Republican, the resolution insists, thou shalt not support President Obama’s economic stimulus; “Obama-style government-run health care”; cap-and-trade energy legislation; “card-check” legislation to promote unionization; “amnesty for illegal immigrants”; government funding of abortions; or government restrictions on gun ownership. The Party of No? Not entirely. Thou shalt support the Defense of Marriage Act, which forbids federal recognition of same-sex marriages; “military-recommended troop surges” in Iraq and Afghanistan; and containment of Iran and North Korea.
Anything about taxes? Nope. Even Ronald Reagan was an occasional backslider on that one.
The party would root out heretics with a sort of Inquisition — by examining candidates’ voting records, public statements, and signed responses to questionnaires. Would it permit deviations? Yes, a few.
And here is his “nut graph”:
Republican Party leaders may squelch the resolution before it can be brought to a vote in January. But the proposal does underscore a striking trend toward ideological conformity within the party. The conservative movement came to power with Reagan’s successful presidential campaign in 1980, year one in the conservative calendar. Since then, the GOP has been turning more and more into an ideological movement. A movement’s followers are expected to agree on everything (or at least 80 percent of everything). Otherwise, they’re not part of the movement. Political parties in the United States are supposed to be coalitions. To be part of a coalition, you only have to agree on one thing: You’re for the party’s candidate. No further questions asked: “You support Barack Obama?” Fine, say Democrats. “You’re one of us.”
And what does the poll show?
A recent CNN poll asked Republicans, “If you had to choose, would you rather see the Republican Party in your area nominate candidates who don’t agree with you on some major issues but have a good chance of beating the Democratic candidate, or would you rather see the Republican Party nominate candidates who agree with you on all major issues but have a poor chance of beating the Democratic candidate?” The Republican rank and file preferred purity over electability by 51 percent to 43 percent.
The poll asked a comparable question of Democrats. Give us a winner, Democrats responded, by 58 percent to 38 percent. Looks like the Party of No versus the Party of Whatever.
Does this mean the Demmies should breathe a sign of relief? Hardly.
At key moments in the mid to late 20th century and early 21st century, some Democrats insisted, why, they would teach their party a lesson by not voting for it since the party didn’t adhere to their position on a policy or issue. And when the Demmies lost, these Democrats would them seem shell shocked as Republicans who won exercised their legal right to run federal, state and/or judicial machinery and institute — and embed — policies that Democrats opposed.
If you have a movement full of True Believers versus a party with some members who’ll teachtheir own party elites a lesson by by not voting so a bunch of Democrats are kicked out of office, just guess which one could win? It isn’t just “to the victors go the spoils,” it is also “to the active..”
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12 Responses to “Is The Republican Party Morphing Into a Narrowly Defined “Movement?””
This is an artifact of the Bush Administration. They voted for the Republican candidates and the Republicans added $5 trillion to the national debt, increased the size of the government, maintain open borders, and failed in almost everything that was attempted. The Republicans have supported moderates like Specter and McCain and gotten nothing but grief for their efforts. Why would they want to continue the failure?
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I don't like the CNN question. Many of these poll questions lead you by the nose to choose the lesser of two evils, which is a lousy choice. 'Would you prefer that the candidate that eats eggplant or likes the French.”
Some of these polls make you feel like an idiot if you don't like their choices. You can't say your polls sucks, come back with more intelligent choices (whatever that is). And by the way the candidates are just polls that have been grown in a party factory, and whose main goal is usually to get reelected.
[...] Republicans may soon get their own version of the Ten Commandments. Led by James Bopp Jr. of Indiana, a group of conservative members of the Republican National Committee plans to propose a resolution at the RNC’s winter meeting that would establish …Read Original Story: Is The Republican Party Morphing Into a Narrowly Defined “Movement?” –… [...]
Personally, I'm not real concerned if it did. We need more parties, and something has got to give to make room for them.
Spoken like a man that has never had Frenchman and eggplant stew, I can tell ya…it's lovely.
I'll stew over that remark. Adieu. Also, remember Sarkozy is part Hungarian, as am I. Therefore, he can get behind Obama at the revolving door and come out ahead.
Joe. I cannot believe how many people the GOP has like Arlington Tennessee's Mayor Russel Wiseman, who called Obama a Muslim and told Obama's supporters to go to a Muslim nation.
Mayor Wiseman is too typical of too many Republicans. President Obama's election has unhinged them.
And now, with so much evidence that the GOP has too much disinformation and hatred of Obama, the Party will call for “purity”? Barrack Obama is very lucky to have the enemies he has, but we as a nation need to stop this madness of so many Republicans asserting Obama is a Muslim, was born in Kenya, stole the election through ACORN and so many other absurd lies.
Where are the GOP leaders and why are they silent about Mayor Wiseman and so many others?
They probably aren't going to care too much over a city mayor, just like the silence on Chicago's mayor Daley and his well-known corruption.
There is a difference here. I think Daley has been a disaster as Mayor. But Daley never called the President of the United States a Muslim, with its suggestion that President Obama is not a citizen.
But, in a way, ProfElwood's comment shows what is wrong with the Republican and conservatives who are True Believers. Any infraction by Republicans is excused because the Democratic politicians have done worse. In fact, I understand that ProfElwood is in fact suggesting that President Obama is a corrupt member of Chicago Mayor Daley's political machine. On another blog, I would venture this would be expressed much more directly and crudely.
I wonder how much racism there is in this country. For example, I wonder what Mayor Wiseman says when he is certain that everyone has the same level of contempt he has shown to President Obama.
And this may seem to be too Politically Correct, but I think racism and hatred are morally wrong, and if my Party had so many mistaken opinions about Republicans, I would denounce it vigorously.
If you scroll up a bit on this thread, you'll see that I'm not a Republican, or a true believer. And on another recent thread, I would love investigations:
http://themoderatevoice.com/55243/nicolas-sarko…
My point is exactly the same as yours. You were calling out Republican leaders for a lack of discipline, but not the Democratic leaders.
As for the whole “this is just racism” thing. You can find my answer to that one here:
http://themoderatevoice.com/46131/the-great-tea…
“The Republicans have supported moderates like Specter and McCain and gotten nothing but grief for their efforts. Why would they want to continue the failure?”
At least we know why the Left is getting hot and bothered about anything hinting at reducing the failure.