2012 U.S. Presidential Election

[drone]

Santorum has cheezed off a lot of the Pennsylvania Republicans. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he loses there.

And if the religious right leaves the GOP, I'm fine with that.

[rvg]

Santorum has cheezed off a lot of the Pennsylvania Republicans. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he loses there.

And if the religious right leaves the GOP, I'm fine with that.

Except that they'll be back after Obama gets re-elected.

[drone]

Except that they'll be back after Obama gets re-elected.

And they will complain again in 2016 when the "establishment" pushes a more electable candidate over the nutcases they want.

[rvg]

And they will complain again in 2016 when the "establishment" pushes a more electable candidate over the nutcases they want.

Makes me think that Romney will probably repeat McCain's mistake pick some darling of the far right as a veep. That's not his only problem of course, but it sure won't help him.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I have a feeling that Romney's defeat (if he loses) will bring about the end of the current GOP structure unless some brand new charismatic leader takes control after 2012. The strong conservative base is itching for a "real" conservative to be put out there, with their flames being fanned by talk radio and Fox News.

There are many possible leaders to arise for 2016 like Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Marco Rubio. But by that point we might see a large rebellion by the more extremists in the party against all somewhat moderate candidates seemingly hand picked by the leadership. The last thing they would want after Obama's second term is someone like Hillary in charge and they would go nuts if someone like Romney came about again as the establishment candidate.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Makes me think that Romney will probably repeat McCain's mistake pick some darling of the far right as a veep. That's not his only problem of course, but it sure won't help him.

Catch 22. If Romney doesn't pick such a veep nom, he loses grass roots workers and a sizeable slice of the GOP right wing stay home rather than vote.

As to the one-term/two-term We have had 15 presidents re-elected, 8 who failed to be re-elected, 1 who both failed and then succeeded, 1 un-elected incumbent who lost, 3 incumbents who withdrew from re-election for a second term or for their own second term, 3 who sought nomination while filling the term of a deceased predecessor but were not nominated, and 5 who died during their first terms. A two-term president is NOT an automatic option.

[PanzerJaeger]

And if the religious right leaves the GOP, I'm fine with that.

Yes. Reagan was a great communicator of (largely Goldwater's) conservative ideology, but the religious element he ushered into the party that used to be content to vote for candidates who were outspoken in their personal religious beliefs are now increasingly and actively supporting candidates that seek to translate their personal religious beliefs into policy. It is eroding the support base for the party. We need to get back to Nixon.

There is no reason California should be off the table. There is nothing in the water in California that predisposes people to high taxes and big and dysfunctional government. The reason such places are no-go zones for the GOP now is because of cultural attitudes. The GOP is now the Christian party with some other tax positions in many people's minds instead of the small government party with a healthy respect for religion. That works well in places where religiosity is still strong, but it is a losing proposition in the long term. Nixon had no problem winning all across the country.

[ICantSpellDawg]

We need to get back to Nixon.
.

What? Nixon was Mr Big government. I get the basic idea. I think it's less of a big deal. We need to find the issues that play to a winning demographic that nets us the majority. If our numbers are dwindling, we can find voters with issues that are compatible with the basic message. Anything currently in the platform that shouldn't be we ditch. The GOP is just a party, it has no ideology but the ideology of its supporters and it just wants between 51 and 60 % of the vote. There are enough people that are dissafected by the current administration that tacking toward some of these issues in the general election and 4/8 years from now shouldn't be a problem.

Gay marriage. We don't have to embrace it, we just have to stop talking about it in the short term. Let it be a wash issue between the parties. Barack Obama is stuck in the muck on that one, too

We need to talk about our economy and scope of government, full stop. That's all this election should be about in the short term. GOP and Democrats are practically identical on foreign policy. The Republican abortion stance needs to stay strong, it is a winning argument and the demographics are for us. Drop the contraception nonsense and don't play the democrats game with that one. We got lucky with their creepiness about the conscience clause, but any further and it loses us votes. Push harder against government overt intrusion into our lives. Tear down the current DHS hydra but up intelligence gathering. Distance yourself from the drug war at the rate in which the voting codgers are dying off. That war is lost, immoral and a waste of taxpayers money. Cut spending, re-invest in technological advancement rather than salaries across the board (ie education, warfare, postal work)

Cut regulations in most areas and up it in boardroom representation. Push state level varied policy solutions and create a Federal mechanism that supports them. The list goes on and on, none of it includes new taxes or keeping the current tax status quo the same.

[a completely inoffensive name]

What? Nixon was Mr Big government. I get the basic idea. I think it's less of a big deal. We need to find the issues that play to a winning demographic that nets us the majority. If our numbers are dwindling, we can find voters with issues that are compatible with the basic message. Anything currently in the platform that shouldn't be we ditch. The GOP is just a party and it just wants between 50 and 60 % of the vote. There are enough people that are dissafected by the current administration that tacking toward some of these issues in the general election and 4/8 years from now shouldn't be a problem.

You are part of the religious base that is killing the GOP, so your opinion is really invalid here.

[ICantSpellDawg]

You are part of the religious base that is killing the GOP, so your opinion is really invalid here.

On no planet are my interests part of a "Religious base". I'm a Catholic, Steven Colbert is a Catholic, My mom is a Catholic, Andy Warhol was a Catholic. I'm fine with birth control and I don't want any theocracy creeping into government. My opposition to abortion is religious just like my opposition to murder and theft is Religious. It is also secular and civic, hence my secular and civic opposition to them. They just happen to match up on those issues.

You aren't even a Republican. Why don't you become part of the voting base and then actually have your say in the party?

[a completely inoffensive name]

On no planet are my interests part of a "Religious base". I'm a Catholic, Steven Colbert is a Catholic, My mom is a Catholic, Andy Warhol was a Catholic. I'm fine with birth control and I don't want any theocracy creeping into government. My opposition to abortion is religious just like my opposition to murder and theft is Religious. It is also secular and civic, hence my secular and civic opposition to them. They just happen to match up on those issues.

You aren't even a Republican. Why don't you become part of the voting base and then actually have your say in the party?

You mad bro? Cuz I would if I reallized my stances are laughable to middle america and are losing in the primaries.

You aren't even a Republican.

15 years from now, you won't be either.

[ICantSpellDawg]

You mad bro? Cuz I would if I reallized my stances are laughable to middle america and are losing in the primaries.


15 years from now, you won't be either.

Yes, I am mad because my candidate is winning the primary season and will carry most of the states that he lost recently in the fall. The Democrats and GOP go with the issues. The party itself is ever changing. These arn't interest based parties, they are empty suits, waiting to be filled with coalitions of interest groups and agendas. It is possible that one party or the other will cease to be like the Whigs, or Democratic-Republicans, the Bull-Moose, or the American Tories, but I find it more likely that they will stay around a while, altering their issues as needed. They will do their best never to fall below 40% of the vote in the general election without a third part independent involved. If this happens, they will scramble to redefine themselves in new ways. I remember after the 2008 elections, Lemur was hypothesizing the same thing, declaring the GOP dead and never to return, mistaking the party for the interests it currently represents and mistaking the American people's dislike for the policies of GWB with anything resembling an attention span or basic grasp of recent history. Then, the 2010 tea party stuff exploded, re-energizing the party. The party rode the wave like a bucking bronco, but the bronco is largely tamed at this point. The conservatives that are pissing and moaning about Romney are not the "tea party" republicans - they are the 1990's culture warrior Republicans. We've already taken the best parts of their movement and are leaving the worst parts behind.

There isn't anybody out there who thinks that Santorum will be the nominee in 2016 or 2020. They did, however, think that Romney would be the front-runner this time around back in 2008.

[PanzerJaeger]

What? Nixon was Mr Big government.

New Federalism is the antithesis of big government. I know he gets dinged for the EPA, but the early EPA was a good thing and definitely within the federal purview (pollution from states upstream effects states downstream, etc.). The Clean Air Act was a demonstrably good use of federal power. Some would argue that he should have had more foresight, but I do not think he can be blamed for the way the agency has been used and abused by successive administrations. His healthcare plan was actually a more conservative response to Teddy Kennedy's proposal for universal coverage. If it had been implemented, we probably wouldn't be experiencing the healthcare issues we are today. Considering that we will most likely end up with some kind of government run healthcare, if only to remain competitive with the rest of the developed world, I consider his stance to be prescient. IMO, Nixon was a great Republican president. He fought to devolve power that should be held by the states to the states and when he did exercise federal power it was in very beneficial and justified ways. He was fiscally conservative, socially disinterested, and pragmatic on foreign policy - always focused on strengthening America's position in the world.

Other than that, I pretty much agree with you completely.

[a completely inoffensive name]

socially disinterested,

You know what happened to the Romans? The last six Roman emperors were fags. Neither in a public way. You know what happened to the popes? They were layin' the nuns; that's been goin' on for years, centuries. But the Catholic Church went to hell three or four centuries ago. It was homosexual, and it had to be cleaned out. That's what's happened to Britain. It happened earlier to France.
Let's look at the strong societies. The Russians. Goddamn, they root 'em out. They don't let 'em around at all. I don't know what they do with them. Look at this country. You think the Russians allow dope? Homosexuality, dope, immorality, are the enemies of strong societies. That's why the Communists and left-wingers are clinging to one another. They're trying to destroy us. I know Moynihan will disagree with this, [Attorney General John] Mitchell will, and Garment will. But, goddamn, we have to stand up to this.

Yep. Great man.

[PanzerJaeger]

Yep. Great man.

'I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people.

I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.'


Guess who.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I'm not sure what you guys think is so poisonous about the religious right.

Let's look at the strong societies. The Russians. Goddamn, they root 'em out. They don't let 'em around at all. I don't know what they do with them. Look at this country. You think the Russians allow dope? Homosexuality, dope, immorality, are the enemies of strong societies. That's why the Communists and left-wingers are clinging to one another.

Anyone know a good book around the Nixon era (or a biography)? One that doesn't waste time frothing at the mouth about quotes like this or about watergate.

[a completely inoffensive name]

'I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people.

I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.'


Guess who.

An overly glorified man.

I'm not sure what you guys think is so poisonous about the religious right.

Anyone know a good book around the Nixon era (or a biography)? One that doesn't waste time frothing at the mouth about quotes like this or about watergate.

Lol at frothing at the mouth. Your arguments are more persuasive when you don't assign the feelings of others for them.

I'm just having fun here. Someone says something and I will post a reply. At the beginning of the GOP nominee thread I liked Romney. Then the circus opened up and I started whoring myself out to see people's reactions.

[PanzerJaeger]

I'm not sure what you guys think is so poisonous about the religious right.

Mostly their policy proposals... and their ideas.

An overly glorified man.

Wow, and I thought I was the only one not sold on Abe's greatness. In any event, I do not believe in judging historical figures by the standards of our time. He may not have liked gay people (or he may have been engaging in gay anti-gay pathology) but he did not try to push those beliefs on the nation through legislation. His management of the nation was largely socially disinterested.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Boy did I get that one wrong.

Obama did not eke out a win, as I expected, he beat Romney soundly. The electoral college win was a walk-away (and will go up further when the recount shows he got Florida as well) and Obama gained a solid popular vote win as well, earning a huge percentage of the West Coast's votes to top that category as well. He may not have had the "new" tag that got him an extra 5% last time, but he had more than enough to win soundly this go around.

The Senate and House remain essentially the same, as expected. All of the oomph from the Tea Party had faded back a notch.

[Hooahguy]

Maryland joins the progressive states and legalized gay marriage.

I feel this may be a turning point in American politics. Maybe now the GOP will reject the Tea Party right and become more moderate.

[rvg]

Maryland joins the progressive states and legalized gay marriage.

I feel this may be a turning point in American politics. Maybe now the GOP will reject the Tea Party right and become more moderate.

I can only hope. GOP has just lost a reasonable and moderate Scott Brown to a leftist moron, and I can't help but blame the tea party for it.

[Hooahguy]

I also think the Todd Aiken debacle contributed to the nationwide boot of GOP candidates.

[Kadagar_AV]

I also think the Todd Aiken debacle contributed to the nationwide boot of GOP candidates.

It is rather hard getting respect when high ranking members are seen as intellectually challenged by anyone with the ability to, say, google.

[Lemur]

Well, now that's settled, let's abolish the Electoral College and chuck every electronic voting machine off a cliff.

Can we make a deal?

Also, now is the time to talk about voter IDs and so forth. Not in the three months leading up to a national election. Now.