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Zonie63 -> RE: Truth to the GOP (11/11/2012 12:38:47 PM)
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ORIGINAL: DomKen
I've been following the post mortems inside the republican party and conservative movement with a great deal of interest and hope. It is becoming clear that the bulk of the right is intent on denying that what has just happened is due to any systemic demographic disadvatages that if they further purify their party they will naturally appeal to more of the electorate. That path leads no where but many more years of a hateful fearful subculture isolating itself from the rest of the US which will almost certainly lead to more violence.
I don't know if things can be resolved in a single election cycle, nor does it really tell us much about the overall direction the country is headed. Both political parties have shown that they are flexible and can shift with the changes in the political landscape. The Democrats were the ruling party from 1933-1953, and the Republicans could have been called out of the game at that point, but somehow, they made a comeback.
I don't think the country is headed towards one-party rule, though. The Republicans may be displaced by other parties if their numbers dwindle. Or, the Democrats could become so big that they themselves could divide and split up into two or more parties. The Democrats aren't exactly the most unified party either, and they have their own subcultures and factions which don't always see eye to eye with each other.
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So its time for some truth:
Women's reproductive health issues is one of those things most women will vote solely on. It's not that Ryan, Akin and Mourdoch were indelicate in telling women they should be forced to bear their rapists babies to term. It is simply unacceptable for government to restrain a woman's decisions in that circumstance.
Agreed, although it should be mentioned that not all Democrats are necessarily of a like mind on this issue. Neither are Republicans, for that matter.
What I can't understand is why the country can't have a civilized, rational discussion on this issue without it constantly turning into a political football. I don't see it as strictly an issue between Republicans and Democrats, since it might also become an issue within the Democratic Party as well.
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Supply side economics is bunk. We've tried it twice and the only result was historically anemic growth and a growing income inequality.
Agreed. One thing that strikes me about the Tea Party is that they seem to be pining back to the good old days when Reagan was in office, using the same tactics and rhetoric that were successful during the 1980s. They think that they can recapture that spirit and win elections, but it doesn't seem to have the same magic that it used to have. I remember back in the 80s when the supply-siders and "Ronnie Robots" were in their heyday. But some knew it couldn't last, that it would eventually lead to disaster.
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The difference between a top marginal rate of 35% and 39.5% is inconsequential for most people who pay any taxes at that rate. However that amount in the aggregate will have a large effect on the structural deficit that you claim to care about so much. The carried interest exemption benefits only a few dozen mega rich fund managers, who do not employ more than a few dozen people total, and treating it as normal income, which it is, would bring in a great deal of tax revenue from people who are the very antithesis of your Randian philosophy.
I'd like to see the tax code simplified. At this point, it's so complicated that the average citizen can't understand it, and only those who can afford the expensive tax lawyers and accountants have the advantage. They can always find loopholes and other ways to get out of paying their taxes.
But I do have to give some measure of credit to conservatives when it comes to their advocacy for reducing government spending and waste. There's something to be said for calling for more frugality and austerity in government, especially in times of fiscal crisis. Even though both parties are guilty of waste, corruption, and fiscal mismanagement, at least the idea itself has merit, if ever it would be put into practice.
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Science is not subject to your wishes. The Earth is not 6000 years old. Man did evolve from more primitive primates. The global climate is warming and all available evidence suggests it is due to human activity. Poll samples do not need to be unskewed. People who tell the truth about science do not deserve to be attacked simply because you do not like what the science has to say.
I agree that it would be better to leave science to the scientists while the politicians stick to politics. I think the GOP largely understands this, although there are certain districts where such issues might still gain political capital.
The issue of global warming might also be a bit tricky when it comes to restricting certain industries, which would not just affect the business owners, but also the blue-collar workers who depend on those industries. Of course, it's ridiculous to be in wanton denial of the scientific facts, but the Republicans might still try to push for compromises in this area.
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The only conceivable way to end undocumented immigration is to implement a police state of the sort you claim to fear Obama will create. We can and should work to limit and control it but it is patently unfair to deny a young person who has lived almost their entire life in the US a way to regularize their status nd a route to full citizenship.
Immigration seems to be a can of worms which ties into so many other issues. Neither party can come up with any real coherent plan because of these complications. I think the Democrats are going to have to come to terms on certain issues as well, especially since immigration and border security are tied in with the drug war that both Democratic and Republican administrations have been trying to wage. Then there's also the business community which has benefited from hiring illegal immigrants, which creates a complication in the Republican camp. There needs to be more stringent enforcement against the companies which do the illegal hiring.
For their part, the Democrats have traditionally supported pro-labor causes - better wages, better working conditions, and an overall better standard of living for working people. Many blue-collar workers in America feel that they're being undercut and tossed aside in favor of cheaper foreign workers, and this is something that complicates the issue from the Democratic side. Plus, there's the low wages and working conditions faced by the immigrants themselves, so that issue will have to be eventually dealt with as well.
Also related to the immigration issue is foreign policy, particularly our international border with Mexico and our relationship with our neighbor to the south. Historically, it hasn't always been the friendliest, and we've had some rocky times. But some might argue that if we can help Mexico improve its standard of living, then there would be less impetus for illegal immigration, and that could solve the problem from the other end. However, Mexico has an even bigger divide between rich and poor than we do, so the underlying problem runs pretty deep. Whatever we do in regards to immigration should take this into consideration.
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Your politicans cannot use code words or dog whistles to attract the worst sorts to their side without the rest of us noticing. Trying to make it harder to vote is both patently unAmerican but it was grossly ineffective. Accept that the demographic makeup of this nation has changed and your side has to find ways to appeal to this more diverse electorate.
Homosexuals are people and it is obvious to pretty much everyone that no one would choose to be gay even in today's world. Homosexuals are not out to recruit young people but maybe if young people who have strong homosexual urges saw more out homosexuals in their communities they would commit suicide less frequently. Your marriages are not threatened by couples of any sexual orientation entering into the same compact.
The right wing media is not telling you the truth. They are telling you what they think will confirm your biases and fears. The more you reject reality and ensconce yourself in a bubble of misinformation the less able you are to make good decisions.
Please take this to heart. I fear for this country I dearly love because of your continuing rejection of reality and your sinking into an isoationist culture.
I fear for this country as well, but what is happening today seems to go beyond a single election or a single president. We've always had these underlying divisions in this country which seem to increase and lessen at different times. But we've mostly been able to maintain political stability due to compromise, negotiation, and emphasizing what the different factions and cultures in this country have in common. That's what seems to be missing nowadays, as ideological polarization and intransigence seem to be more prevalent.
I think both parties have their work cut out for them. Now that the election is over, it's up to them to lead and solve the problems of this country.
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