Party Purity or Room for All?
The hoopla over President Barack Obama’s 100th day in office was preempted on his 99th day, when Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania defected from the Republicans to the Democrats.
Specter was candid that one reason for the switch was the likely prospect of losing the 2010 GOP primary to former Rep. Pat Toomey, who was leading Specter in polls taken of an increasingly more conservative Republican electorate.
For some Republicans, Specter’s move raised alarm bells about the present and future course of the party. For others, it was good riddance to Specter and his less then conservative voting record.
Here is some of what Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine wrote in a New York Times op-ed: “It is true that being a Republican moderate sometimes feels like being a cast member of “Survivor” — you are presented with multiple challenges, and you often get the distinct feeling that you’re no longer welcome in the tribe. But it is truly a dangerous signal that a Republican senator of nearly three decades no longer felt able to remain in the party.
“Ideological purity is not the ticket back to the promised land of governing majorities — indeed, it was when we began to emphasize social issues to the detriment of some of our basic tenets as a party that we encountered an electoral backlash.”
On the other hand, Rush Limbaugh, seen by some as the most influential voice among conservative Republicans, said: “A lot of people say, ‘Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you’re gonna…” he told listeners, dissolving in laughter.”…..It’s ultimately good. You’re weeding out people who aren’t really Republicans,” he said.
A recent Washington Post-ABC poll found 21% of Americans identify as Republicans, the lowest total that poll has found since September 1983.
What is the current state of the Republican Party? Is it more honest for a party to maintain ideological unity and give voters clear choices? Or should both parties include officeholders that hold views that can fit into either the Republican or Democratic tents?
Loading ...
I never thought Secter was Rep. Honestly, I don’t think anyone knows what is believes: ever him.
I was not a listener of Rush until last year-do to the drive-by media and newspaper that are rags now. I have used my computer and talk radio to get the real news-
McCain is a fence-sitter (my grandfather would have said). Bottom line,
more people at this time are reg. Dem. thanks to Rush–but they will switch back before the next election. All of the media has forgotten about that too, I have not. I have three cousin that changed to vote for Hilary-against Obama in Ohio.
I am reg. Dem. being voting Rep. since Carter.
I am a registered Rep and have voted Rep all the way, especially, since Clinton; but I feel that the Rep party is dead. I really believe that a viable third party is in the works. I helped organize and participated in a tea party on the 15th and saw disillusion and dissatisfaction over a broad spectrum of voters, from libertarian to conservative Dems. We were, frankly, dissed by some of our state Reps, that is, until they saw the huge support for the tea parties. Of cours, then, they were all over us. Change is in the air and it is not Obama’s change.
I am a conservative Rep and I, for one, am not concerned whether or not people think that is not fashionable. I was in NYC last week and people were still wearing Obama campaign buttons like they were fancy broaches. Fashions fade and principles stand. Once people realize that Obama is not going to make their house payments for them, he won’t be so exciting. All of us Americans need to look inside ourselves and figure out what we really stand for, and those who stand for nothing worthwhile (like what is fashionable) will stay home and not vote. People with real priciples always vote.
Glenn Beck said it best – “today’s Republican party is more like the Democrat party of the 60’s.” The Democrat party of today is some UFO that has been created since then.
lot of 20 percenters posting here… no, the republican party won’t make it back in the next election, nor the one after that. in fact, the last time the republican party had a majority in both houses of congress and the presidency was in the 30’s. they destroyed the country that time and they did it again 60 years later when they had the congress and the presidency. maybe we can see the back of that party for another 60 years.. if we’re lucky.
Yet another in a series of flawed polls sponsored by left leaning orgs. From ABC: “METHODOLOGY – This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone April 21-24, 2009, among a random national sample of 1,072 adults, including landline and cell-phone-only respondents and an oversample of African-Americans (weighted to their correct share of the national population). So, we’ll oversample the democratic population to ensure Obama looks even more popular than he actually is — hardly the definition of “random.”
Spector’s defection only serves to underscore the depths of political depravity to which our form of representative government has sank. Members of our congress are more concerned with their careers and the perks and public recognition the office provides than actually representing the electorate. The shrinking Republican party, having lost all credibility after the spending spree of Bush’s presidency, is suddenly fiscally responsible again, like an alcoholic swearing off booze. Never trust an addict. The Democrats, inspired by what they perceive to be a mandate from the people, are spending the country into an eternal debt. The best solution to all of this is term limits for all of congress. Let’s vote the Democrats and Republicans out of existence.
The Republican Party is where it and the Democrats have been before. Just as bankruptcy is often good for a corporation, The Repubs will come back strong again, just as the Dems have also done.
I agree with drubage about Spector. He originally ran as a Repub because they were the ones winning PA. The Dems are now winning so he has to become a Dem in order to stay in office.
Was the support for the “tea parties” actually “huge”? Wow. Really? That wasn’t my impression. They were very difficult to find where I am located and from watching the footage, et al on them, I wasn’t necessarily impressed that there was a “huge” outbreak of these things.@beth
An ancient philosopher said it best…
“Those who put party politics over the country, shall lose both the party and the country.” True last milenia and the next. Witness America this past decade.
@Shelley
Shelley:
You must have one of those new history books. I have been reg. Dem since 1961. I have already been to the Bd. of Ed. about these books/w/real history. They will NOT teach my grandchildren these lies.
I respect your opinion, but will disagree, do to real history! Have a nice day.
@Elle
Well I (many many many) years ago was democratic leaning voter…then they came down and zapped the common sense out of the majority of them and I began voting more republican…Now I do not trust ANY of them, and am on the war path with my “So called” Blue dog democrat congressman over where his warchest of 1.3 Million dollars came from. This guy has accepted the 2nd most out of area money in all of the House of Representatives and I live in a rural area, with the LOWEST TV or Radio ad rates in this part of TN. So it is obvious “Who” has this guys attention.
I told his aide it is time for him to be replaced…she of course tried to defend him, but to no avail/
Take a few minutes and check out who claims to be your reps or senators and follow the money….your eyes will be opened for sure.
DZ
Spector Schmector- the Democratic party is more democratic than the Republican Party. The Republicans expect everyone to wear the same straight-jackets. Each party should be made up of liberals and conservatives within the range of the party principles, and degrees in between. Spector wants to remain elected so his switch isn’t like “conversion,” it’s politically expedient. I like the freedom of the Democratic way of thinking. I dislike the heavy-handed, mean demeanor of Republicans I see in front of the camera. The Republicans I know are not severely right-wingnuts. Three quarters of ‘em don’t even go to church!
@Bongoman
I don’t know where you live, but in the 50’s-60’s in my state and county -if you were reg. Rep. and your house was on fire, the Dem. might come and help/then again they might not. Dem. rule my state and always have. Futher more if you think this is old-hat talk, you must live in NY or Calif.
I am a Dem.(1961) I wanted help if my house was on fire! Plain and simple! I am going to change to Indep. soon. Being on the right wingnuts!
I think demanding ideological purity will be the death knell for the Republican Party. John McCain lost quite a number of votes because of conservatives thought he “wasn’t conservative enough.” In numerous conversations, I’ve asked what conservatism is to them and the top three issues they have are opposition to gay marriage, abortion, and illegal immigration. I fail to find in those areas one thing that resonates as a defining characteristic of conservatism.
The Republican party will find its way again, when moderates and conservatives decide that we must start fighting for the things we can ALL agree on–limited government intrusion in our lives, individual responsibility and personal liberty, fiscal reform, and a robust national defense. These are the foundations upon which the Republican party must rebuild.
@Lr
I not only found a Tea Party, I attended it. In our town of 35,000 people, 3300 people attended. The speakers made a lot of sense. Our Democratic Congressman showed up for a little while. He didn’t speak nor did he listen to the speakers. He stayed for just a little while and left. I feel it’s important to try to protect our children and grandchildren from the extravagant spending of both Democrats and Republicans!
Principles are for losers. Literally, not figuratively.
The only time principle comes into play is when one is on the losing end of a deal or history.
Think about it.
@Rebecca
No one I know who voted for Obama expected him to make their house payments. He was elected for many reasons, and that wasn’t one of them that I ever heard (and I heard a LOT of reasons.) Please refrain from erecting strawmen.
We all know that the Rep party has pretty much been pushed off the stage – and in many ways, for good reason! There has been confusion and weakness, and too many poloticos who were seduced into doing what they apparantly thought would keep them in office, even to the point of sacrificing much of what their party always stood for. It seems to have escaped many, however, that on a much more subtle level, the party in power now has been quietly morphing into a very different and, for those who consider themselves patriotic Americans, alien entity! I must say that in many ways (far too many for my liking), this last (so-called) election evoked a similar situation in another time and place – Germany in the ’30s! Think about it! Oh sure, it isn’t an exact replica, but the similarities make my blood run cold, and I can’t imagine anyone who could honestly refute this! As far as I’m concerned, the era of “one team” competing with the “other team” to lead this great republic, appears to be giving way to the emergence of something quite different; Americans who are now faced with making a decision beyond just which party has the best rhetoric – decisions that reveal precisely where they stand – for America, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, its heritage – or against America, and all that it stands for in regards to its citizens, and the world at large. I believe that in this last (so-called) election, Americans were spoon fed a banquet of deception, like the German citizens were all those years ago. The way things have panned out, here we are. Does the flag still fly – or not?
I have been a Republican since Nixon was in office, and I can say I don’t recognize my party. When I gather with other Republicans, I am dissed if I don’t take a socially conservative position, or agree with the pap found on the conservative media. Back then, there would have been room for us all, even the wingnuts on talk TV. If there are enough moderates like me who feel the party no longer includes us, then it will be a long climb back.