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Potential Republican Crack-Up

Posted on 07/31/2005 1:19:25 PM PDT by KMB

For the past 20 years, there's been a discussion in political circles and the media about the "fault lines" in the Republican party over the hot-button social issues such as the death penalty, abortion, affirmative action and gay rights.

The presumption has always been that these issues would ultimately cause a rift between conservatives and moderates that would split the Republican coalition. The pundits and the MSM have been expecting and predicting this split for as long as I've been watching politics and they've been puzzled by the fact that it has never occurred.

I believe that the reason that it hasn't occurred is that the underlying assumptions are wrong. There are no "moderate" Republicans. I think Republicans are almost all conservative. Today, there are no Republicans left who are philosophically in line with Nelson Rockefeller, John Anderson, Lowell Weicker or Mark Hatfield. I know that this line of reasoning may be challenged by the Maine & Rhode Island Republican senators but the Republicans in those states (who vote Republican in presidential elections) are conservatives. The New England Republican Senators get elected by appealing to Democrats in overwhelmingly Democratic states.

There were approximately 62 million people who voted for GW Bush in 2004. I believe that probably 61.5 million of those people (1) support the death penalty (2) oppose affirmative action and (3) oppose gay marriage. I also believe that an equally high percentage of Bush voters (even those who are pro-choice) believe that the Roe v. Wade case was a hideous decision.

Pro-choice Republicans also are aware of the dirty little secret of the abortion debate -- which is that even if Roe v. Wade were overturned tomorrow, there would probably be no effect... There are probably no more than 7 - 9 states where abortion would actually be outlawed and there are currently few (or no) abortion doctors practicing in those states today anyway. Overall, the number of abortions occurring in the next ten years would only be affected by 1% or less if Roe v. Wade were reversed.

So this is, I believe, why the Republican coalition never cracked or splintered. It has confounded and infuriated the opposition but the Republican coalition really never had the fault lines that so many people thought it had.

However, I now think that one may be developing. The impending divisions in the Republican party won't be "moderate" vs. "conservative". It will be "evangelical conservative" vs. "non evangelical conservative". The issues that cause the breach won't be abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage or affirmative action. Instead the divisions will be caused over: (1) stem cell research, (2) evolution and (3) the Terri Schiavo case.

I think that 25 years from now, we'll all look back on the Terri Schiavo case as a cataclysmic event in American politics. There were tens of millions of people who looked at the pictures of Terri Schiavo and thought just one thing: "My god, if that ever happens to me, pull the plug, stop the feeding or do whatever it takes to finish me off."

At the time many Republican leaders spoke of the fact that this was a unique case but the tone of the debate both in and out of the media was that this was essentially a first step.

I remember that pro-Brady Bill and pro-Assault weapons ban politicians repeatedly assured the public that this wouldn't mean banning guns while activists and media pundits indicated that this was a first step towards doing so.

With the Terri Schiavo case, activists -- evangelicals --similarly didn't view this as a unique case but as a first step towards preventing feeding tube or life support removal in any case regardless of living wills or not.

This had an effect on non-evangelical Republicans or "secular Republicans" . . . By itself, I don't think that it would be enough to cause a breach but this isn't just one issue. The other issues that are occurring at the same time are an inexplicable renewed debate over evolution and the stem cell research debate.

With regard to the former, there's no polite or nice way to put it so I'll just be direct. People who believe in evolution think that people who don't believe in evolution are idiots -- pure and simple. The perception that an evolution believer has of a non-evolution believer is of a person saying, "Duh, my grandfather wasn't no ape."

Secular Republicans look at people who publicly discuss their doubts about evolution and who don't want it taught in public schools with utter disgust.

With regard to stem cell research, secular Republicans are excited at the prospects and supportive of practically any scientific research and they simmer at the thought of obstruction of research on religious grounds.

These three issues: evolution, Terri Schiavo and stem cell research are close to causing (or may have already caused) an irrepairable breach in the Republican coalition.

I'm a conservative. I believed in a 2nd war against in Iraq to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein as early as 1998. I also believe in making the '01 & '03 tax cuts permanent; drilling in anwar; that members of al Qaeda who are captured are illegal soldiers and not entitled to due process. I believe in progressive indexing of SS benefits, support the confirmation of John Roberts, think Antonin Scalia is the ideal justice and favor ballistic missile defense.

I also support the death penalty, oppose affirmative action, oppose gay marriage and think that the Roe v. Wade decision was a farce. I could go on but the point is made -- I'm a conservative....

But, I also accept the truth that the human species has a pre-history and I support stem cell research and I think that keeping Terri Schiavo's existance without life going was cruel and sadistic. That feeding tube should've never been inserted 14 years ago.

As a result of all of this, I now find myself in a position that I would have never dreamed of 5 or 10 years ago which is that I object to Hillary Clinton far, far less than I object to Tom Delay. Or Rick Santorum. Or Sam Brownback. Or Tom Tancredi.

Hopefully, Rudy Guiliani will be the nominee in '08 and make this all a moot point but if he isn't then I'm confronted with the possibility that I'll probably vote for Hillary Clinton despite the fact that she stands against so much that I believe in.

If there are others like me out there, and I think there are, then get ready for a 2nd Clinton Administration.


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: 0wn3d; 0wn4g3; 0wned; 1dumbtroll; asphaultlikesit; clowns; dancingonkmbsgrave; darkshearesfault; deepcovertroll; duidiot; dumbassdunce; dumbassidiot; dumbassliberal; dumbasstroll; dumberthanhammers; dunce; dutroll; echoechoecho; facerules; headupass; hostiletakeover; ideservezot; ilovezot; molassesmiasma; notmyfault; own4g3; ownage; owned; ownzored; ozone; ozoneactionthread; penguinhumor; permanentminority; pwn3d; pwn4g3; pwnd; pwned; pwnz0r3d; spawnofundeadtrhread; trollishigh; trolloncrack; trollonpot; undeadroadtrip; undeadthread3; undernewmanagement; whowritesthisbs; wildturkeys; wppff; zot
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To: MikeinIraq; KMB; NicknamedBob; King Prout; Monkey Face
Wait.. have to make it an official hijacking if we have found the next Undead Thread....



Hey, KMB!
GIMME YOUR LUNCH MONEY!

381 posted on 07/31/2005 6:56:38 PM PDT by Darksheare ("Just because I have a paper heart, doesn't mean tearing it is okay." -The man with the candy face)
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To: Darksheare

LOL

I am going to bed...

night all...

have a good one!!


382 posted on 07/31/2005 6:58:11 PM PDT by MikefromOhio (Hillary only WISHES she was the Beast....)
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To: MikeinIraq

I'm heading out as well.
Take care, have a good evening.


383 posted on 07/31/2005 6:59:07 PM PDT by Darksheare ("Just because I have a paper heart, doesn't mean tearing it is okay." -The man with the candy face)
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To: MikeinIraq; tuliptree76; sionnsar
Son means a single individual.

Spawn means a possible multitude. I'd prefer to call it the Spawn of the Undead Thread, because we may need to relocate on a monthly basis.

This may then become "The Spawn of the Undead Thread -- The August Chronicles" for the next month, anyway!

"hey Bob I am putting that onto my homepage"

Okay, just keep my "name" attached, please! Grab Zot numbers one and two if you want them!

384 posted on 07/31/2005 7:00:36 PM PDT by NicknamedBob (Mighty and enduring? They are but toys of the moment to be overturned by the flicking of a finger.)
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To: NicknamedBob

Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Is this the UT?

I see all the regulars, but the heading says otherwise.


385 posted on 07/31/2005 7:04:13 PM PDT by TAquinas (Demographics has consequences)
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To: section9
Perhaps we should make a hierarchic list of the things that are important to us, based on how much and how soon they would effect us. A suggested list folows.
#1. Lower taxes to keep economy stimulated.
#2. Right to keep and bear arms.
#3. Stopping alien illegal entry.
#4. Stopping terrorism.
#5. Putting Social Security into Individual accounts.
#6. Shrinking the size of government.
way down the line we finally come to the things that effect us very little if at all. Things such as creationism versus evolution...daylight savings time....global warming....federal funding of stem cell research.

Sort of like the planks of a candidates platform.
386 posted on 07/31/2005 7:08:58 PM PDT by rock58seg (RINO"s make the Republicans MINO"s (Majority In Name Only)!avigable waters)
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To: TAquinas
We've relocated the UT, because of serious posting lag problems.

We found that we could communicate faster by pony express!

But it isn't the UT one, two, or three.

This is the "Spawn of the Undead Thread -- The August Chronicles"
387 posted on 07/31/2005 7:11:00 PM PDT by NicknamedBob (Mighty and enduring? They are but toys of the moment to be overturned by the flicking of a finger.)
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To: KMB
I think that 25 years from now, we'll all look back on the Terri Schiavo case as a cataclysmic event in American politics. There were tens of millions of people who looked at the pictures of Terri Schiavo and thought just one thing: "My god, if that ever happens to me, pull the plug, stop the feeding or do whatever it takes to finish me off."

I've heard Howard Dean mention he wants Dems to make a huge deal of the Schiavo case. I guess he sees no shame in trying to ride a corpse to political victory, and I see you got the memo.

388 posted on 07/31/2005 7:14:40 PM PDT by NeoCaveman (Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Federalist Society?)
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To: NicknamedBob; A CA Guy; Darksheare; sionnsar

Seems like more are going to bed...but it's just too early here.

Even though I am exhausted.


389 posted on 07/31/2005 7:16:41 PM PDT by tuliptree76 (I'm sailing on the wide accountancy.)
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To: OSHA

I added one. :-)


390 posted on 07/31/2005 7:17:55 PM PDT by Not A Snowbird (Official RKBA Landscaper and Arborist, Duchess of Green Leafy Things)
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To: tuliptree76

Watch a good show and fall asleep.


391 posted on 07/31/2005 7:23:15 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Monkey Face; mware; tuliptree76

I still like my ice cream like that too! Best way ever to eat ice cream!!!


392 posted on 07/31/2005 7:25:04 PM PDT by trussell (Prayers for the children!)
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To: A CA Guy

I'll wait a half hour. Or else I'll wake up at 4 in the morning.


393 posted on 07/31/2005 7:27:01 PM PDT by tuliptree76 (I'm sailing on the wide accountancy.)
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To: trussell

Now I wish I had ice cream in my apt. LOL!


394 posted on 07/31/2005 7:28:02 PM PDT by tuliptree76 (I'm sailing on the wide accountancy.)
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To: tuliptree76

Do you have cable?


395 posted on 07/31/2005 7:28:30 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

Yep.


396 posted on 07/31/2005 7:29:33 PM PDT by tuliptree76 (I'm sailing on the wide accountancy.)
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To: tuliptree76

CSI on, sci-fi has a good movie on.


397 posted on 07/31/2005 7:30:43 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: trussell; A CA Guy; SandyInSeattle; tuliptree76

Now that we're all here ...

...Whuh d'you wanna do? Cuz I dunno what to do.

What do you wanna do?


Man! I've gotten so used to the glacial pace, that I feel like the snail that got bowled over by the turtle. "Everything's happening so fast!"


398 posted on 07/31/2005 7:32:14 PM PDT by NicknamedBob (Mighty and enduring? They are but toys of the moment to be overturned by the flicking of a finger.)
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To: A CA Guy

I just turned it to Spike for CSI...and I realized there's the time zone difference. ;-)


399 posted on 07/31/2005 7:32:18 PM PDT by tuliptree76 (I'm sailing on the wide accountancy.)
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To: Monkey Face; tuliptree76; Dead Corpse

Hi 'Face, tuliptree76, Dead Corpse et al, et al!

Is this the new UT?


400 posted on 07/31/2005 7:32:46 PM PDT by TAquinas (Demographics has consequences)
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