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Reagan's party no more
MSNBC ^ | Tue May 15, 2012 | Steve Benen

Posted on 05/15/2012 12:32:50 PM PDT by presidio9

President Obama caused a minor stir last month in a speech at the Associated Press luncheon, when he argued, "Ronald Reagan ... could not get through a Republican primary today."

This sparked some worthwhile discussion, but I've been especially struck by the number of Republicans who agree with the argument.

The Republican Party has drifted so far to the right and become so partisan in recent years that President Ronald Reagan wouldn't even want to be a part of it, former Nebraska GOP senator Chuck Hagel told The Cable.

"Reagan would be stunned by the party today," Hagel said in a long interview in his office at Georgetown University, where he now teaches. He also serves as co-chair of President Barack Obama's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

Reagan wanted to do away with nuclear weapons, raised taxes, made deals with congressional Democrats, sought compromises and consensus to fix problems, and surrounded himself with moderates as well as Republican hard-liners, Hagel noted. None of that is characterized by the current GOP leadership, he said.

Hagel added that there were similar divisions in the early 1950s between Eisenhower Republicans and GOP extremists like Joe McCarthy, but the difference is, in 2012, "the extremists are winning."

Remember, Hagel's voting record in the Senate wasn't exactly Olympia Snowe's -- this guy's a conservative from a reliably-"red" state. And yet, he believes Reagan "wouldn't identify with this party."

A few weeks ago, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) said the same thing. What's more, Mike Huckabee said a year ago, "Ronald Reagan would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time being nominated in this atmosphere of the Republican Party." Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a nearly identical take in 2010, arguing Reagan "would have a hard time getting elected

-SNIP-

(Excerpt) Read more at maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Politics/Elections
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To: presidio9

The good news...someday Chuck Hagel will be dead and we won’t have to listen to his ignorant rambling any more.

Hagel is a complete failure and jackass, and is either lying or completely insane. Ronald Reagan wanted to shut down entire departments. He waged a gigantic buildup of military weapons and nuclear power. He cut taxes dramatically. Idiots like Hagel are too stupid to realize when Reagan went to the table to discuss nuclear cuts, it was to gain negotiation leverage...not to disarm ourselves against a communist USSR. When he ultimately agreed to the Democrat House leadership to raise taxes slightly (a tiny percentage of his original cuts), it was in exchange for promised spending cuts.

Hagel, Simpson, Spector and the rest are some of the most damaging figure in modern political history. Add losers like McCain in the mix, and you’ll quickly see the source of most of our problems in getting good legislation in place.


21 posted on 05/15/2012 12:58:17 PM PDT by ilgipper
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To: presidio9

Blah, blah, blah. NEXT!!!


22 posted on 05/15/2012 12:58:49 PM PDT by arrogantsob (Obama must Go.)
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To: US Navy Vet

There is a joke back home.
If you are elected to congress, it is because we can’t hang people like you anymore.


23 posted on 05/15/2012 1:00:45 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: presidio9

” Hagel added that there were similar divisions in the early 1950s between Eisenhower Republicans and GOP extremists like Joe McCarthy, but the difference is, in 2012, “the extremists are winning.”

Psycho..


24 posted on 05/15/2012 1:00:55 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: Steely Tom

Reagan was the real RINO.


25 posted on 05/15/2012 1:01:04 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Colonel_Flagg

” That’s true. Reagan is far too conservative for today’s Republican Party. The elite, which foamed at the mouth to defeat him in 1980, would completely ostracize him today. “

The RINOS control the party. Oh yeah, they were a force in Reagan’s time, but not in complete control like now.


26 posted on 05/15/2012 1:03:20 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: presidio9
I guess this is payback for decades of "Thomas Jefferson (or Franklin Roosevelt or John Kennedy) wouldn't be a Democrat nowadays." These counterfactuals are impossible to prove or disprove -- maybe that's why they're so popular.

But I suspect the reason Republicans have had so much trouble is that there isn't really a candidate of Reagan's stature and abilities out there. If there were, he or she would prevail over the critics and become the nominee.

27 posted on 05/15/2012 1:06:23 PM PDT by x
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To: Colonel_Flagg

The Left, and in particular their Media toadies, learned a hard lesson with Reagan. They laughed him off and did not take him seriously until one day he snuck under their radar and actually won.

They are determined not to let that happen again. Hence the collective head-stomping of Sarah Palin early and often.


28 posted on 05/15/2012 1:08:29 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: presidio9

Hagel is on Crack. I remember Reagan. I do not believe any of our primary contenders were the Conservatives Reagan was.

He ws both a moral and a fiscal conservative. And he was principle-driven not pragmatic in his core beliefs.

The lefties absolutely despised him.


29 posted on 05/15/2012 1:09:08 PM PDT by TFMcGuire (Liberalism Is Hatred)
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To: superdad

Well stated.


30 posted on 05/15/2012 1:10:22 PM PDT by traderrob6
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To: presidio9
Ronald Reagan would say. "Let's move ten miles in the direction of freedom". The Democrats would balk and say, "No way we're going more than six miles".

Reagan would say, "OK, I'll sign off on that!"

Today, the Democrats say, "Let's go ten miles toward statism." And the GOP responds, "No, five miles worth of statism is all we'll vote for."

So five miles worth of statism is what we get.

That's the difference between compromises that help and compromises that harm.

31 posted on 05/15/2012 1:10:52 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Ut veniant omnes)
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To: presidio9

Mark Levin said it yesterday and I totally agree - Reagan would win the nomination in a landslide if he ran today. The GOPe would be having seizures over it too.


32 posted on 05/15/2012 1:12:58 PM PDT by castowell (I am Andrew Breitbart!)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

BS, Hagel makes Lugar look conservative.


33 posted on 05/15/2012 1:14:49 PM PDT by traderrob6
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To: presidio9

Reagan might be stunned at today’s GOP, but not because it’s too “partisan.”

His disbelief would be at how squishy it’s gone over the years.


34 posted on 05/15/2012 1:17:25 PM PDT by ScottinVA (Buying Drain-O requires photo I.D... so should voting!)
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To: presidio9

GD Republican Leadership better get off the dime and reel these foolish Trotsky-RINO aka Dead Whigs in or the whole damn RINO Party will be torched!


35 posted on 05/15/2012 1:23:05 PM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: traderrob6

” BS, Hagel makes Lugar look conservative.”

Exactly


36 posted on 05/15/2012 1:24:17 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: ansel12; Deb

Good response Ansell, I voted for Reagan 2 times and would recognize his principled positions today.


37 posted on 05/15/2012 1:27:58 PM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: Buckeye McFrog
They are determined not to let that happen again. Hence the collective head-stomping of Sarah Palin early and often.

Agreed.

38 posted on 05/15/2012 1:31:54 PM PDT by Colonel_Flagg (Obama vs. Romney: Zero x Zero = Zero.)
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To: superdad
RONALDUS MAGNUS would be very proud to run with SARAH if he had the chance........ who else fills 60 thousand seat venues at the drop of a hat?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbWLLLyDEvI

http://www.salttvnetwork.com/articles/20100918/palin-draws-huge-crowd-iowa

LEADERS OF A FEATHER

PEOPLE LOVE THE WOMAN....
39 posted on 05/15/2012 1:36:24 PM PDT by jimsin
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Nobody will ever convince me Chuck Hagel was anything but a mole for the Left to use whenever they need a Republican to attack other Republicans. He sold us out every time he got the chance and continues to make himself available to the Rats.


40 posted on 05/15/2012 1:41:54 PM PDT by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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