Posted on 11/07/2013 5:44:54 AM PST by jimbo123
Leaders of the Republican establishment, alarmed by the emergence of far-right and often unpredictable Tea Party candidates, are pushing their party to rethink how it chooses nominees and advocating changes they say would result in the selection of less extreme contenders.
The push comes as the national Republican Party is grappling with vexing divisions over its identity and image, and mainstream leaders complain that more ideologically-driven conservatives are damaging the party with tactics like the government shutdown.
The debate intensified on Wednesday after Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, the deeply conservative Republican candidate for governor of Virginia, lost a close race in which Democrats highlighted his opposition to abortion in almost all circumstances, his views on contraception and comments in which he seemed to liken immigration policy to pest control.
The party leaders pushing for changes want to replace state caucuses and conventions, like the one that nominated Mr. Cuccinelli, with a more open primary system that they believe will draw a broader cross-section of Republicans and produce more moderate candidates.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
We have met the enemy, and he is us.
They can only pick our candidate if the voters listen to them. We need to educate our voters! Santorum was close but moderates liked Romney unfortunately. Santorum would have excited the base, Romney didn’t.
Time to boycott the RNC, although I’m quite sure the NYTimes is working to incite divisions within the Party.
That said, Karl Rove, the RNC, and the NYTimes would reject George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as “extreme”.
I am extreme. I love the Lord, and I am an American. Deal with it.
Let me go on record as saying the real GOP, those like Cruz and Palin stand up and speak the truth, need to quit messing around with the GOP and move.
Now.
The GOP is the problem. It is going to be a big job to start an effective new party.
START NOW.
Not for those who know the Constitution.
How can you get any more moderate than the RINO’s that are running things?!
The ones who want to go further to the Left should just become Democrats.
We don't need two Democrat Parties.
Ok people, it is WAY past time to get OUT of this party.
Notice how Rove never comes and denies these claims. This isn't just the media trying to cause divisions. This IS a division.
When the RNC calls, I hang up.
There are already two Democrat Parties. They just have different names.
RINO National Committee.
Don't forget to call them that before you hang up.
I concur. I just point out that the NYTimes is always very eager to highlight these issues while never printing such cases within the Democratic Party — never.
Sam Kinison had a joke where he said,”If the Angel of Death calls, don't accept the charges.”
Same kind of a deal. The RNC gets no more money until they act like Republicans again instead of Dem-lite
Leaders of the Republican establishment, alarmed by the emergence of far-right and often unpredictable Tea Party candidates, are pushing their party to rethink how it chooses nominees and advocating changes they say would result in the selection of less extreme contenders.
I understand Reagan saying you can’t go third party (also pushed by Levin and others) but how do you reconcile that with the actions being taken by the party? They’re not going to give up power and will *literally* lie, cheat and steal to keep it.
I’m no third party advocate - I just don’t see how to reconcile this.
-——Santorum would have excited the base, ——
That is one of the funniest posts on Free Republic, ever.
Santorum has the charisma of a fence post out in the back 40 where nobody ever goes. It is a nearly rotten fence post that barely supports the wire
Sure, open primaries, that is what keeps McCain and his ilk in office. Let the moderates try to win without conservatives, that’s what is going to end up happening. Anyone who can’t identify Rove as a democrat by now is blind and deaf.
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