Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Cantor didn't need to move right. He needed to get real.
Yahoo News ^ | 06/12/814 | Matt Bai

Posted on 06/14/2014 11:30:08 AM PDT by jocon307

Predictably, Cantor's defeat has undammed a flood of punditry on why he lost, most of it focusing on immigration policy or on the tea party's supposed resurgence. In truth, it's way too soon to know exactly what went on in Virginia's 7th District, and by the time we get any perspective, it's not clear that anyone will care.

But one way to look at Cantor's humiliation might be as an indictment of the culture of incumbency itself, and of the dysfunctional way in which a lot of Washington politicians get used to communicating, or don't.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: davebrat; ericcantor; teaparty; virginia
Just a short excerpt from this piece, which I think is quite good. I wish Yahoo news would spiff things up a bit, because there is no more WSJ (all behind the paywall) and the NY Post is now a celebrity ridden trash heap. I really, really need a new "morning paper".

Bai makes some good points about Cantor and let others be encouraged by them.

1 posted on 06/14/2014 11:30:08 AM PDT by jocon307
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jocon307

How many times have we read this exact same explanation for a conservative victory? It’s like the newsies have a form article and just do a search/replace on all the dates and proper nouns.


2 posted on 06/14/2014 11:35:22 AM PDT by SeeSharp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jocon307
As angry as these new partisan activists may get at elected officials who seem too pragmatic or timid, what really galvanizes them is when, after they air those grievances, the politicians respond with what sound like North Korean communiqués.

There is much the author simply doesn't "get," but here he hits it on the nail. The pablum that serves as a response when I contact my Republican representatives is pathetic.


3 posted on 06/14/2014 11:42:05 AM PDT by FourPeas ("Maladjusted and wigging out is no way to go through life, son." -hg)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FourPeas

The idea that they are not listening and do not care infuriates everyone. They work for us, but they’ve ceased to realize that.


4 posted on 06/14/2014 12:04:30 PM PDT by jocon307
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: jocon307

Excellent article, and a very different viewpoint. Cantor may have changed during the time that he was in office, but in that case, he should have been willing to explain the rationale for this to his constituency. Maybe he could have convinced them, maybe not. But just blowing them off was not the way to go, and yet every one of our elected representatives does it.

I too get sick and tired of the stale old things I get from my congress critters. It’s like they’ve “moved beyond” being mere mortals.

I used to get good communications and thoughtful responses from Mica, when he was my rep here in my district (which was divided, so I’m no longer in his district). But other than that, my experience has been dismal.

As for Brat, both he and his Dem opponent are professors at the same college. Brat needs to do a cram course on national and international affairs, because when he was asked about them by the press, he was clueless. I’m sure his Dem opponent would be equally clueless, but the press is never going to ask him.

For the press, it’s all about “gotcha” for Republicans, and he’s got to understand this if he wants to win.


5 posted on 06/14/2014 12:32:28 PM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: livius

“As for Brat, both he and his Dem opponent are professors at the same college. Brat needs to do a cram course on national and international affairs, because when he was asked about them by the press, he was clueless.”

Do, HE WAS SMART. Unlike many Republican amateurs, he knew enough to not try to answer questions that he wasn’t ready for. I’m sure Brat had an answer to the minimum wage - but he also knew that he may never hear the end of it, if it was what I think a free-market person would say (i.e., abolish it).

He was very smart. He’s in shock as much as Cantor. He was just trying to give Cantor a small scare - he NEVER thought he had a prayer. He’ll be fine once things settle down.


6 posted on 06/14/2014 12:44:13 PM PDT by BobL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BobL

Well, it’s better not to answer than to give the wrong answer. But he should have thought of these things beforehand.

I think this has been a learning experience for him. He has to realize that he is going to be held to a much higher standard than any Dem.


7 posted on 06/14/2014 1:33:31 PM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: livius

“He has to realize that he is going to be held to a much higher standard than any Dem.”

...or Republican, for that matter. I think he’s figuring that out. But I do think the media will tire of him. They really were trying to nail him in a Todd Aiken moment, when he was at his weakest. He had enough brains to not fall into that trap...so he may be up to the task.


8 posted on 06/14/2014 1:51:06 PM PDT by BobL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: BobL

That’s true. What they’re going to try to do is portray him as fuzzy and a kind of absent-minded professor.

He doesn’t strike me as very nimble (professors talk but don’t listen!) but he doesn’t strike me as being tongue tied, either, so I think (hope) he’ll rise to challenge.


9 posted on 06/14/2014 1:54:55 PM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jocon307; MeshugeMikey; All

Cantor is infected with the cancer of BOEHNERISM.

An always present symptom of BOEHNERISM is that the infected Republican Politician ALWAYS Caves-In to whatever any Democrat Politician wants.


10 posted on 06/14/2014 2:23:10 PM PDT by Graewoulf (Democrats' Obamacare Socialist Health Insur. Tax violates U.S. Constitution AND Anti-Trust Law.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jocon307

Cantor was actively scamming w RATS to move their agenda.
End of story.


11 posted on 06/14/2014 2:38:59 PM PDT by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zathras

Especially regarding amnesty that turned out to be his downfall.


12 posted on 06/14/2014 2:42:34 PM PDT by Jane Austen (Boycott the Philadelphia Eagles!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson