Potential Republican Crack-Up

[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.

[sionnsar]

Okay, I guess. Spent some time yesterday hauling the broken concrete from the former walkway until I became too tired and hot. And the poor goodwife had some significant dental work done, so she's been on some pain meds.

Then we went to see "The March of the Penguins"; a well-done movie. Best I have seen in many months. I was surprised to see "War of the Worlds" still showing at the theater -- that was such a wretched, disappointing turkey, the only fun I've had with it has been trying to figure out how many other SF movies they've shamelessly stolen material from. Close Encounters, Independence Day (I think), and others I've forgotten.

We didn't do much other than that. Came back home and started preparing for this morning's service -- she with the music and bulletin, and me with the homily (e-mailed by our new rector) and other particulars of the service.

This morning we used the service we use when we don't have a priest or deacon. It's called simply "Morning Prayer" (or "Matins") and as far as I know this parish has never had a "sung" Morning Prayer (the canticles are sung/chanted instead of read). I suspect there are historical reasons for this, even though for a long time we had a liturgics director with an exquisite voice.

But a number of us remember "sung" Morning Prayer as a liturgy with its own very special beauty, so this morning we tried it. Well -- I had never realized there were so many choices of tunes (in our Hymnal) for each canticle -- I did not recognize a single tune. (And as it turned out I had a "small" hymnal that didn't provide the music, only the words, for the canticles.) But we hung in there and I think next Sunday will be much better; people clearly liked "sung Morning Prayer."

Not much after that. The poor goodwife crashed all afternoon (still asleep now), and I puttered around a bit -- worked on fixing a broken desk drawer, wrote a letter to the parish, did some research on upcoming legislation -- you know, the ordinary Sunday afternoon kind of stuff. *\;-)

How about you? Did you make it to church today?

[Army Air Corps]

I have also given thought to using a pair of E class motors instead. It depends on just how quickly I want the glider to reach altitude and how much acceleration that glider can withstand.

[King Prout]

best get your thrust angle and launch angle in harmony with your airfoil's chord!

[Army Air Corps]

No, most F class motors are in the "model rocket" classification. However, classes G through K require a High Power Rocketry certification through the National Association of Rocketry. You can, as a private citizen purchase motors up to the M class with appropritae Federal/State certification.

[Army Air Corps]

Some I and most J Class motors can push a minivan from 0 to 60mph in about 5 seconds...

[King Prout]

ok, NOW yer jest showin' off...

biggest and baddest commercial motors I've ever lit were D-12-8s

as to non-commercial motors... I take the 5th ;)

[sionnsar]

Some I and most J Class motors can push a minivan from 0 to 60mph in about 5 seconds...

Some of the things you can learn from reading FreeRepublic!

[Army Air Corps]

You never know when such information may be needed. :-)

[Darksheare]

Stolen.
Tiefed = stolen.
Pirated.
Absconded with..

[King Prout]

woof! tired.
bed time.

later, all

[Army Air Corps]

G'night, King.

Keep us posted on your hovertank.

[King Prout]

made away with
shanghaied
digitally discounted
swiped
looted
rifled
snagged
bagged
snaffled

tired as hell all of a sudden - it's about the right time for it, so no worries.

see y'all

[Army Air Corps]

You never know when you may need extra power in the passing lane on the highway...

[Monkey Face]

I'm sorry to be so late responding...you've probably gone to bed by now. I had a ride scheduled to go to church, but I stayed here at the keyboard until 8:15 last night, so I was late going to bed and late trying to wake up. I think my week was just a little too full, actually.

I'm working on some ancestor stuff, so I'm really excited about that. Of course, ancestors are always fun to hunt down, no matter who they belong to.

I guess I'll see you tomorrow. I hope. Son't work too hard!

[sionnsar]

I'm sorry to be so late responding...you've probably gone to bed by now.

Naah. We're still in the same timezone (I think, I'm not sure about DST where you are). I've got an hour or two before I crash for the time, given my early rising for work.

I look forward to the day I can step down from all these commitments and do that odd thing -- sit in the pews.

Take care, sleep well, and don't bite the bedbugs.

[Genesis defender]

Good evening, 'Face. Ever had a day when things went really good, then reeaaally bad? I got one of those, and it stinks.

Someone (a grandmother) from church told me I was doing a really good job with the little guy. Later on, while exchanging the little guy with his mommy, I forgot the check for daycare to give to her, plus some other things. She wasn't happy and neither was I. Quite a mixed bag of stuff today.

Any luck with finding more about your viking ancestors?

[Darksheare]

Here ya go.
Older than normal troll making excuses for Al Jazeera to be on US TV.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1467632/posts?page=11#11

All their posts in that thread are the same.
And a money quote from them in their grand non-understanding of how cable programming is paid for:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1467632/posts?page=99#99
"Is your cable system adding Al Jazeera? Is your bill increasing as a result?"


Your cable bill pays for the programming.
Al Jazeera supports those who want us dead.
Hence, cable companies who pay for AlJaz airtime with your cable bills are supporting AlJaz and those they support.

[tuliptree76]

Looks like I missed some fun in here.

[Darksheare]

She's still there, still spouting pro-Al jazeera garbage.

[tuliptree76]

Points: 58
The experts in the AmIAnnoying.com Quiz Department have determined that you are not annoying. That's nice, but what the h*ll are you then? You're not a monkey either. Nor are you a mango or a vile of crack. So what are you? Team Annoy's Bruce says: "I'm stumped."

http://www.amiannoyingornot.com/(ymjpqz55g023cq550mgwrzqd)/quiz4.aspx