Uh-oh: Republican voters might just stay home in November

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | May 7, 2006 | By Charlie Cook

[johnny7]

There is growing evidence that Republicans will face a voter turnout problem in the November midterm elections.

The GOP faces not only enormous misgivings among voters about the war in Iraq -- which amounts to 70 or 80 percent of President Bush's problems -- but also a combination of Social Security, mounting budget deficits, Hurricane Katrina, Harriet Miers, port security, immigration, gasoline prices and various scandals. History tells us that when one party is either complacent or disillusioned -- and the other party is highly motivated, agitated or angry -- the results can be devastating to the former while providing boundless opportunities for the latter.

[johnny7]

It's the same logic that gave us Carter & Clinton...

[lonedawg]

The spectacle and precedent of Spector's PA senate race ended the idea that a GOP RINO is better than a solid conservative..

Who said a RINO is better than a conservative!Their better than a liberal DEMO. We don't put Supreme court justices on the court with liberals in charge, we did however do it with these Rinos, lets get rid the Rinos but do it by convincing the voters to replace them with conservatives. If Spectre had lost to a conservative in the primary I would have celebrated, but he would most likely been replaced by a liberal Demo in the general election.

[johnny7]

There's always suicide.

[lonedawg]

Sorry! You got me , I bought into it.LOL

[mrsmith]

Yeah we heard all that from Dems about Reagan's debt from the Cold War. Now you try it about Bush's much smaller debt increase to fight the WOT.

Incredible that Dems would try the same stupid argument so soon after it has been proven fallacious. But Dems have always courted the stupid vote.

[lonedawg]

Good one!!! The black helicopters again.LOL

[kenboy]

All the GOP has to do to bury the Marxists masquerading as "Democrat" is to wage a TV campaign starting 6 weeks before the election showing who would be the new speaker of the House and Chairs of Commitees.

I think you overestimate the political interest of the average American. Most people don't hang out at freerepublic (or dailykos) and don't know who Nancy Pelosi (or Denny Hastert) is.

President Bush has spent our money -- DISCRETIONARY spending, not just defense spending -- at an alarming rate. We got into a deeply unpopular war that, turns out, might have been completely unnecessary. Gasoline is selling for $3 a gallon while Exxon/Mobil announces record profits AND while the President and Vice President both coincidentally have ties to the oil industry.

There's an awful lot of things like that which are obvious to the average American, who I think is very likely to ask themselves in November if they really want to vote to stay those particular courses. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Rangel aren't going to be on their radar. Now, that's not to say Pelosi won't be a good advertisement target in 2008 or 2010 or 2012, the way Newt Gingrich eventually was for the Democrats -- but right now, she doesn't matter to anyone who isn't already here.

[lonedawg]

But Dems have always courted the stupid vote



You said that right,these characters can't even fill a ballot out!

[kenboy]

I submit the same people who will "stay home" are the same weenies who voted third party in 2000, 2002, and 2004.

I probably shouldn't bother pointing out that if a relatively small number of third party voters had stayed home in 2000, Gore would have cleanly won Florida and the presidency.

Beyond that, I suspect that the people who bother going out on election day to vote for a guy who is only going to get 2 or 3 percent of the vote are a special kind of crazy voter, and they're probably the MOST likely to turn out, not the least. If you're an average, uninvolved American, with little day to day interest in politics, you're probably not voting for the guy from the Natural Law Party.

[SusaninOhio]

I know you are right - we do have to vote - but in the meantime, we need to keep pound on our elected representatives about WHAT we elected them to do.

Including the President.

Because they don't seem to remember why we sent them there.

[spectre]

Will you vote for Tom Tancredo is he is the Republican Nominee for President?

Will you?

[spectre]

"is he is" ="if he is". Sorry

[longtermmemmory]

Agreed.

At least now we have people who might give us the time of day. With democrats in charge, those politicians would ignore all republican concerns, scuttle the arm, scap marriage, institute quotas, and generally do the leftist agenda. (ala the current democrats declaration of an Agenda for America.)

[Joan Kerrey]

Whoever gives me my $100 gas rebate check first gets my vote. Maybe I'll even hold out for a vote rebate check.
Isn't that what it's all about these days? What's in it for me?

[lonedawg]

It is my duty to keep liberals out of office. So I will not votefor one no matter of party.


So a liberal demo. is the same as a rino, I admire your sense of right , but, are you gonna feel the same with another Ruth Bader Ginsberg. we're never gonna win 100% we take the best deal and try to fix it next time.

[TXBSAFH]

And John McPain thanks you as well.

[Afronaut]

This is why America is finished. If you don't vote for a Republican you get a RAT. You don't want Hilary now do you? Nancy ? Barbaara? Ted? Oh! MY!

No choice = free to do what they want.

These guy are laughing there azzes off at the voters. No choice, more of the same. America is Finished.

Esta es la razón por la cual América se acaba. Si usted no vota por un republicano usted consigue una RATA. ¿Usted no desea Hilary ahora le hace? ¿Nancy? ¿Barbaara? ¿Ted? ¡Oh! ¡cMi! Vote por el repub del idiota con la peluca. Este el individuo está riendo allí azzes apagado de los votantes. Ninguna opción, más igual. Se acaba América. ¿Cómo usted deletrea eso en español?

[lonedawg]

WHAT DID HE SAY?

[TXBSAFH]

I will no longer work on fear. If the best argument for voting for someone is to keep someone else out then it is a very poor, no dare I say pathetic argument. I will of course support conservatives, but for the rinos nothing.

[johnny7]

Spend some time in MA and get a good whiff of it... 'cause that's what staying home will get you.