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2 authors explore the GOP's distress
Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | May 7, 2006 | Thomas Lipscomb

Posted on 05/07/2006 2:27:02 PM PDT by WaterDragon

The Republican Party is uneasy as it shambles toward the crucial 2006 congressional elections. Many of its supporters claim to feel demoralized, if not seduced and abandoned, by the conservative president they thought they elected in 2004. With President Bush's Nixonian economic policies and unwillingness to curtail federal spending, and the Republican faithful as confused as everyone else about the Iraq War, this is a good time to gain some political perspective from two veteran architects of the Reagan Revolution.

In the midst of another difficult political predicament, Germany's Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, once said he had finally found two experts who clearly understood the problem. Unfortunately, they disagreed with one another on the solution. So do Bruce Bartlett and Kevin Phillips. But with the GOP political-direction-finder whirling like a compass needle in a magnetic storm, perhaps they can at least help illustrate its different aspects.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: authors; bookreview; books; brucebartlett; bushattack; farleftlooney; gop; kevinphillips; lipscombtheidiot; thomaslipscomb
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To: WaterDragon
I still remember attending a party hosted at the home of a Philadelphia Inquirer employee (he still works there). All the Inquirer big-shots were there. Later in the evening it devolved into a gay-o-rama in and around the pool.

My GF and I went back into the house and saw two of them naked on the living room floor in doggie-position, at which time we decided it was time to say our goodbyes.

That was my first glimpse "behind the scenes" with the big newspaper hotshots.

81 posted on 05/07/2006 3:46:08 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: santorumlite; Torie
You're right. I found it here: Poll shows Hayes vulnerable in November.

Wow. Those are dreadful numbers. If Robin Hayes is really trailing a total nonentity by 43% to 35%, then the election is gonna be far uglier for the GOP than I imagined.

I wonder what this group's track record is. Either way, I guess Hayes needs to go back on my vulnerability list..

82 posted on 05/07/2006 3:48:06 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: TheCrusader
He said in his speech to the nation: "it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak". Imagine, the most powerful man on earth had the gaul (sic) to make that statement after publicly proclaiming several days earlier that he has no power to help Terri.

The most "powerful man on earth" was refraining from abusing his authority, despite his personal convictions.
83 posted on 05/07/2006 3:49:33 PM PDT by kenavi ("You must accept the truth from whatever source it comes." Rambam)
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To: AntiGuv

The questions the poll might have screwed the result. Answer a bunch of questions about what irks you, and it may tend to fuel a time for a change attitude.


84 posted on 05/07/2006 3:51:28 PM PDT by Torie
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To: DLfromthedesert

In 04 hayworth got percent and ran against a terrible opponent with no funding. His opponent got 40 percent. Dems will put this in a top tier race and fund it heavily.

In 04 bush's approval rating was 20 points higher and you had liberal john kerry on the ticket.

In 06 hayworth will have bush around his neck at 30 percent approval with a very popular well funded mayor. There will be no kerry on the ballot.

In 04 the base showed up and all you hear is how the base is staying home this election. The dem fraud governor will also have coatails by winning by 25 plus points on the top of the ticket. Almost like how bush helped out thune in south dakota in 04.


85 posted on 05/07/2006 3:51:28 PM PDT by santorumlite
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To: Torie

I meant the questions the poll asked, and there were a lot of them. It seems to me to be a push poll.


86 posted on 05/07/2006 3:52:13 PM PDT by Torie
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To: santorumlite; AntiGuv; DLfromthedesert; Admin Moderator
santorumlite member since March 2 2006

The Illinois district he claims the Republicans have "no chance" of winning and will "go to Duckworth" is one of the most GOP districts in the country. It's in DuPage county (the "orange county" of Illinois, but much more Republican), where 24 out of 24 of the county board members are Republican. Virtually every state rep. and state senator there is a Republican (there might be one DINO state rep., and Duckworth is no DINO), The GOP candidate, Peter Roskam, got nearly TWICE as many votes in the PRIMARY as ALL THREE DEMOCRATS CANDIDATES COMBINED.

What's more, Roskam is very popular in that district and is gettign this seat because it's well deserved after the party got behind Judy Biggert in '98 over the more popular Roskam. He has a united GOP electorate with the establishment now firmly behind him as well as the grassroots base.

Illinois-06 is a GOP powerhouse seat that's been Republican for decades. Either santorumlite is completely clueless about the demographics here or he's pimping for Pelosi and trying to demoralize the GOP. This is not like Crane's seat where the GOP was divived and the anti-Crane gang voted for one-turn fluke Melissa Bean just to spite the GOP.

87 posted on 05/07/2006 3:52:53 PM PDT by BillyBoy (Find out the TRUTH about the liberal Democrat's FAVORITE Republican in IL ... www.nopinka.com)
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To: operation clinton cleanup; kiwiexpat

Good point about domestic oil. It also impacts market psychology, decreasing the leverage that unfriendly oil sources would have over us. Economic estimates rarely include psychology. Also, estimates of reserves (which drive "estimates" of oil costs are always distorted by tax policies.

I used to work for an oil company. Know why there are always 20 years of reserves? Because that is the optimum amount to have on the books to prove the company is viable, but not pay taxes on assets that aren't needed in the strategic planning time frame. My prediction- we drill in ANWR and find that there is more oil there than 'taxed', and it reduces the cost of a barrel of oil more than Wall Street silk stocking estimates.

It is a sad story that if it takes years to implement a solution, we need leadership that is far sighted to anticipate requirements far in advance. If only our government didn't second guess companies that do strategic planning. If only we had started on this solution 10 years ago.




88 posted on 05/07/2006 3:54:50 PM PDT by sgtyork (Prove to us that you can enforce the borders first.)
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To: DLfromthedesert

I smell a troll.


89 posted on 05/07/2006 3:55:52 PM PDT by sgtyork (Prove to us that you can enforce the borders first.)
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To: BillyBoy

I can't stand pelosi, just because I am pointing out the horror we are about to face makes it unfair for you to point out to the mods that I am a troublemaker.

Chill out, all I am doing is preparing for the horrors of the rats with conyers and pelosi about to take it over.

I hope like anything that a miracle happens and the climate changes.


90 posted on 05/07/2006 3:56:04 PM PDT by santorumlite
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To: Torie

And of course push polls are worse than useless. I've never heard of this group, and I'm highly skeptical of the poll, to put it mildly, so I'll just put Hayes on the Watch List for now.

BTW, I don't know for sure, myself, about whether Denenberg has entered the race against King. That's an excellent question though, and it does seem that if he had there'd be some more on it at Google than just one April 23 Newsday article.


91 posted on 05/07/2006 3:56:37 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: Astronaut
We are going to lose the Congress in 2006. People are getting hit hard at the gas pump; I paid $3.13 a gallon today. The price gets higher every week.

Gasoline's down 15 cents (to $2.80/gal) in the DFW mid-cities area. Gasoline is NOT going up.

92 posted on 05/07/2006 3:57:59 PM PDT by sinkspur ( I didn't know until just now that it was Barzini all along.)
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To: sgtyork

Check out my posts, and you will see I am as pro bush as anyone on this site and often get called a bushbot.

How is pointing out how bad the climate is right now because of the media make me a troll.


93 posted on 05/07/2006 3:58:03 PM PDT by santorumlite
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To: BillyBoy

Sorry, but Dupage has been trending Dem, and Orange County California is now much more GOP. Bush carried DuPage by 10% in 2004, and 13% in 2000. Meanwhile, Bush carried Orange County, California by 20% in 2004, and 14% in 2000. Part of it is that Orange County has a sizable Hispanic vote that swung Bush. In any event, things are deteriorating in DuPage for the GOP fast. It reminds me of Chester County, PA.


94 posted on 05/07/2006 3:58:55 PM PDT by Torie
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To: AntiGuv

You did a google too? :)


95 posted on 05/07/2006 3:59:48 PM PDT by Torie
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To: santorumlite

Frankly a large part of it is your grammar, tone and capitalization.


96 posted on 05/07/2006 4:00:18 PM PDT by sgtyork (Prove to us that you can enforce the borders first.)
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To: SunnyD1182; Howlin
He has rapidly becoming a cancer to the party.

Another one of those 10/2004 sign-ups.

Trash Bush, trash Bush, trash Bush. That's all these 3rd quarter 2004 sign-ups have done since they got here.

97 posted on 05/07/2006 4:01:00 PM PDT by sinkspur ( I didn't know until just now that it was Barzini all along.)
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To: Torie

Don't forget a convicted ex Governor and a dreadfully incompetent state organization that went outside the state to Alan Keyes last election.


98 posted on 05/07/2006 4:01:58 PM PDT by sgtyork (Prove to us that you can enforce the borders first.)
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To: BillyBoy

Hyde got 56 percent in 04 in a much better climate against a nobody. His loser opponent who had no funding got 44 percent.

The dems will heavily fund duckworth and the demographics of the district are changing.

Considering hyde who was a legend in that district for a quater of a century got only 56 percent in a much better climate in 04 is troubling.

Bush did great in a a lot of those suburban chicago districts and it didn't translate to the reps.

The dems putting in duckworth from out of district was a disgrace. I know how good hyde's protege is. He is a strong social conservative and it will suck if the durbin and emanuel rats take it over. If the climate is the same nationally in november as it is now good gop candidates will be hurt by it.


99 posted on 05/07/2006 4:04:00 PM PDT by santorumlite
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To: BillyBoy

IL-10TH District where i live, was a Republican strong hold for years also. It's slowly changing to Dem.


100 posted on 05/07/2006 4:05:57 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
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