Posted on 02/25/2007 7:01:11 AM PST by kellynla
"Don't be afraid to see what you see," Ronald Reagan once said.
Today, many of his disciples are choosing not to see the obvious. Republicans in Congress cannot regain their majority merely by relying on a coalition of traditional conservatives and evangelicals. They must reach out to what I call "the fed-ups" -- a large and growing constituency of independent voters who have held the balance of power in every election since 1992, and will hold it again in 2008.
It was only 14 years ago that nearly 20 million voters rejected both Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush in favor of H. Ross Perot, a little man with big ears and a big idea. Perot's principal claim on their allegiance in the presidential election of 1992 was his insistence that government should be competent, sensible and honest about its finances. His supporters were mad as hell and weren't going to take it anymore. Those voters -- 19 percent of the electorate -- demonstrated that there was a potent political movement of fed-up Americans.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The Larry Sabato of the RINO's speaks!
Now I know we are screwed in '08. Another 40 years in the wilderness for Republicans.
Who said it was supposed to happen in 2 1/2 years?
No, it was the Republican congress's failure to do anything except generate pork for their districts and money for their campaigns that alienated both the conservatives and the independents. They talked fiscal responsibility when it came to social programs but if you could pave it or build a bridge to it and it was in their district, they paid for it. They even built the bridge to "nowhere". Immigration was the number one issue beside the war and what did they do, authorize building a fence that only covered a small portion of the border and then failed to fund it because they werent serious about building it. They were all sympolism over substance. Oh heck all we got to do to keep the Evangelicals is pass a meaningless bill on partial birth abortion that the courts will throw out, then do some bills against the gays and flag burners and they will come out and vote for us in droves. They are almost as dumb as those traditional conservatives that we sold the tax cuts to that ran out almost as soon as they were fully implemented. They wont notice.
I've read a few places that the JCs had planned on that sort of timeline.Irregardless, it's gone on longer than most pregnosticators were predicting.
So Reagan's 1984 landslide is the result of "fed-ups" voting? Or was the nation vastly more conservative in 1984?
And if the nation's voters are "fed up," why would they toss out spendthrift Republicans for thieving spendthrift Marxists in 2006?
Frank has always confused himself and me.
I tend to agree with you. As the country becomes bigger and more massive in terms of population, it is accompanied by a bigger, more powerful government. The more the people's dependence on government grows, individualism declines. In 1970 our population was 203 million. Today it is 300 million and by 2050, it will be 400 million.
You simply don't know what the hell you are talking about. The Republican party of 94 completely delivered on 9 of the 10 items contained in the Contract with America. On the tenth (term limits) they could not get a large enough majority, but their was a vote.
You represent what is becoming known to be a "sound-bite" conservative. You say what sounds good to the angry masses, but has no basis in fact or truth.
The fact is, most of you should simply shut up, or learn your history. I don't mean to go off on you, but your post is sadly becoming typical on this forum, with nonsense being accepted as fact.
Do better, and forgive my anger, because it aint directed at you alone.
They [the Dems] claimed to be the party of fiscal responsibility. Americans have a short attention span and an even shorter memory.
The biggest problem for the GOP is that in 2008, its possible 51% of the people will want the War on Terror to be declared "over" so they can pretend we are back to a peace time election. Everything is so FAST these days that 5 years is like 15 years in the early part of the century. If nothing happens between now and Oct 2008 to change this dynamic, I fear that people will just, like a child, deny the facts of a situation and create their own reality. Vote for any Dem who will declare the War On Terror over and won and start talking social issues.
If that is accurate, Hillary might be the hope for the GOP....I still believe conservatives would literally vote for anyone but her.
Stuck in the Mud How Can the GOP Get Moving Again? Drop the Dirty Politics and Get Real.By Frank Luntz
Another example of the utterly pathetic self absorption of the Worst Generation. Basically what they are saying here is :"Whaa! Everything is not perfect and I am MAD my life sucks. It is .....'s fault, not MINE, that I am a pathetic loser who has made a total mess of my life".
BEST sustained economic performance ever., Longest period of Full Employment ever. Highest per capita home ownership ever. NO terrorist attacks since 09-11, a war we are winning with fewer casualties then all most any other war in our history. More then 50% taking part via 401Ks and Pensions in the Best Stock Market ever etc etc etc etc etc etc etc!
Basically yet another "whaa everything is not perfect, I am mad!" hissy fit for the Worst Generation. What a bunch of ignorant trash losers. When are they EVER going to finally going to grow up? Frankly they ALL should be required to spend a couple of years in some Third World Hell Hole. Maybe then they would quit being such completely useless whiny bitches.
Here is a clue for the Always Whining. Instead of letting the Junk Media do all your thinking for you, HOW about you try ONE time in your lives to actually do some THINKING FOR YOURSELVES?
I'm not saying that we are not winning, far from it. What I am saying is that the majority of the electorate perceives we are not winning and perception trumps reality every time.
It's just plain easier to "sell" socialism because it promises the masses "sumpin-fer-nuthin".
Luntz rhymes with dunce.
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