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TEACHING THE GOP A LESSON: 4 Months On
Vanity | 3/7/2007 | Sam Paine

Posted on 03/07/2007 7:27:38 AM PST by sam_paine

November 7, 2006 - The American voters "revolted" and gave the Democrat Party control of Congress.

Four months out, what have the politicians and strategists learned?

Have they learned that "conservatism wins every time it's tried?"

Or have they learned that the right-wing coalition no longer holds enough votes for them to mount a successful campaign?

Did "staying home" send a message to politicians that got us better border security, less taxes, stronger military, less government control of schools...less abortion?

This thread, and subsequent "TEACHING THE GOP A LESSON" markers up until Nov 2008 should "log" as we go along just how well the politicians are (or are not) learning their lessons.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: conservatism; election; liberalism; teachingthegop
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I know this is bound to devolve into flames, at least initially....but if it does, then that's a valid indicator of the disagreement over what lessons are to be derived from "sitting it out."

I really just want to do this periodically to link the stories which are likely fallout from the 2004 election (such as non-binding resolutions against the troops, minimum wage increase, etc) and more importantly to gauge the feelings of FReepers on the clear dichotomy between the message they think they're sending to the pols and the message that the pols are actually hearing.

1 posted on 03/07/2007 7:27:41 AM PST by sam_paine
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To: sam_paine

You mean '06 election right?


2 posted on 03/07/2007 7:29:34 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: sam_paine

Only WHINO wussies "sit it out"


3 posted on 03/07/2007 7:29:59 AM PST by tkathy (Rudy is the latest phenomenenenenenenena)
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To: sam_paine
Answers:

Nothing.
No.
No.
No.

Not voting for a liberal candidate in a supposedly conservative party, does not constitute sitting out the election.

4 posted on 03/07/2007 7:31:45 AM PST by OB1kNOb (After 20+ LONG years, a REAL conservative I can support 4 President - DUNCAN HUNTER '08)
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To: sam_paine
the message that the pols are actually hearing.

I think it is still too far away from the election for the politicians to spend too much time listening to the voters...but at least we are hearing phrases like 'fiscal responsibility' every now and then. You sure didn't hear that much before last November.
5 posted on 03/07/2007 7:31:49 AM PST by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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To: sam_paine

Calling Mr. Boortz, Mr. Neal Boortz, please pick up the white courtesy phone...


6 posted on 03/07/2007 7:32:42 AM PST by Obadiah (Yes, I do question Democrat's patriotism.)
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To: kinoxi

Yep. Ooops. 2006, of course.


7 posted on 03/07/2007 7:33:27 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: P-40
but at least we are hearing phrases like 'fiscal responsibility' every now and then.

I'm glad to hear you can be placated with words.

8 posted on 03/07/2007 7:33:55 AM PST by AmishDude (It doesn't matter whom you vote for. It matters who takes office.)
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To: sam_paine
Well, since the election, these two things have happened:

-the border has been tightened up and all illegals sent home
-spending has been completely reined in. No more pork!

This completely vindicates all the conservatives who decided not to vote for their Republican candidate because he was soft on immigration and loose with the purse strings. Sure taught him a lesson!

/sarcasm

9 posted on 03/07/2007 7:35:02 AM PST by Dr. Frank fan
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To: sam_paine

No offense to you personally but I'm getting sick of this discussion. Very few "sat it out" to teach the GOP a lesson. Many in the voting population, unfortunately, were not given someone to vote FOR... only AGAINST... again.

Polling and cajoling the true believers and politically active isn't where the answer lies. You can't win if you only get your true believers. You have to sell yourself to the average schlub. The GOP (with the help of the MSM... or lack thereof) failed to do that. Politics is basic marketing... you have to differentiate your product. Growing the size of government, expanding entitlements, shamnesty, laziness and a host of other issues hurt the GOP... not the activists who tried to send a message.


10 posted on 03/07/2007 7:35:42 AM PST by pgyanke (RUDY GIULIANI 2008 - BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPROMISE YOUR PRINCIPLES ANYWAY... WHY WAIT?)
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To: AmishDude
I'm glad to hear you can be placated with words.

I'm not....I'm just glad to hear that the subject at least comes up every now and then.
11 posted on 03/07/2007 7:36:15 AM PST by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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To: OB1kNOb
Not voting for a liberal candidate in a supposedly conservative party, does not constitute sitting out the election.

It's not really relevant, nor interesting as to what we believe the "truth" to be when we're talking about politicians.

What's important to ask about what the pols think THEY have learned.

I think you're statement that the pols have learned "nothing" is unsupportable.

At least the leftists have "learned" that the "American voters have spoken for change."

Like it or not, that is certainly one result of the 2006 election.

12 posted on 03/07/2007 7:36:19 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: P-40
at least we are hearing phrases like 'fiscal responsibility' every now and then. You sure didn't hear that much before last November.

Personally, I'm hearing it about the same now as I did before the election. Of course, how often we "hear" a phrase isn't really indicative of anything substantive. Governance is not about which phrases are uttered in public.

By the way I just noticed this thread: Dems to add billions to Iraq war bill

But at least you perceive yourself to be "hearing the phrase" 'fiscal responsibility' more often than you thought you were hearing it before 11/06!

13 posted on 03/07/2007 7:38:22 AM PST by Dr. Frank fan
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To: P-40

While the voters were sending a message to the GOP, the lunatic Liberals think they won some sort of affirmation for their left-wing ideas that will lead to the destruction of our nation and policies that will leave us vulnerable to our enemies.

The last election was a repudiation of Republican politicians not being conservative enough not an affirmation of lunatics like Pelosi, Murtha, Kerry, and the rest of the anti-American crowd. The voters will turn on these idiots soon enough. Pelosi and her cohorts are hell bent on their acquisition of power while feeding their egos (evidenced by their thinking they're royalty) to realize that their anti-American, anti-military fringe policies won't pacify the American voter who are not Liberal.


14 posted on 03/07/2007 7:38:46 AM PST by ExTexasRedhead
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To: sam_paine

Unintended though it may have been, what the results of the last election taught ALL politicians is that American voters apparently want liberals in power.


15 posted on 03/07/2007 7:39:41 AM PST by Let's Roll ("...given the choice between war and dishonor, you chose dishonor - you will have war"- W.Churchill)
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To: AmishDude
I'm glad to hear you can be placated with words.

I guess it comes down to what each of us prefers. Do we prefer a Republican party that is out of power and pretends to be conservative? Or do we prefer a Republican party that is in power but increases the size and scope of government beyond the increases we saw from Democrats?

Tough choice.

16 posted on 03/07/2007 7:40:05 AM PST by shempy (EABOF in '08)
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To: sam_paine

A better question is - Did the GOP even run in the last election? It was yet another election where the GOP offered "Bob Dole" to its voters.

It is not the voter fault if the GOP cannot recruit and offer Republicans to vote for.


17 posted on 03/07/2007 7:40:27 AM PST by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: sam_paine
Well, you have to admit that the Unions are very very happy right now.

For those that stayed home to teach Repub a lesson, probably are regretting thier action. How about focusing on the next election to get rid of Libs.
18 posted on 03/07/2007 7:40:31 AM PST by Strutt9
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To: pgyanke
I'm getting sick of this discussion.

I didn't really want this to be a discussion....I really just want to log examples of what the election resulted in.

Your anti-Rudy tagline is a good example. I think one of the results of the 2006 election is that smokey room strategists in the liberal-wing of the GOP are emboldened, thus we get Rugy, Mitt, McPain etc---and little party money going to Hunter, etal.

19 posted on 03/07/2007 7:40:49 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: Dr. Frank fan
I'm hearing it about the same now as I did before the election.

I'm hearing it quite a lot more. I can't vouch for what is said in the MSM as I don't really pay attention to that sort of fluff...but when you listen to the budget hearings and things of that nature, it is at least talked about more.
20 posted on 03/07/2007 7:41:27 AM PST by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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