Posted on 07/11/2008 7:10:35 AM PDT by meandog
Battle for the ’Burbs How Republicans can compete for the upper middle class
ROSS DOUTHAT & REIHAN SALAM
It was only four years ago that conservatives — and a great many liberals — were convinced that the Democratic party was doomed to become a purely regional institution: “a national party no more,” to borrow the title of Georgia Democrat–turned–Bush supporter Zell Miller’s 2003 memoir. Pundits brandished county-by-county maps showing blue enclaves drowning in a sea of red; they talked up the growth of GOP-leaning regions and constituencies and the daunting demographic gaps (God, babies) facing the Democratic party; they murmured in awe about the unbeatable political machine Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman had built. To most observers, the Republicans looked like America’s natural majority, while the Democrats looked like a liberal rump, confined to the coasts and big cities, and permanently alienated from the American heartland.
Now the situation is reversed. Now it’s the Democrats who expect to control the presidency and both houses of Congress come January, and perhaps for years to come. Since 2004 the GOP has lost ground on nearly every demographic and geographic front — white collar and blue collar, Hispanic and redneck, Catholic and evangelical. The party has been routed in the Northeast, taken heavy losses in the Midwest and Mountain West, and even tasted defeat deep in the South.
(Excerpt) Read more at nrd.nationalreview.com ...
I think Get Drunk and Vote For McCain accomplishes both of these goals.
If the “Upper Middle Class” wants to stay Upper Middle Class, they’d better wake up and not vote Obama.
I'm beginning to convince myself that I was in that condition when I voted for Bush.
“It was only four years ago that conservatives — and a great many liberals — were convinced that the Democratic party was doomed to become a purely regional institution...”
That was BEFORE the “neo-cons”/Republicrats abandoned THEIR principles (or proved they never had any in the first place)and “screwed” the proverbial pooch on virtually every important issue facing this country.
They can all rot in hell as far as I am concerned.
PS - ...not that I’m going to skip the election or anything but I am TIRED of being in the position of having to vote for the “lesser” of two very great evils.
It’s STILL voting for evil no matter how you slice it.
Do you think we would be better off if Gore or Kerry had won?
OTOH, I have been regretting my vote for Rick Perry from the day after that election in 2006.
Using the current logic of anti-McCain FReepers. YES!...because it would have meant that the GOP could have had an overwhelming victory after four years of either and, at the same time, been rid of the Bushes.
Only in the fevered minds of those trying to ram environmentalism down our throats. If anything, the debate, such as it is, has gone the other direction. There are plenty of real scientists that think the issue is a crock.
Maybe we were just being stupid, but Bush didn’t really show his true colors until after the 2004 election, when he didn’t have to run again.
Up till then, I thought he was just slightly miscalibrating his outreach to hispanic voters, for instance. I didn’t know he wanted to hand the U.S. over to Mexico. I imagine a lot of other people had similar illusions, because up till then, with some obvious exceptions, he did seem to be respecting the base.
With McCain, he has never even pretended to respect the base. He pokes them in the eye even during the campaign season, let alone after he’s elected.
One way or another, we MUST get rid of the damned Country Club Republicans who have resisted any movement of the party in a conservative direction for decades, and after losing a bit each election cycle now suddenly appear to have won the whole game.
I’m not suggesting anyone should vote for Obama. I wouldn’t in a million years. But the thought of pulling the lever for McCain just isn’t going to draw people to the polls next fall. Tens of millions are going to stay home, thanks to the selfish idiots who are running the Republican party. They have NEVER been more out of step with their base.
Alright. Fair enough. We would have endured 4 bad years which would have presumably led to the election of a good President.I understand the logic there, but you can't get the toothpaste back in the tube. There would have been some terrible damage done, but maybe that is the price we have to pay. We are still suffering the consequences of the Carter presidency.
You and I may not agree on the importance of winning in Iraq. That is the only thing John McCain and I do agree, and to me that trumps everything else.
Yeah....Hey Zell!!!
Where are ya buddy??? He sure has been quiet since 2004.
THAT’S what we need-a thundering voice in the pale weakness of what was once the GOP.He was a DINO!!!
It would be nice if they could do so without dragging us with them.
I wish Kinky would have won; not because he is a conservative, but because it would have shaken up the political landscape. Too bad Scott McClellen's mommy crammed her turn-coat butt in to the race.
You can bet Kinky would not have mandated cervical cancer immunizations. People would have accused him of having too much interest in prepubescent girl's reproductive organs.
I agree with you. And my concern is that if Obama wins (assuming we survive four years of THAT) the GOP will consider that an indication that the entire country is moving to the left and will think they weren’t centrist ENOUGH.
Get used to it. I've only had the luxury of voting "FOR" a presidential candidate twice in the last ten national elections.
My problem with the president isn't so much about the illegal immigration issue (which I view as irksome but not critical to the survival of this nation) but more about his mismanagement of the on-going global war on terror which do I view as critical to the security of this nation. Specifically, I am angry that he continued to resist the surge until after the "thumpin'" in the 2006 mid-term elections.
With McCain, he has never even pretended to respect the base. He pokes them in the eye even during the campaign season, let alone after he’s elected.
Yes, McCain does display a straight talk and action willingness to "show his true colors" as you put it. Frankly, I find that admirable in a candidate as I would rather know up front before hand what one intends to do rather than have it shoved in my back afterwards.
One way or another, we MUST get rid of the damned Country Club Republicans who have resisted any movement of the party in a conservative direction for decades, and after losing a bit each election cycle now suddenly appear to have won the whole game.
Unfortunately, if all of the so-called Country Club Republicans left, there'd be a party that would go the way of its predecessor Whigs; "Country Club Republicans," like it or not, are the economic business base (CEOs, corporate leaders) that drives the GOP train.
1980 and 1984 right?
I’m not completely sure if I’m middle class or upper middle class but all I know is that if the Bush tax cuts expire under Obama or McCain I will lose *thousands* of dollars every year. Maybe close to $10K when all is said and done.
For this reason alone I can’t fathom why the “barely upper middle class” (which I think most of my friends here in the CA Bay Area are) wouldn’t vote against Obama.
Everyone’s complaining about gas and food prices but no one cares if their taxes go up tremendously? Boggles my mind.
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