Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

WHY THE PUBLIC ISN'T BUYING IT: LIBERALS OVERPLAYED THEIR HAND
NY Post ^ | August 15, 2009 | Michael Barone

Posted on 08/15/2009 3:22:18 AM PDT by Scanian

THERE are more conserva tives than Republicans and more Democrats than lib erals. That's one of the asymmetries between the parties that helps to explain the particular political spot we're in.

The numbers are fairly clear. In the 2008 exit poll, 34 percent of voters described themselves as conservatives and 32 percent as Republicans; 39 percent described themselves as Democrats, only 22 percent as liberals.

The result is that the two parties have offsetting political advantages. Democrats tend to win on party identification. Republicans tend to win on ideology. Democrats don't have to appeal to as many independents as Republicans do. Republicans don't have to appeal to as many moderates as Democrats do.

But the Democrats have a problem here. The party's leadership currently tilts heavily to the liberal side. Barack Obama is from the university community of Hyde Park in Chicago. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is from San Francisco, and important House committee chairmen are from similar "gentry urban" locales -- Henry Waxman from the West Side of Los Angeles, Charles Rangel from a district that includes not only Harlem but much of the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Barney Frank from Newton, Mass., next door to Boston.

Of the 21 top leadership members and chairmen, five come from districts carried by John McCain, but the average vote in the other 16 districts was 71 percent to 27 percent for Obama.

All these Democratic leaders understand that their home turf tilts far left of the rest of the nation. But a politician's political base is ultimately his or her reality principle. Moreover, most of these leaders -- though Obama obfuscated this in his campaign -- have strong, long-held convictions that are well on the left of the American political spectrum.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; barone; bhohealthcare; liberalagenda; obamacare; overplayedhand; overreaching; parties
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 08/15/2009 3:22:20 AM PDT by Scanian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Scanian
Another awesome article by Michael Barone.

He notes that while the GOP has lost its edge, identifying as a "Conservative" has not.

2 posted on 08/15/2009 3:36:18 AM PDT by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

The Left and the left of Left are so liberal that their Liberal International Agenda of Radicalism or “LIAR” makes them headstrong. The bigger the heads, the harder they fall. “Ass over tea kettle” as they say...Their agenda’s momentum will eventually thrust them over the forward edge of reason. There has already been a significant impact just for the fact that they and their agenda have been in motion. Conservatives, Republicans and some Democrats can do more than to hope for the best possible outcome. I don’t necessarily believe that it would be evil to not be in a position to catch them as they fall. It might be better for the country for our little counterculture to take advantage of any and every situation, every opportunity to always have the best possible lie (golf term) and to have the ability to always select the right club (again with the golf) and above all...NO CHEATING!


3 posted on 08/15/2009 4:12:47 AM PDT by equaviator ("There's a (datum) plane on the horizon coming in...see it?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

The Left and the left of Left are so liberal that their Liberal International Agenda of Radicalism or “LIAR” makes them headstrong. The bigger the heads, the harder they fall. “Ass over tea kettle” as they say...Their agenda’s momentum will eventually thrust them over the forward edge of reason. There has already been a significant impact just for the fact that they and their agenda have been in motion. Conservatives, Republicans and some Democrats can do more than to hope for the best possible outcome. I don’t necessarily believe that it would be evil to not be in a position to catch them as they fall. It might be better for the country for our little counterculture to take advantage of any and every situation, every opportunity to always have the best possible lie (golf term) and to have the ability to always select the right club (again with the golf) and above all...NO CHEATING! However, we will be playing by our own rules.


4 posted on 08/15/2009 4:14:27 AM PDT by equaviator ("There's a (datum) plane on the horizon coming in...see it?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

This is a great analysis. Bookmark it.


5 posted on 08/15/2009 4:16:53 AM PDT by nhwingut (The media's love affair with Obama reminds me of a dog humping a telephone pole.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

I’ve been saying this all along.

Without all the giveaways to the unions, the abortion mandates, the death panels, a public option would have passed easily. But they couldn’t help themselves. Thay had to add that nonsense.


6 posted on 08/15/2009 4:19:51 AM PDT by denydenydeny ("I'm sure this goes against everything you've been taught, but right and wrong do exist"-Dr House)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

Caught only a minute or two of the O town hall yesterday.

A single mother with two children, one profoundly handicapped. She is a student.

Clearly each of these children had a father. Why does the father have NO responsibility to pay for health care. How did it become the duty of other people to pay, not only her health care, but most likely for food stamps and other public assistance.

How is it that she made her bed and WE all have to sleep in it with her.

O spoke to the NAACP and railed against the lack of responsibility of fathers. Why didn’t he tell this woman, presumable white, to get the children’s father to step up.

Because liberals believe all behaviour is acceptable and the rest of us are liable for the consequences.


7 posted on 08/15/2009 4:25:34 AM PDT by Carley (OBAMA IS A MALEVOLENT FORCE IN THE WORLD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

Even the evil fascist bastards Stalin and Hitler had sense enough to dump the “too much too soon” Trotsky and Roehm,in order to make socialist tyranny easier to implement.

The dumass Dems really need to curb extremists like Obama,Pelosi and Reid if they want to establish their Leftist regime.

No talent at frog boiling is a cardinal sin.


8 posted on 08/15/2009 4:26:13 AM PDT by Happy Rain ("Conservatism seduces the mind while Liberalism enslaves the body.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian
Barone points out one fact that bears serious attention. These libtard stronholds allow folks like Pelosi, Dingell, Waxman, Rangel, et.al. to be secure in their idiocy. We can't get rid of them without getting rid of their constiuents. It really is time for a divorce. Walter Williams was right. We need to send those folks packing.

Μολὼν λάβε


9 posted on 08/15/2009 4:40:52 AM PDT by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)" or "come get some")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

“All these Democratic leaders understand that their home turf tilts far left of the rest of the nation.”

Enemy territory. Instead of designating these areas by color, plant hammer and sickle flags on the map.


10 posted on 08/15/2009 4:43:15 AM PDT by sergeantdave (obuma is the anti-Lincoln, trying to re-establish slavery)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BunnySlippers

Later.


11 posted on 08/15/2009 4:49:40 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: wastoute

If the useless republicans could regain the majority, these fascist become just 1 of many again.


12 posted on 08/15/2009 5:07:01 AM PDT by Jay Thomas (A happy prostate cancer survivor!!! Praise be to Jesus Christ!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Scanian
The party's leadership currently tilts heavily to the liberal side

Talk about an understatement --How about Socialists
13 posted on 08/15/2009 5:17:24 AM PDT by uncbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: denydenydeny
Without all the giveaways to the unions, the abortion mandates, the death panels, a public option would have passed easily. But they couldn’t help themselves. Thay had to add that nonsense.

I wish the fact that the government will be allowed in your homes and in your bank account was also getting heavy attention
14 posted on 08/15/2009 5:20:30 AM PDT by uncbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Scanian

Bookmark for later.


15 posted on 08/15/2009 5:36:48 AM PDT by SunTzuWu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scanian
Too many have caught on to the "redistribution of wealth" from white Grannie who worked and saved for her "piece of the pie" to the young and poor who have done neither...
16 posted on 08/15/2009 5:50:15 AM PDT by GOPJ ("Fishy rumors posters" Check 'em out:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2311664/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: uncbob
the government will be allowed in your homes and in your bank account

That would make it a lot harder to starve the govt out of business (by tax resistance). However, we don't seem to have the will to do anything but complain.

Notice how the govt takes any opportunity to put you further from your wealth and themselves closer; to put a psychological distance between you and the product of your labor. What does that achieve, but to make you less likely to stop and think as you pay your taxes?

17 posted on 08/15/2009 5:55:06 AM PDT by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast (Rebellion is not brewing. Frog is brewing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: GOPJ

You got it.

Medicare smelled like a welfare scheme when LBJ first proposed it, now everyone is figuring it out. Some of us have been paying into the scam for 44 years whether we wanted to or not and now they’re wanting to kill us off and give our money to illegals, thereby replacing one Dhimmi constituency with another.

Sick, twisted, commie bass turds.


18 posted on 08/15/2009 6:20:37 AM PDT by Scanian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Carley
Why does the father have NO responsibility to pay for health care.

Perhaps their father(s) refuse to pay for it despite court orders to do so.

I can tell you for a fact that at least one father in Florida has successfully defied court orders on support, insurance, and medical bills since 2006 without consequence. I'm confident he is not the only one.

But is this cause for federal health care reform?

No way.

19 posted on 08/15/2009 7:35:15 AM PDT by Eagle Eye (Kenya? Kenya? Kenya just show us the birth certificate?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Jay Thomas

Republicans had a majority but one of their prominent members destroyed it.

Then they nominated him for President!

How can you fix stupidity like that?


20 posted on 08/15/2009 7:37:40 AM PDT by Eagle Eye (Kenya? Kenya? Kenya just show us the birth certificate?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson