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To: counterpunch

I’ve been thinking along these lines, trying to figure out WHO conceivably on the Republican side can stay....at the outside, there is possibly only ONE nominal Democrat who might stay, and even though I don’t much care for him, that would (of course) be Joe Leiberman. On the Republican side there might be one to two dozen who should even CONCEIVABLY be allowed to stay. You have a list?


152 posted on 09/06/2009 6:31:13 PM PDT by supremedoctrine (Time is the school in which we learn that time is the fire in which we burn.)
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To: supremedoctrine
You're talking about the Senate specifically?
For starters, Joe Lieberman isn't up for reelection until 2012.
I like Joe on a personal level, it is a good question of whether he should stay or go. He hurts the Democrat party the same way John McCain hurts the Republican party, so for that, maybe we should keep him around so long as there's no real hope of a true conservative in his seat.

Ben Nelson is similar, though he's not high-profile enough, and not 'maverick' enough, and Nebraska of all places could do a lot better.

However, I do not have nearly as negative a view on Senate Republicans as a whole as you do.
There are quite a few reliable bad actors on our side: McCain, Snowe, Collins, Graham, Voinovich. Grassley is often suspect, but has been good on key issues lately.
Hatch has also been teetering on the edge for a long time.

What I see as most important right now is a change of Leadership across the GOP.
The Washington Republicans are apparently so out of touch that they don't even know they're out of touch!
This is reflected in the fact that even after consecutive historic losses in the House, the Republicans continue to keep John Boehner on as Leader.
If they were serious about retaking the House, they would make Mike Pence Minority Leader.

Likewise they are making a mistake by keeping McConnell as GOP leader in the Senate.
McConnell has had a few tactical parliamentary triumphs as leader, but nothing that goes far enough to justify keeping such a meek and uninspiring leader. A leader should be someone that people want to follow. McConnell and Boeh are both anything but.

Republicans would do better to elevate John Thune to Minority Leader in the Senate. He may not be quite as favored by the base as DeMint or Coburn, but he has the charisma Republicans desperately need, and he is far less likely to be turned into a lightning rod by the Democrats and the media.

Cornyn also needs to be replaced as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee after the Specter and Crist fiascoes.
That could be an important step in rebuilding trust with the base.
That would be a good fit for DeMint.
 
153 posted on 09/06/2009 7:40:59 PM PDT by counterpunch (In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.)
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