Republican Breakup?

PhxNews ^ | Joe Duarte

[hsmomx3]

If you put your ear to the ground, you can hear the rumble. It is the rumble of political discontent, obsolete bipolarities, and looming realignment. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the coming split of the Republican Party.

Years ago, Jeff Foxworthy blessed America with his “…you might be a redneck” jokes. Drawing upon his comedic methodology:

If you fear the one true God, define America as a “Christian Nation”, seek to make God’s Law the law of the land, think of homosexuals as freaks and sinners, and want to jail women who have abortions…you might be a Republican.

If you think history has bequeathed a destiny upon America to serve as the world’s policeman, to liberate oppressed nations, and you love to stay up all night strategizing on how to isolate the Saudis or punish France…you might be a Republican.

If you think it is the proper role of a Jeffersonian state to steal money from citizens to build civic plazas and university labs…you might be a Republican.

If you don’t care about ballooning budget deficits, and want to jack up government spending as though the rising debt never needs to be paid...you might be a Republican.

If you can’t stand deficits, are firmly committed to balancing the budget, and want to dramatically cut taxes and spending…well, you might have been a Republican in 1980.

There are at least five categories above, and all of them consist of people who identify with the GOP. They are, in order: theocratic Christian conservatives (there are, thank God, non-theocratic ones as well), neoconservatives, Chamber of Commerce Republicans who practice crony capitalism, the Bushies, and finally the blessed fiscal conservatives.

So what’s the problem? These people cannot possibly coexist in the same party for much longer. This is especially true now that Republicans in power have abandoned fiscal responsibility. They now stand for nothing – certainly nothing that would meaningfully separate them from big-spending Democrats.

Republicans were supposed to be about freedom – freedom from that monster which takes freedom away – government. The GOP was supposed to “get the government off our backs.” This hasn’t happened, and government at all levels is violating our rights now more than ever.

The above five groups can really be reduced to two kinds of people. There are those people that want to be left alone, and there are those people that refuse to leave others alone. The former simply want to be left alone to pursue their happiness, and are happy to leave others alone to do the same. They understand government’s proper role is limited to securing this freedom from those (criminals and foreign threats) who would aggress upon their peaceful lives. The latter group are all basically civil thugs. They want to impose their vision of the good on others by force. They don’t care if you’re living a peaceful, happy life. In fact, they might hold it against you. They want to take your money, or arrest you for any number of reasons. Got weed? To jail you go. Got a gay lover? To jail you go. Got a cancer treatment they haven’t approved? To jail you go. Got a successful business? How’s 40% off the top sound?

Republicans used to be the leave-me-alone crowd, and Democrats the thugs. Things are messier now.

What we can expect to see in the coming decade or two is a realignment. There are lots and lots of fine leave-me-alone people in the GOP. They don’t hate gays or brown people. They are pro-abortion and anti-tax. They are basically libertarians, but see themselves as too pragmatic to join the Libertarian Party.

There are also some leave-me-aloners in the Democratic camp. I call them smart gay people: they are too gay to be Republican, but much too smart about self-responsibility and economics to be real Democrats. Smart gay people are really good for America.

The theocratic Christian conservatives are a strong wing of the GOP. They will either grow to dominate the GOP or they will get their asses kicked out by the leave-me-alone Republicans. In any case, what we will see is a realignment that unites all the pro-freedom Americans under a major party. The religious nuts might have their own party, like the Religious Nut Party or something similar. It seems structurally impossible to break the two-party system into three or more parties, but I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility altogether. In any case, two parties might be enough to represent the major threads.

There are lots of unhappy Republicans today, chafing at their party’s abandonment of fiscal restraint and occupation by anti-sodomists. There are some number of Democrats that have tired of the drug war, expanded police powers, and foreign adventurism. These people need to find each other, for they are the best Americans.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

First, the GOP believes in capitalism and a free market society

Not anymore they don't.

[CyberCowboy777]

I am certainly an American and a Christian and a Conservative.

I think Homosexuality is a sin. I also think one sexual orientation deserves no special rights, no changing of the structural foundation of the society. I think that ALL AIDS patience should be quarantined and I do not think schools should be teaching homosexuality.

I think this nation was founded on Christian morals and principles. G_d was the first and loudest proponent of Liberty, Freedom and Personal Responsibility.

I believe in the sanctity of life and the Abortion should be illegal. I think it is a detriment to society and erodes the concepts of personal responsibility. I do not think any woman who has an abortion should be jailed. Jail the Doctor once it is illegal.

I think Moral absolutes are the one and only way to establish the rule of law (another G_d invention) and those moral absolutes can only be established by a transcendent moral authority. Authority by creation.

I do think however that you cannot force all G_ds laws upon man - He certainly never forced anything. You must establish a baseline of absolutes, absolutes from that transcendent authority (Jefferson like to call it Natural law), for a civil society. It is the responsibility of the Christians to share and live the faith, then and only then will this nation be saved.

I would not therefore outlaw homosexuality or ban porn and alcohol. Set limits yes, but forcing man to be good will not save his soul.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Obviously there must be some government. However I advocate as little as possible, thereby having as little stolen from me as possible.

Undoing all the excesses of the past may never happen, but I'd like to stop the continued encroachment.

I have a license, for now, but I have almost no need to drive and little interest in traveling, for now.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I ain't a homo, but if I was, I wouldn't be pushing it into other's lives and yes, I would expect to be left alone.

Homos revolt and disgust me but I don't go around looking to bother them, I just don't want to be forced to have one as a scout leader or have their lifestyle shoved in the faces of my children.

[CyberCowboy777]

When did Jesus force anyone to do anything?

The whole point of mankind was the free choice. Homosexuals are sinners (just like pot smokers and those that do not show compassion) and must turn from sin and accept Christ as their savior on their own or it has no legitimacy.

Civil Government must set a rule of law and limits, but the mere fact of being a homosexual does not warrant going to jail.

Jesus was not a politician and said little about civil government. BECAUSE if Christians are doing their job the nation as a majority will be saved and there is no need for a theocracy. Only when the faithful are weak will the nation flounder and then no law can stem the tide.

[50sDad]

Hey! Homosexuals are not freaks! As for the rest of it...the problem is that Bubba's Reign has shown that Democrats don't believe in the existance of sin. Anything is permitted, they reason, if you lie big enough not to get caught.

[marron]

There is also the inevitability that once it becomes fat and happy in its success, the Republican Party will splinter over real ideological differences.

There are sufficient tensions within the Repubs to warrant at least two parties, in the absense of the Democrats. But while half the country is wedded to the left, the gulf that separates us from them keeps us wedded to each other. Its a Jackie Gleason kind of marriage, the arguing never stops, but it contrasts well with the left where dissent is spookily absent.

Among the Democrats, the only debate is whether the US is evil, or really really evil. Whether the responsibility of the government is to meet most of life's needs, or all of them.

For actual reality-based intellectual energy and exploration you have to look to the conservo-libertarian side of the street.

The Democrats are the Abortion Party, and they have done everything they can to drive believing Christians and Jews out of the party. Now they are doing what they can to drive out any remaining patriots, and anyone with a personal moral code. Since the Republican Party is a fairly big tent, where diversity of opinion actually exists, we have been the beneficiary of this shift. When better days come, our differences will be sufficient to split us into several competing parties, and I look forward to such a time. Meanwhile, we are stuck with each other, and we are a fortunate, if somewhat noisy and cranky, family.

[ChadGore]

Re: If you fear the one true God, define America as a “Christian Nation”, seek to make God’s Law the law of the land, think of homosexuals as freaks and sinners, and want to jail women who have abortions

Liberals have no tolerance for the morality that arises from religion having a positive influence on their society.

Note:

[CyberCowboy777]

Homosexuals are sinners, but until they hurt someone I am not going to jail them.

Quarantine those with AIDS - YES.

Protect marriage as the foundation of society that it is - YES.

Deny them special rights and considerations - YES.

Deny them the power to force employment or Church membership or leadership in the scouts - YES.

Homosexuals are just another group of sinners that want mankind to legitimize their sin and thumb their nose at G_d. Man is rebellious.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I'm not a libertarian. Open borders is absurd.

I'm an individual.

I vote for the party which will harm me least.
Only democrat besides local officials I ever voted for was Paul Tsongas for senate.
He was a good person and a man. Somewhat misguided, but only somewhat. If he had gotten the nomination(and didn't die)against Bush the first, I might have voted for him for president. Might have.

I give a lot of money to pubs across the country.

Locally there is no hope for pubbies.

[RedneckRampage]

>I ain't a homo, but if I was, I wouldn't be pushing it
>into other's lives and yes, I would expect to be left
>alone.

Sounds like your a, err.... liberal!

Redneck
- If you don't agree with us, you ain't no American!

[50sDad]

Bravo, brother. This nation started rolling downhill the day we made "tolerance" a greater virtue than "self control." No one should be jailed, no one should be harassed...but my freedom of speech to say that God disapproves of immoral behaviour should not be branded "hate speech" by the PC Gestapo. I have known many nice homosexual people...and through they were smart, fine and sensitive (on any issue but their own, that is) they were and are dead wrong about the issue. When I see a person driving a truck full speed at a sheer cliff (sometimes with their family in the back!) it is my obligation to warn them that their actions are viewed as wrong by God and man, and that to continue the path they are on will harm themselves and others. Sadly, some people will simple continue to drive and to insist that they don't believe in cliffs.

On a similar bent, some people may think that it would be fun to stick their face in a glass furnace, and when they do, and get hopelessly burned, demand that I pay the insurance premiums. What a world. Humans!

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

First, I am honored to recieve your post. You are my hero when it comes to sharp tongued insults. Miss seeing you around.

However, who the heck is going to blow up my little hill in the lost swamps of northeast rhode island?

My road doesn't even get plowed.
I consider that a good thing.

[RedneckRampage]

>Come convention time, we'll be sure to keep you far from
>the stage.

Great, just what we need, more Political Correctness.

Redneck
- If you don't agree with us, you ain't no American!

[Belial]

The modern democrat party is basically a religion on par with fundemantalist Islam in their hatred of other views, and their miniscule cousins, the Libertarians parrot the demo religion on social issues, IMO.

Hyperbole is not always your friend.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Two excellent posts.

[RightWhale]

Locally there is no hope for pubbies

In Alaska we find Sen Murkowski presenting a Bill to speed up transfer of land entitlements from the Feds to the State and native Corporations per prior agreements. It's a lot of acreage, bigger than many States. This is very strong and very Conservative. Looks good for Murkowski, who will be up for election with probably former Gov Knowles as opponent.

[evilC]

>>>
On the other hand, the RINOS, the militia nutjobs, the racists, those who want to nuke Mecca, and moral-liberals who turn their blind eyes to evil should be encouraged to leave the Party.
<<<

Who would be left?

[CyberCowboy777]

I am with you 100%.

We can hold values and even demand limits, but sounding like death squads is no representation of G_d.

I hate big Government partly because one day it can turn on me - I will not help give it that power now just because I disagree with something.