We All Need Moderate Republicans

RealClearPolitics ^ | August 27, 2013 | Froma Harrop

[2ndDivisionVet]

Moderate Republicans are, were, good things. I use the past tense "were" because as they became rarities, the centrists' chief function was preserving majorities in Congress for their radicalized party.

New England used to send lots of moderate Republicans to Washington. No more, and it's not because there aren't attractive Republican candidates. It's because the ones representing liberal-to-moderate regions became scapegoats at which party extremists directed their primal screams.

There arose the stupid "RINO (Republican in name only) Hunters Club," courtesy of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies. In 2005, Rush Limbaugh pounded away at Republican "traitors" in the Senate, adding that "they all happen to be from the Northeast, and they all happen to be moderates. They all happen to be liberals."

And now they all happen to be gone, except for a few exceptions. Thus, the Senate has a Democratic majority.

Defenders of the older, more marketable Republican brand are trying to curb the party's more feverish elements. In 2012, the enraged ones purged Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a revered statesman virtually assured of winning the general election. Instead, they chose a nominee expounding bizarrely on rape, and he lost to Democrat Joe Donnelly. And in 2010, similarly flawed Republican candidates saved the hides of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada and Sen. Michael Bennet in Colorado.

Wily Democrats have fueled the self-destruction by piping money into the campaigns of the most unelectable Republicans, also known as Tea Party favorites. During the primary, American Bridge and other Democratic groups ran ads noting that Lugar had agreed to raise the debt ceiling, the only responsible stance but one right-wingers reviled....

[2ndDivisionVet]

I think if we just do the exact opposite of whatever she says, we'll be fine.

[Crim]

Isnt is the chick who bashed palin for not getting an abortion?

[max americana]

“And now they all happen to be gone, except for a few exceptions. Thus, the Senate has a Democratic majority. “

Not for long, hag. Funny you never mentioned Congress.

[Mastador1]

We don’t need ANY moderate Republicans, what we need are CONSERVATIVES who are willing to go medieval on the liberal pricks driving America into immorality and economic ruin. We need people who are proud of America and it’s history and traditions, not pussies who want to apologize for America and diminish it. In other words we need a truck load of Ronald Reagan’s!

[PapaBear3625]

Notice we don’t hear about the need to retain “moderate Democrats”? Moderate Dems like Senators Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson have been purged, and no Lib cries over them.

[fwdude]

Moderate “Republican” = Liberal

Any questions?

[ilgipper]

Wow. No mention of ‘safe’ moderates like Tommy Thompson, George Allen or Connie Mack losing lackluster campaigns.

[stars & stripes forever]

MODERATE POLITICIANS don’t stand for anything.

[867V309]

Only if the Soylent Green factory is running low on feedstock.

[dirtboy]

Moderate Republicans are, were, good things. I use the past tense "were" because as they became rarities, the centrists' chief function was preserving majorities in Congress for their radicalized party.

Yeah, it was that centrist Tea Party that gained control of the House back for the GOP after the RINOs ruined the GOP brand in 2006 and 2008.

[cripplecreek]

Moderates are lying manipulative bottom feeding scum.

If you’ve ever wondered who would become a Kapo in a nazi America, look no further than the nearest moderate republican. He’ll be easy to spot because he’s the one shoulder deep in a liberal ass.

[driftless2]

Anybody know any moderate Democrats? I thought not.

[FlipWilson]

Funny how nobody ever laments the loss of “moderate” democrats.

[Paladin2]

Getting rid of RINOs in the more conservative states is a good thing.

I'll put the Lugar purge down as a Good Thing.

Reid is a powerful incumbent.

Colorado is Lost.

[Wooly]

Froma is probably the dumbist of the dumb. Meaning she can’t even get a gig on MSNBC

[knarf]

froma's been smoking too many harrops.

I personally want a wild man, cut throat fighter.

I'm REALLY tired of not being able to pick a fight ..... 'cause I can't win.

[Norm Lenhart]

“Getting rid of RINOs.... is a good thing. “

Fixed it.

[ReformationFan]

That’s why liberal Democrats love them so and are their biggest fans.

[Up Yours Marxists]

Can we change the title of this thread to "What she really meant was, 'We All Need Moderate Whigs'"??

[ought-six]

Democrats only want “moderate” Republicans around so when the crap the Dems pass in Congress goes in the shitter (which is inevitable) they can point to those “moderates” who “went along with it” and say: It wasn’t just us! It was bi-partisan! The Republicans were for it, too!