The Long, Dark Tea-Time of the GOP’s Soul

Big Government ^ | November 2, 2009 | Mike Flynn

[neverdem]

The withdrawal of Dede Scozzafava from the special election for Congress in upstate New York has predictably set off another wave of media-led hand-wringing about the health of the GOP. (See here [1] and here [2], for example.) These stories are like crack for reporters, especially those with a hard-left slant. It is always framed as a battle between ‘conservatives’ and ‘moderates,’ but the focus is actually much narrower.

To Big Media, conservatism comes in only one flavor, social conservatism, namely anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage and a smattering of other issues that would fall flat over canapés and seltzer (liberals don’t seem to drink anymore). That Dede was pro-choice and pro-gay marriage fits the narrative perfectly for the media. End of story.

But, the media, and political leaders would be wise to dig a bit deeper into the story. Yes, Dede was pro-choice and pro-gay marriage, but she was also pro-government spending, pro-taxes and pro-Big Labor, to name just a few other issues. When a Republican candidate regularly seeks out the endorsement of ACORN and wins the endorsement of DailyKos [3], it isn’t much of a stretch to imagine that large segments of the party might have some misgivings about supporting the candidate. (And they would be right, since she has now endorsed [4]the Democrat in the race.)

The media and the national Republicans who backed Dede are furiously spinning her withdrawal as meaning that pro-choice and pro-gay marriage candidates ‘need not apply’ for the GOP ticket. The media is warning that, unless the GOP nominates, ‘moderates’ the public will reject the party’s candidates and condemn it to perpetual minority status. Right, the media is worried about this. I find it is generally wise to be skeptical of advice given me by my opponents.

Both the media and national Republicans...

[neverdem]

For Nov 3, 2009, this is a pretty good analysis, IMHO. It's an off year with special elections, and the economy was front and center. But I wouldn't underestimate the left's ongoing efforts to undermine society with its various manifestations of cultural marxism.

[redgolum]

This is going to be interesting.

I suspect we will soon see the GOP leadership turn hard left.

[jiggyboy]

The media and the national Republicans who backed Dede are furiously spinning her withdrawal as meaning that pro-choice and pro-gay marriage candidates ‘need not apply’ for the GOP ticket.

Hah, ask those same members of the media how much room in the Democratic party there is for a pro-life, anti-gay-marriage candidate.

[packrat35]

You mean they haven’t already.

[CharacterCounts]

I suspect we will soon see the GOP leadership to start running candidates who pretend to be conservative.

[Candor7]

I suspect we will soon see the GOP leadership to start running candidates who pretend to be conservative.

I think we need to give them the chewing tobacco test. If they know how, then they are True conservatives.

If they pucker up their mouths and go"yech!" We will know them to be RINOs.

This actually works.