What biology teaches about the GOP predicament
The biggest unanswered question revolving around the 2012 GOP presidential campaign is why?
Why is the field so lackluster? Why does it consist of Mitt Romney, a mediocre candidate whom much of the party continues to reject, running against a variety of unacceptable alternatives? I mean, when a man with as much baggage as Newt Gingrich remains viable this late in the process, it suggests a major leadership vacuum in the party.
As Democratic consultant Paul Begala writes today in the Daily Beast, “When I look at the economy, I think Obama can’t win, but when I look at the Republicans, I think he can’t lose.”
So what’s the explanation? Why, at a moment of great opportunity, has the party fielded such weak candidates?
To answer that question, it may be useful to import a concept from biology called “genetic diversity.” According to science, species that boast a wide range of genetic diversity, with a lot of variation, are generally healthier and more robust than species in which genetic diversity is restricted. In the field and in the lab, researchers have found that genetically diverse populations can fend off illnesses more easily and can adapt quickly to changing conditions; genetically similar populations find it much more difficult to respond to such challenges.
Genetic diversity explains why mongrels claimed from the humane society tend to be more hardy than their purebred cousins. It’s also why monoculture agriculture, in which vast swaths of farmland are planted in one genetically identical crop, is extremely vulnerable to pests and disease.
I would argue that by rejecting ideological variation and pursuing purity, the Republican Party has turned itself into a political monoculture that is unable to respond well to changed conditions. And as we’ve seen, by insisting that the most important test of a leader is his or her willingness to abide by a pre-ordained orthodoxy, they tend to produce a leadership class that shies away from creativity, imagination and innovation.
We’ve all seen that process at work. Any scent of heretical thought or deviation among Republicans is quickly sniffed out, its source ostracized as a RINO, or Republican In Name Only. The conservative media serves to enforce that orthodoxy, its power and profitability depending on its ability to punish those who might stray. Over time, the strain of acceptable conservative thought has become more and more pure, to the point that today Ronald Reagan himself would be dismissed as a RINO.
In stark contrast, the Democrats have no real counterpart to the concept of RINO, and they do not consider the term “moderate” to be a deadly epithet, as it is among Republicans. Depending on the state or district, it can in fact be a label to be embraced. They lack a sternly enforced party discipline and orthodoxy, and the truth is that their “squishiness” has significant drawbacks.
For example, Democrats in Congress rarely produce the unanimous party-line votes that allow Republicans to get maximum leverage from their numbers. And while Democrats tend to speak in a jumbled cacophony, their GOP opponents speak one clear message to the voters from many voices. The result is that “Republican” is a sharply defined brand, while “Democrat” is much more amorphous.
According to biologists, a lack of genetic diversity becomes a particular problem in times of great change, when adaptability is at a premium. And I would argue that in politics, this is one of those times. What we thought we knew about this world and this country no longer applies. The environment has changed dramatically, and those quickest to adapt and experiment are those most likely to succeed.
The Republican Party, however, cannot bring itself to admit that capitalism unbound can lead to dangerous excesses; its ideology insists that capitalism has no faults whatsoever, and that any or all failings of the system can be attributed to imperfections imposed on capitalism by government.
Likewise, it cannot acknowledge that the ever-increasing share of wealth accruing to the richest of Americans poses economic, moral and social challenges to this country. And if they cannot admit the existence of a problem, they certainly cannot propose conservative approaches to address it.
Those beliefs have become increasingly difficult to defend in light of the events of the past five years. Yet the GOP is unable to bring itself to adapt to this changed environment.
Earlier in the primary season, Jon Huntsman tried to challenge the Republican orthodoxy head-on and was predictably brushed aside as a RINO. In his own unique fashion, the ever-rebellious Gingrich is trying to do the same, but through a more guerrilla-type approach.
With his attacks on Romney as a symbol of capitalism run amok, Newt is attempting to inject a needed degree of ideological variation into the intra-party debate. Sure, he’s doing so purely out of self-interest — he’s Newt Gingrich, after all — but that’s how the process works. Like any opportunistic predator, he sees weakness and is trying to attack it.
Given all that, the ferociousness of the counterattack against Gingrich is hardly surprising. He portrays himself as a threat to the GOP establishment, and the establishment sees him that way as well. And if the Republican Party goes on to do poorly in this election cycle, I suspect that Gingrich will get a lot of the blame, at least initially, from his fellow Republicans.
But in the end, he’s doing his party a favor.
– Jay Bookman
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421 comments Add your comment
AmVet - Every time a publicly educated neo-con drives on public roads they are Marxists.
January 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
Beejay, brilliant response. Loved how you dismantled it factually AND eloquently!
Holy water to the armchair bound, do nothing cowards and vampires who denigrate patriotic American civil disobedience:
Pastor Brian Merritt of Washington’s Palisades Community Church said area churches have discussed helping house some of the protesters overnight so that they could continue a 24-hour vigil if park police began enforcing the rules against overnight encampments.
Rich Coffman, a Dallas, Texas, resident who has been camping in the Washington park for three weeks, said demonstrators from Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, and New York are expected to come Monday to show solidarity with the capital demonstrators.
Whatever happens with the camps and police, Caty McClure said it would not alter her and fellow demonstrators’ commitment to their cause or their activism.
“The park and the occupation of the park is a tactic, it’s not the movement,” she said, calling the camps “a really important symbolic statement.” “If we can’t sleep here, that does not end the movement.”
Occupy DC is part of a larger activist surge that began last year in New York and quickly spread. While the protesters have highlighted a number of causes, the overarching theme has remained largely the same: populist anger over what activists portray as an out-of-touch corporate, financial and political elite.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/29/us/dc-occupy/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
ty webb
January 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
“… but wait until it gets warmer..”
you just gotta love principled “movements”…I guess “give me!” sounds better in cargo shorts and capri pants.
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
January 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
Jm@12:47 “They will be arrested or ignored”
They were being ignored, that is why they are resorting to violence to get back in the media.
ByteMe
January 30th, 2012
12:50 pm
Or are youy trying to say that FOX news isn’t the largest most watched/listened too/read MEDIA outlet in the Nation?
When there’s bad weather, people watch the weather channel.
When there’s bad news, people tune to CNN.
The above are a summary of the actual viewership numbers.
When there’s no bad weather or bad news, they might tune to one of the other cable channels for entertainment. NCIS out-polls all of FOXNews’ nightly entertainment. So that must mean that we’re all a lot more interested in Jethro Leroy Gibbs and not Newton Leroy Gingrich.
Doggone/GA
January 30th, 2012
12:50 pm
“Or are youy trying to say that FOX news isn’t the largest most watched/listened too/read MEDIA outlet in the Nation?”
It isn’t. It’s the largest CABLE news network. It doesn’t beat the broadcast networks.
getalife
January 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
Goldie,
There is gop blood in the water so attack, attack, attack
jm,
You can thank the OWS for making income inequality a issue this cycle.
A question?
January 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
Jay, what are you smoking? You are one crazy mofo!
Jm
January 30th, 2012
12:52 pm
Newt isn’t doing anything useful
And who is this mythical GOP establishment? What a joke
If the GOP establishment is anyone who wants someone other than Obama as president, well I must be part of the establishment too.
Blogger is jay’s apropos title. Columnist gives him too much credit.
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
January 30th, 2012
12:55 pm
getalife@12:51 “You can thank the OWS for making income inequality a issue this cycle.”
Actually President Obama was talking about “Millionaires and Billionaires” and made it an issue before the OWS ever showed appeared.
getalife
January 30th, 2012
12:56 pm
Also, corrupt congress is voting on banning insider trading thanks to the OWS movement.
Of course, corrupt congress will leave a loop hole in the law like they usually do.
getalife
January 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
Steve,
True and now he has a movement to help but will need a majority to purge corrupt congress.
And new candidates to run on it.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
Getalife
If making something an issue (which I’m not necessarily conceding) is the best theycan do, fine
Nothing is going to happen of any significance
Even if taxes are increased, no wealth will be confiscated and reapproptiated
Rollover and go back to sleep getalife, nothing to see
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
January 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
Thanks 60 Minutes for the piece on Congress Insider trading.
Fred
January 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
ir)Rational
January 30th, 2012
12:35 pm
Fred – Like the 43,000 they already employ? The rest of your argument kinda makes no sense. Don’t start a trade war with China because they’re already producing cheap goods? I’m saying, what does the US do if we start a trade war with them, and they suddenly decide to call the debt we owe them due. Do we give them Hawaii and Alaska and hope they’re happy?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What are you talking about? Uncle Sam has never met up with loan shark Uncle Mao and said,”Hey man, I’m a little short this month, spot me 50 large.”
China will take the massive amounts of dollars they get through trade IMBALANCE and then turn around and buy interest bearing US bonds. Just like YOU can buy bonds and treasuries. Those become “due” at a certain date. They can be bought,sold and traded to and from others. When they become due the money is paid. PERIOD. You don’t buy a treasury with a due date and just decide on YPOUR whim that it is due NOW and that Uncle Sam WILL give you that money NOW. Neither does China. Your whole line of thought is twisted and without a basis in fact. What is this “debt” we owe China? Why it’s NOTHING. It only exhists in the minds of talk show hosts and those who think they speak the truth.
but………….. what happens if we DO quit allowing them to import goods into OUR Country? Where will they get the cash to pay for their oil? Their imported food? Their raw materials? Why they won’t and they can’t. We HAVE food. We HAVE raw materials. We HAVE oil in this Country.
Why do you support selling the soul of our Country down the river so a very few (can we say one percent) can get richer and mortgage our very future and safety of this Country?
Adam
January 30th, 2012
12:59 pm
ty: sam, so it’s your contention that the 2008 democrat field wasn’t lackluster?
I will make that contention. Hillary and Obama were both strong candidates. So strong, that ONE OF THEM WON. So yeah, not lackluster. 2004 was lackluster.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
A question?
Bingo
AmVet - Every time a publicly educated neo-con drives on public roads they are Marxists.
January 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
You said it is over but wait until it gets warmer.
I can count on you for always being dead wrong.
getalife, LOL. What a work of art, huh?
Engaged and empowered Americans don’t need or want these cowards. They are just gonna keep taking the beat downs and say, “Thank you sir, may I have another?”
They are luaghably powerless to stop this movement, so they do what emasculated, suck up, do nothings always do, just spit and scream from afar.
Great comedy…
getalife
January 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
jm,
Income inequality and banning insider trading is a good start.
Insider trading is already illegal so somebody is not doing their job in prosecuting them.
They are above the law.
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
Paul@ 12:43: Awesome list.
Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
AmVet and getalife: No need to wait until it gets warmer. The movement is still going on, obviously so to anyone paying attention. The only case that MIGHT be made is there are less people there than when it was warm. But there’s still a lot of them there. The only reason to reference the warmth is to go “If you think it’s a lot of people now….”
getalife
January 30th, 2012
1:04 pm
AmVet,
They do enjoy a good beating
The cons are kinky.
Heck, their candidate swings.
Jay
January 30th, 2012
1:04 pm
In 2008, Obama and Clinton were competing to see which was the better candidate.
In 2012, Newt and Mitt are competing to see which is the least worst.
In June 2007, 82 percent of Democrats said they’d be happy with Hillary as their candidate, and 78 percent said the same about Obama.
The comparables among Republicans this year are Romney at 59 percent and Gingrich at 46 percent.
Midori
January 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
“… but wait until it gets warmer..”
you just gotta love principled “movements”…I guess “give me!” sounds better in cargo shorts and capri pants.
Like this, ty?
http://www.veteranstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/teabagging-jesus-democracy.jpg
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
January 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION: the inability to become
aroused over any of the choices for President put
forth by either party in the 2012 election year.
Hey, Newt looks like a peeping tom in that photo.
Recon 2533 1811
January 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
AmVet, the fact is that there isn’t moderation within either party. That’s why nothing gets done. Now I’m sure you’ll disagree but I’ve seen the Democrats continue to march far to the left and have now become puppets for the American far-left agenda. There is no such thing as center right or center left much less a true centrist among the current crop of politicians in Washington. The Republicans were tacking in a leftward direction until the Tea Party caused an abrupt and sharp shift to the right mostly in rhetoric focusing the state of our economy. The question among many conservatives is how far to the right can the Republican party move without finding themselves outside mainstream America. The country is at least at this point in time a center right country. That’s why I think Romney is a better choice as a candidate and will offer greater appeal to Independents who will once again decide this upcoming national election.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
Jay 1:04
Because the GOP is not some uniform mindless Borg like the democratic party
The GOP is the big tent with a diversity of views
Ponder that
When you have diversity, you don’t have automatic consensus
Silly blogger jay is
getalife
January 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
The OWS movement should recruit bands to play at their rallies and they will come .
Rage Against The Machine, Pearl Jam, U2, NiN, etc…. would probably play for free.
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
@Doggone: How do you find those figures? I can’t find one comparing cable to broadcast. But don’t forget that Fox has a broadcast news station (Fox5 Atlanta for instance) in virtually every market abc, nbc, and cbs do. And they are still FOX.
mm
January 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
“Even if taxes are increased, no wealth will be confiscated and reapproptiated”
Wow, is somebody finally getting it? Nobody wants a handout. Everyone wants pay increases equal to what the executives get every year. As for the taxes, that’s for the deficit.
Aquagirl
January 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
Now I’m sure you’ll disagree but I’ve seen the Democrats continue to march far to the left and have now become puppets for the American far-left agenda.
Now who would ever disagree with such a well-reasoned and factually supported statement?
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
As a treat I got some of that yuppy bean coffee. Should I grind up some Kona or some Starbucks French Roast? I kinda want the Kona but want to get rid of the starbucks lol.
Granny Godzilla
January 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
Democrats as Borg? Really?
It’s the GOP’s handy Rand-ies that are into the objectivist “collective”
What’s next Captain Crunch and Count Chocula as the GOP ticket in November?
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
1:13 pm
The crooked charlatans trying to exploit gullible simpletons.
The shame of it all is that the simpletons are so gullible.
Its a crying shame.
Bee careful what you wish for.
Jackson Baer
January 30th, 2012
1:13 pm
The USA Today/Gallup poll has Paul in a statistical tie with Obama. I think Ron Paul will take a solid 3rd in Florida and force Santorum out of the race. Paul was fantastic at the last debate showing his comedic side and came off as really likable. Imagine if we actually practiced the Golden Rule
RON PAUL 2012
http://www.whatthehellbook.com/the-book/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=262l6tbHSlU
moonbat betty
January 30th, 2012
1:14 pm
“I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis”
~Barack Obama
Redneck Convert (R---and proud of it)
January 30th, 2012
1:14 pm
Well, I just don’t think Bookman understands the desperate condition us Conservative Republicans are in.
This is our last chance to pack the courts with conservatives that will overrule all the later librul laws. See, all those anchor babies is growing up. In another four years they’ll be able to vote. Heck, in another few years Whites might could be a minority in this country. Every four years us godly Conservatives will be dying off and shrinking, and all the younger people will be laughing at us.
If we don’t get our hands on the White House now there’ll probly not be another chance. That’s why we’re screaming now and using words like socialism and Marxism and communism and such.
Now I got to admit voting for one of these canadates is sort of like picking which Dr. you’d like to shove a tube up your rear end. But it’s got to be done cause we ain’t getting what we want now, that’s for sure.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
1:15 pm
CORRECTION:
The crooked charlatans trying to exploit gullible simpletons.
The shame of it all is that the simpletons are so gullible.
Its a crying shame.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR..
Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:15 pm
Because the GOP is not some uniform mindless Borg like the democratic party
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*deep breath*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
Mr_B
January 30th, 2012
1:16 pm
“If the GOP establishment is anyone who wants someone other than Obama as president, well I must be part of the establishment too.”
Which, in a nutshell, is the reason that the GOP should go down to defeat in November. They have defined themselves ONLY by oppostion to the POTUS and have utterly failed to provide any semblance of a vision of an America that is in any way better than what we already have. Theyrefuse to provide any reason to vote for a canidate other than “he’s not Obama.”
Libertarian
January 30th, 2012
1:17 pm
The reason there are no “good” candidates running is that most people in Washington think Obama is unbeatable. He simply has too much money.
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
1:17 pm
The shame of it is there are NO clean hands on either side.
Be careful what you wish for.
Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:18 pm
Mr_B: Theyrefuse to provide any reason to vote for a canidate other than “he’s not Obama.”
Does anyone remember how this worked out in 2004 for the Democratic Party?
And yes, it IS the same thing.
godless heathen
January 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
It will be interesting if any candidates try to be affiliated with the OWS crowd come election time. Except in a few locales like Berkeley and Seattle, that is.
Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
LUNCH and MEETING
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:20 pm
JM; Your 1:09 is really mindless and without a factual basis. While I’m not a Democrat, if Hitlery were to suddenly run against President Obama and somehow won the primary, I would STILL vote for her rather than any of the poor candidates the Republicans are trying to push through. I think that either Hitlery or Obama would do a competent job trtying to wade through the minefield that is the party of No while it scares the hell out of me what irreparable damage a fanatical FAR RIGHT candidate would do to this Country and our economy with the consent of the house and Congress (if they can even get the Senate).
When Bush ran against sKerry I voted for the least disgusting candidate, which was Bush. When McSame ran against Obama, I voted for the Candidate I thought would be best. This election I will vote for the candidate that is not an insanely fanatical Republican and since those are the only ones the Republicans are running, insane fanatics, I think you can see where I will be voting. Which is a shame because I could have very easily voted for a GOOD candidate if one were to have run against Obama.
Welcome to the Occupation
January 30th, 2012
1:20 pm
getalife:”You said it is over but wait until it gets warmer..”
Yep. And considering the virtually non-existent winter, I think we’re almost there now.
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
@Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:15 pm
Because the GOP is not some uniform mindless Borg like the democratic party
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*deep breath*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAA
*********************************
I REPEAT:
The crooked charlatans trying to exploit gullible simpletons like ADAM.
The shame of it all is that the simpletons like ADAM are so gullible.
Its a crying shame.
getalife
January 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
Welcome to the Occupation ,
God supports the OWS to give them a warmer winter to camp out
Midori
January 30th, 2012
1:23 pm
What’s next Captain Crunch and Count Chocula as the GOP ticket in November?
can’t
stop
laughing!!!
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:24 pm
godless heathen
January 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
It will be interesting if any candidates try to be affiliated with the OWS crowd come election time. Except in a few locales like Berkeley and Seattle, that is.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Good observation. That last bunch in Seatle were nothing but a bunch of thugs that wanted to break into a museum and loot weren’t they? At least that was the impression I got from the limited coverage I saw.
Mary Elizabeth
January 30th, 2012
1:25 pm
Jay’s post, 1:04 pm
Vision, again.
From the data given at 1:04 pm, more people will support a positive agenda (”the better candidate”), than a negative one (”competing to see which is the least worst.”)
A negative vision will not capture the imagination of the populace, nor will it produce candidates of depth and quality.
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
1:26 pm
@Adam
January 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
LUNCH and MEETING
*******************************************
Shame on you………..
When you should be working you are stealing from your employer by being on the blog.
A crying shame.
Typical Republican.
Guy Incognito
January 30th, 2012
1:26 pm
Those of you who support OWS and live “in the city,”
enjoy the riots when the weather gets warm
I’m sure when you run outside to tell them you voted for Obama, they will be completely rational and spare your property and family
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:27 pm
LOL Midori: You can’t stop laughing and I’m still waiting for someone to toss out the race card because she said Count Chocula……….
BTW How are the eyes?
Welcome to the Occupation
January 30th, 2012
1:27 pm
godless heathen: “It will be interesting if any candidates try to be affiliated with the OWS crowd come election time. Except in a few locales like Berkeley and Seattle, that is.”
I can answer that one for you easy. No WAY you will see anyone anywhere near the Democratic party mainstream supporting OWS directly. Instead they will simply adopt the 99% label, thereby trying to ride the populist potential of the movement.
Again, as I’ve said above the Democratic party has largely been shaped by the DLC, which is very hostile to what OWS represents (see reactions by Evan Bayh and Douglas Schoen).
Keep in mind by the way the party affiliation of most of the mayors in the cities where some of the fiercest crackdowns on OWS have taken place, e.g. Oakland. They’re Democrats.
Robert Lee
January 30th, 2012
1:31 pm
“A negative vision will not capture the imagination of the populace, nor will it produce candidates of depth and quality.”
No truer words have been spoken by either side
AmVet - 4 out of 5 dentists agree, the GOP is for angry, ancient white guys
January 30th, 2012
1:31 pm
The GOP is the big tent with a diversity of views
Some very bad boy needs to review his Purity Pledge.
And up his lithium dosage!
Granny Godzilla
January 30th, 2012
1:33 pm
Midori
They do have a problem standing up to milk though…..
JKL2
January 30th, 2012
1:35 pm
getalife- lead like President Obama.
ROFL!
Hide in the corner like President obama.
Community organize like President obama.
Play golf like President obama.
Read a teleprompter like President obama.
Sorry, but leadership is just not part of the equation.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:37 pm
Getalife 1:22 I felt for sure you were going to cite global warming
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:41 pm
Amvet thinks he’s the arbiter of diversity
Amvet can’t even see past skin color
Sad his views are all race based
Jimmy62
January 30th, 2012
1:44 pm
Actually it’s because several of the really good leaders int he GOP and on the right are waiting till 2016 because they don’t want to get blamed for the mess Obama has created. Christie, Rubio, Ryan, and there are others.
Also, what monoculture? I detest much of the religious right, but I agree with them on many fiscal issues. The GOP is a pretty big tent, only a blind fool like Bookman could miss how many independents are voting GOP this time around. There’s plenty of room for the anybody but Obama crowd over here, and it’s a damn big crowd. A lot bigger than Obama or the media seem to think. But then most of the media “doesn’t know anyone that voted for Nixon.”
Kentucky Jacket
January 30th, 2012
1:47 pm
Eric & Doggone…@ 12:01 and 12:03
Just have to point out that you use a model mixed wtih socialism that is essentially 32 billionaires PROTECTING and INCREASING their wealth at the expense of others as a model for where we should go? Isn’t that what everyone is complaining about NOW? And if that marriage is so perfect, why do the millionaire players feel they need a union. And why can’t the average fan afford to take a family to a game? And EVERYONE can afford to get little Bobby that $70 jersey of his favorite player, right?
AmVet - Every time a publicly educated neo-con drives on public roads they are Marxists.
January 30th, 2012
1:48 pm
I don’t think the lithium is working.
62, now asserts the absurd about a big tent.
The facts, those things that are the enemy of the right, simply prove otherwise…
Quagmire
January 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
“Freedom isn’t Free” “Mission Accomplished” “Stay the Course” “War on Terra” “The Oil will pay for the War” “Operation Iraqi Freedom” “Katrina” “Haliburton” “Not a divider, I’m a uniter” “Bush Tax Cuts” “same sex marriage”"grover norquist”
just a few reasons why republicans is losing ground that they will never recover from until the change the entire approach.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
Vet try the lithium on yourself
Obama is over
January 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
This is an interesting column that explains a certain amount of behavior from both sides of the aisle. However, I have to disagree to a certain extent because the problem with the GOP right now is that they don’t have a consistent strategy or message. Consequently, we get a seemingly neverending series of debates allowing the candidates to nit pick and essentially cannibalize themselves. On the other hand, Axelrod and Plouffe have a very organized strategy and highly focused message that may or may not reflect reality. For example, a quick Preqin search will show you that while Romney was head of Bain Captial, the following institutions invested in his investment partnerships: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (education), Cornell University, Church Pension Group (churches!), Illinois Municipal workers, Indiana Teachers, The Getty Trust, L.A. Fire and Police, Ohio Teachers, etc. It is ironic that while the Obama team has been demonizing Romney for being wealthy and successful, numbers of Government pensioners are going to enjoy a certain standard of living in retirement because Romney and Bain Capital were really good at their jobs. For those of us not eligible for a Government pension, we are stuck with a President with grandiose social dreams, but no detailed plan for execution grounded in reality. Obama’s consistently low Presidential job approval rating reflects independent voter’s sketicism of the current White House agenda based on the medocre performance of the past three years and Obama’s inability to unify any bipartisan coalition to accomplish anything.
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
Jimmy62
January 30th, 2012
1:44 pm
Actually it’s because several of the really good leaders int he GOP and on the right are waiting till 2016 because they don’t want to get blamed for the mess Obama has created. Christie, Rubio, Ryan, and there are others.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You mean they are such good leaders they couldn’t lead us through the debacle that is our economy now? And that makes sense to you just HOW?
Really?
I only thought I was scared before. but if this is what the Republicans have to offer in the future, we really are doomed…..,….
JKL2
January 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
granny- What’s next Captain Crunch and Count Chocula as the GOP ticket in November
No. I think you will find those are both registered Democrat voters in Cook County.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 30th, 2012
1:57 pm
Jimmy62 — “The GOP is a pretty big tent”
Having spent 20 years voting with the GOP, I feel pretty secure in saying no, that’s not true at all. If you don’t hew to the party line, they’ll let you know PDQ to sit down and shut up. Oh, they’ll happily take your vote and your donations, but they expect you either to make agreeable noises or STFU.
Don’t bother telling me it’s not so. I *know* it’s true from personal experience.
“only a blind fool like Bookman could miss how many independents are voting GOP this time around.”
If you want to win independents, your only chance to win the general election is with Romney. He’s the only one I’m worried about.
Granny Godzilla
January 30th, 2012
1:58 pm
JKL2
You have humor, that’s nice.
Fred
January 30th, 2012
1:58 pm
Jimmy:A lot bigger than Obama or the media seem to think. But then most of the media “doesn’t know anyone that voted for Nixon.”
FOX isn’t media? Really? Can you quit using that tired old “media” lie? Think of some new ones please. That particular one just make you look ridiculously stupid. I know it’s the favorite catch phrase from your talk show hosts, but it is extremely stupid.
When you continuously repeat it, it’s like watching drool roll continuously down the chin of a once fine man who has dementia. You feel sorry for him, but it’s obvious that he has lost his marbles. What do you do? Tell him to wipe his chin or pretend to ignore it? Either way you know that bless his heart he’s lost his mind………
jconservative
January 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
(ir)Rational at 11:42
The point is that the world has changed. No more will companies build factories in the US just because they are US companies. There are 7 billion consumers on planet earth. Only 310 million live in the US. Build the product where the consumers live. Build the product close to the parts.
Changing tax policy will not reverse a decision to build widgets at $17 dollars a day versus building widgets at $17 an hour.
This trend of moving US manufacturing overseas started in the latter part of the 1970’s. George W and Obama have had nothing to do with it as it was an accompolished fact when they took office.
The Bush/Obama Tax Cuts have no effect on building a new industrial base in the US. Nor will they in the future.
A Crying Shame: Charlatans in the GOP
January 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
@JKL2
January 30th, 2012
1:35 pm
getalife- lead like President Obama.
ROFL!
Hide in the corner like President obama.
Community organize like President obama.
Play golf like President obama.
Read a teleprompter like President obama.
Sorry, but leadership is just not part of the equation.
*******************************************************************
Leadership not part of the equation?
How is it leadership when:
Mitt is a tax cheat and liar.
Newt is a habitual adulterer and liar.
Mitt is the face of the 1%.
Newt is the face of racism.
Mitt pays less taxes than you.
Newt lobbies and lies about it.
Mitt has not put forth one plan for creating jobs or fixing the economy.
Newt wants spend millions to go to the moon.
Where is the leadership?
*****************************************************
I REPEAT:
The crooked charlatans trying to exploit gullible simpletons like ADAM.
The shame of it all is that the simpletons like ADAM are so gullible.
Its a crying shame.
AmVet - Every time a publicly educated neo-con drives on public roads they are Marxists.
January 30th, 2012
2:04 pm
Why? You are still unendingly delusional, so obviously it’s not working!
The ONLY candidate this cycle who spoke in non-made up terms about the need for a GOP big tent was Jon Huntsman, and your gang ran him off like a red headed step child.
Thanks to Lush Rimjob and Pretty Boy Sean, among countless others, dissent is not tolerated in the GOP.
As for complete neo-con obeisance and the lockstep adherence demanded by the party’s machinery, look no further than the vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq? 97.2% of Republicans for, 2.8% against.
Party first loyalty that even the mafia would admire…
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:06 pm
Jm
January 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
Vet try the lithium on yourself
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Screw the lithium. I want even ONE of the flashbacks they promised me with that good acid I dropped when I was a kid. It’s been over 30 years and I’m still waiting……..
Midori
January 30th, 2012
2:10 pm
LOL Midori: You can’t stop laughing and I’m still waiting for someone to toss out the race card because she said Count Chocula……….
BTW How are the eyes?
thanks Fred – I have to go for an injection on Thursday.
I’m winding down on them — injections are being spaced out much further. Almost done
And my eyesight is doing great
Jm
January 30th, 2012
2:12 pm
Vet
The lithium will help you get over the pending Obama loss
And you can reuse it for car batteries later too
Win win
Talking Head
January 30th, 2012
2:13 pm
Democrat Senator’s to push “Buffet Rule”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/us/politics/democratic-senators-to-push-buffett-rule.html?_r=1
We can’t shrink the size of government, no that would be ignorant. We have to feed the machine, we all have to pay our ‘fair share’. Stupid
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:15 pm
@ jconservative: Do you at least see the danger of our industrial base being off-shored? Suppose in our “next” war China decides to passively oppose us. They decide to cut off our supply of say………….. computer chips. How does that effect us militarily? What happens if Mexico and Canada do the same. they decide to be “neutral.” How do we replace our military vehicles? Oh and Airbus makes such a BETTER airplane and with it being subsidized by the French Gov’t it is ever so much cheaper and of course it’s important that Delta and American make the most money so they have been buying those instead of Boeing……….. So now we have a bunch of jets shot down, but we cut costs so there only 5 being built over there in “May-retta” right now. those plants in Washington? Why they shut down for lack of public sector demands. Tough crap Air Force, maybe the Chinese will sell you some planes…….. the ones they ripped the design off from the Russians but wehat the heck they are better than the SPADS and P-51’s you can reactivate from the Air Force junk yard in Tuscon………
Keep Up the Good Fight!
January 30th, 2012
2:16 pm
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will unveil a new proposal — first reported on this blog — to bring the tax rate of millionaires paying less than middle class taxpayers up to 30 percent. While we don’t know if the Dem leadership will act on this particular proposal, the “Buffett Rule” will get some sort of Senate vote. Republicans are all but certain to oppose it, perhaps unanimously.
And let the whining begin….. missing the point that this is exactly what the Republicans have asked for…making a more balanced tax code that means that some pay the same as hard working middle class families and “have some skin in the game.”
AmVet - Every time a publicly educated neo-con drives on public roads they are Marxists.
January 30th, 2012
2:18 pm
…the pending Obama loss…
Chortle, snort and guffaw.
So how much have you wagered at Intrade on a GOP type winning the White House? (Pick a con, any con!) You’ll get good odds, to boot.
What??
Not the first red cent??
Sounds like nothing but empty bluster to me.
But I’m pretty sure that a whole bunch of the more adventurous dolts are gonna lose a pile of money on Mittens or Newt or whoever.
Cons – a bookie’s wet dream…
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:19 pm
hit enter to soon, to finish:
But the 401’s looking ok and the one percenters have really maximised some profit so it’s a GOOD thing. Besides we are a global economy and those nasty people we are at war with will wait til we can get some new contracts signed and some more profit made so we can replace our war losses right?
Newtpewt
January 30th, 2012
2:20 pm
Less diversity in political parties= Maximized Pinhead Syndrome
JKL2
January 30th, 2012
2:21 pm
crying shame- Mitt has not put forth one plan for creating jobs or fixing the economy. Newt wants spend millions to go to the moon
obama says”What?” I guess spending $trillions to get nothing is better.
Vote obama. Free money for everyone!
Welcome to the Occupation
January 30th, 2012
2:22 pm
Hard to take a blogger seriously who posts the likes of “Hide in the corner like President obama.”
To make such a statement, one must either be utterly delusional in one’s insistence on opposing whatever it is that you associate with Obama. And that’s pure irrationalism.
Which means, ultimately, you’re a person who would sacrifice your connection to the real world altogether it it came to that.
Obama cures cancer. You don’t care. Then let’s have cancer!!
Obama brings world peace. Then to hell with peace, let’s have war!
Ultimately, you’d probably hang yourself in your room before facing that Obama was right and you were wrong.
mm
January 30th, 2012
2:23 pm
“Hide in the corner like President obama.
Community organize like President obama.
Play golf like President obama.
Read a teleprompter like President obama.”
Jay, is there some type of BS detector you can use on this blog? The we won’t have to skip so many ignorant posts.
Granny Godzilla
January 30th, 2012
2:23 pm
Talking Head
“WASHINGTON — Seeking more power to shrink the government, President Barack Obama on Friday suggested smashing six economic agencies into one, an election-year idea intended to halt bureaucratic nightmares and force Republicans to back him on one of their own favorite issues.
“The government we have is not the government we need,” Obama told business owners he’d gathered at the White House. Lawmakers seemed willing to at least consider his ideas.
Sounding like a manager of a disorganized company, and looking like one by pointing to slides as he spoke, Obama asked Congress to give him a kind of reorganization power no president has had since Ronald Reagan. It would guarantee Obama a vote, within 90 days, on any idea he offers to consolidate agencies, provided it saves money and cuts the government.
His first potential target: Merging six major trade and commerce agencies into a one-stop-shopping department for American businesses. The Commerce Department would be among those that would cease to exist”M
We could do better at shrinking the government if certain parties were to KEEP UP.
Huffington Post 1/13/12
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
Hey Keep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How they hanging? Call me next time you are down this way, found a couple of good places (and cheap) for lunch. You can let the dogs out lol
Keep Up the Good Fight!
January 30th, 2012
2:27 pm
Thanks Fred….will do. Off for a changing of the dogs now!
Adam
January 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Charlatan: When I’m not at lunch or in a meeting, it’s called multi-asking
Also I have full permission to use the internet for anything that’s not illegal so long as I get my work done.
Jm
January 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Amvet
Dough is in the campaign coffers
Not intrade
td
January 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Joe Hussein Mama
January 30th, 2012
1:57 pm
Big tent DNC is a joke. What has happened to the Blue Dogs? As Zell Miller said: “I have not left the democratic party, they left me”
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Dammit Granny: I do much better taking something seriously when it DOESN’T come from Huff post.
But I saw that same thing elsewhere a few days (week or so?) ago. Of course when I saw it I didn’t discuss it because I though I was still in the penalty box on certain um blogs…………… :[
Fred
January 30th, 2012
2:32 pm
ADAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I spewed coffee on my keyboard. I’m always ragging on my wife when she tells me she’s “multi tasking.” I tell her she’s just doing two or more things at the same time in a half assed manner. now I’m going to have to send her that.
Quantavious
January 30th, 2012
2:33 pm
“In stark contrast, the Democrats have no real counterpart to the concept of RINO…They lack a sternly enforced party discipline and orthodoxy…”
Well Jay have you been reading Maureen Dowd’s columns in your paper of late? She is savaging Barack Obama. Don’t believe for one second that the Democrats don’t have our own orthodoxy police.
td
January 30th, 2012
2:33 pm
AmVet,
I will bet you any amount of money you can muster that if gas is over $4 a gallon in Oct. then Obama will NOT be re elected.
Adam
January 30th, 2012
2:34 pm
Fred
Adam
January 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Don’t believe for one second that the Democrats don’t have our own orthodoxy police.
Except she’ll still vote for Obama anyway.
356 more days
January 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST…….Amonix, another one of our POTUS’s fine investments, fires almost everyone, ready to close the doors…………..good decision making, leadership and pay back to your contributors…………hope he pays them all back soon, before we have to print more money