An obscure special congressional election in the 23rd district of New York State made national news this last week. A traditionally conservative district Republican Dierdre Scozzafava was expected to easily defeat her Democratic challenger Bill Owens.
Enter Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman isn’t your run of the mill third party candidate with little chance of winning though. Doug Hoffman is actually the preferred candidate of what one pundit called the far “out” Right wing of the Republican Party. With endorsements from Sarah Palin, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and a lot of money Hoffman was easily able to out poll Scozzafava effectively pushing her out of the race.
The problem with Ms. Scozzafava was that she dared to have positions that are considered liberal like her support for abortion rights, same-sex marriage and union rights. As the ideology of what is left of the GOP continues to narrow each day, room for radical thinking Like Scozzafava’s just isn’t going to be tolerated.
Republican House Leader John Boehner in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," said "We accept moderates in our party, and we want moderates in our party. We cover a wide range of Americans." I laughed so hard I nearly split a gut. The Republican Party doesn’t want moderates. In fact they don’t want anyone that does not conform exactly to the Specified doctrine.
As a person looking at all this from a Left perspective I’m happy to see my adversaries implode. But at the same time I’m confused by seeing what otherwise seems to be educated folks acting so stupidly. Do the Republicans not understand that to win elections they need to appeal to the Center? And their rhetoric keeps getting more and more insane.
One of the things the vast majority of economists and Americans in general agree on is that the stewardship of our economy by Republicans has been a disaster of Biblical proportions. Yet the Republicans continue to espouse the virtues of low tax, supply side economics. They actually try to sell the idea that the only reason for the current economic situation was because they were not allowed to go far enough. The most confounding part is how this is supposed to create jobs. That’s what they claim yet it was during their watch we saw the economic collapse that led to the bleeding of jobs over the last year.
The Republicans have no explanation for this. When asked they side step into a rant on how the only reasonable way to create jobs is to lower taxes and “get the government out of the way.” It’s actually like trying to take something away from a toddler that doesn’t want to give it up. It’s the only way to describe the GOP’s obsession with the low tax, supply side approach… childish! They cling to it like a security blanket. Despite the blatant evidence that low taxes have bankrupt our States, Counties, and Cities as well as our Federal coffers. That supply side economics has turned Wall Street into a giant casino and our banking system into pyramid scheme for the ultra-wealthy, the Republicans sing the praises of these failed policies as of there were no other song. It really boggles the mind.
I’ve been hearing some Republicans saying that 2010 will be a comeback year. I don’t see anything like that happening. The reason being that each year the voters of this country ere becoming more and more diversified. At the same time the GOP is becoming less and less inclusive. That does not add up to a comeback.
*************
You can listen to Devin talk politics at earlymorningpundits.com with Dr. Candace House and Devin Barber every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00 AM Eastern and 5:00 AM Pacific. You can also listen to recorded shows anytime.
Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin’s column, “Left Of The Right” published weekly or more to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin’s columns at LEFT OF THE RIGHT
You can keep up with Devin’s postings and his Gather activity by joining his Gather network. Just click here: Devin Barber and then select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page.
You can find Devin and other Political Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other politics experts at Politics.gather.com.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 87
What the Republicans need to do is the exact that, to purge the liberals from their ranks.
Year after year the gallup poll reveals that more people consider themselves as having conservative values than having liberal values, this year the number was nearly twice as many professed conservatism as professed liberalism with moderates nearly equal to conservatives.
If anything will lead to greater Democrat victories in the next few elections it will be the Republicans continued catering to liberals, only by expressing their adherence to Conservative values will the Republicans see victory in the upcoming elections.
The Republicans had thier chance and they spent our money like a drunken college student with thier parents credit card. If the Republicans want to regain power they are going to have to prove they can walk the talk.
For example, I live in Maricopa County. Our Sheriff, one Joseph M. Arpaio of Springfield Mass and points West, routinely investigates ANYONE who seems to feel he is too conservative. The two liberals on the County Board of Supervisors have come under scrutiny, one of them has been charged with over 200 felonies...all charges dropped. Oh did I fail to mention that he is A CONSERVATIVE? Supporter of the Constitution and the law, and all that rot.
Conservatives continue to outnumber moderates in the American populace in 2009, 40% to 36%, confirming a finding that Gallup first noted in June. Liberals rank third at 20%. This marks a shift from 2005 through 2008.
The never Make a Conservative/Progressive comparison, which, in my opinion is more accurate, though Conservative is beginning to carry some implications that are not part of a clear definition.
The bright spot, If conservatives will NEVER vote for a moderate or liberal, and moderates and liberals combine to vote for either a Moderate Republican or a Moderate Democrat, the conservatives WILL LOOSE.
Actually Devin Republicans don't follow that line of thinking and could you please relay to us the Dems that opposed that "ideological" war?
Now that's funny!
Finally there is a time (again) when conservatives can and are publicly declaring their conservatism and you all go back to your fear mongering.....Oh No! Those mean evil and nasty conservatives are suppressing us liberals with fear and terror!
If Sheriff Joe is harassing and terrorizing you liberals down there in AZ. I'm sure you have recourse in our judicial system...you can be sure that the conservatives have not infiltrated it.......YET! LOL!
This next cycle will see more of the upstate NY style politics. Radical conservatives are likely to loose to the left of center Democrats in those races. Moderate, and even some conservative, Republicans will vote for either the Republican Candidate, or the Democrat, and the Democrats will vote for the Democrat. The Conservative will get the reactionaries. The Republican vote will be split, and the Democrat will win.
Oh how well I know this to be the way it works. I have been a Progressive Democrat all my life, and I have seen the DEMOCRATS shoot themselves in the foot this way at least a hundred times. Progressives and Liberals and Left of Center Democrats will stand on principal till the Republicans win again. This time that shoe has been THROWN at the other foot.
The Republican party has been hyjacked!
How else could they field a candidate like Scozzafava?
Supported by the Working Families Party who's strong ties with ACORN should have sent conservative alarm bells a ringing.
What was Newt thinking in supporting Scozzafavas?
The Republicans have been hijacked by people who believe they can out liberal liberals! Something that just can not be done and shouldn't even be attempted.
We saw the results of trying to out liberal the liberals in John mcCain loss to Obama.
We Can not let liberal's like Scozzafavas to be presented to the public as Republicans!
That is what I think happened in NY 23 Tuesday. And, as usual, the one who was running on merit, and not warfare won.
Karl, I know I was not there, I know that last comment is speculative, but it is based on years of experience.
SO WHAT, YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY BACK UP THAT STATEMENT.
OK. I will ask for help from someone in the region to back me up or put me down. Anyone, was I right, or not?
NOT FAIR. YOU ARE ASKING FOR HELP.
U bet I am, you did not even challenge the accuracy of my speculation. you only attacked the speculative nature of it.
RIGHT, AND GAVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THIS NONSENSE IN THE THREAD AND ALLOW OTHERS TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES IF YOU ARE RIGHT.
http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=ARTICLES&id=1133909409
you may think us radicals and reactionaries, but that is what people with a narrow, one-sided view see everyobdy as, outside their ken.
The problem I find, here in the microcosm of what the greater opinions are, is that Republicans, the new, far right ones, are completely closed off to any comprimise or opposing view. Their view is that of an earlier, less-informed populace, now, with media and Internet and travel sources shrinking the world, our stance in not only world politics, but everyday existence in our own spheres needs to come into line. Religious mores are not applicable to political ones and so many of th eissues dividing people seems to stem from this difference. WE, the Liberals, have already lived that straight and narrow,Conservative life and need to expand to encompass more of what the world and the Universe has to offer.
Many have not heard of Keynsian economics or John Galt for that matter. It is a surety that the full proposals of either man. I will read your next post, then maybe I will have something else to say. The social issues, by and large, are reflective of society, rather than formative. You will believe as you choose.
And you are right about people will believe as he/she chooses. And only if and when some detail affects each person personally will there be any hope for changing minds set in concrete.
He never had the style points that Teddy Roosevelts "bull moose" party had. Nobody in politics ever did.
I am just not that into the politically disgruntled, nope no energy left!
The South calling the North names and the same for the Guns v anti-guns, Birthers v everybody and those hurling names just because and visa versa, I must pass on the forth coming harangue.
Great post though!
It's this ability to ignore the facts in favor of pre-judged opinion that is so scary in conservatives, whether social, religious, or political.
If you want to know more about the Nazi influenced far right neoconservative movement in the United States, drop by POD Book Reviews and read the review I wrote for "The Crusading Spirit in Modern America, George W. Bush and the Radical Conservative Elite" by Richard J. Bazillion.
I posted an abridged review on Amazon.com for this book but the unabridged version is at POD book Reviews.
What the author of that book reveals is scary.
Hi Jeanie, Actually rock has its origins in Jazz and a variety of influences. It goes back to many singing in the fields as they worked as well, a tradition that has more honor than given it credit. It isn't the player or the name of the tune, but the meaning that it imparts that is important.
Murder of an American Nazi
by Tim Fleming
Publisher: Eloquent Books, New York, NY
ISBN # 978-1-60693-401-2
copyright 2008
Although this book is listed as fiction, Fleming wrote in an e-mail to some questions I asked him after I read the book (before I wrote the review for POD Book Reviews), that the facts are all real and he doesn't change the names of the real people in the book (both Americans and Nazis).
It seems that after World War II, America protected any Nazis that were considered valuable in our cold war against Communism. The Nazis hated Communism as much as Capitalists did. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Once the Nazis were defeated as a nation state, those that were considered beneficial in our fight with Communism were given a clean slate and a new start in America--their crimes against humanity forgiven and covered up without a trial. Germans and some of them Nazis were involved in the creation and organization of the CIA, the H-bomb and rocket science. Those that were hard core Nazis were more involved in the CIA (teaching Americans the art of torture) than the other two projects.
using the military earned them the cold shoulder from
the Democratic Party, they switched during
Reagan's Presidency giving him the White House.
My friend listens to one on conservative talk radio, Dennis Prager.
That coalition gained Reagan enough votes to win the White House.
Now, they control the Republican Party.
Here's a piece on that topic.
Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives
Subverted the Reagan Revolution
and Hijacked the Bush Presidency
Journal article by Patrick Basham; The Cato Journal, Vol. 25, 2005
http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid
=KwmQsD1tyzgHxbDJK121rZsTtLpg7rLGyl6hZrcBxhDhh9M2pbwQ!1788029060!1275526282?docId=5010808371
Then it really got more complicated...
I've seen the polls that say 20% when asked say they are Republican...the lowest in 26 years they say...hmmm, I've never been for the Republican party, they have always appeared to be more for the rich than any other group in this country and I have never been nor will I ever be rich...
So I'm Liberally Independent as can be...
:O)
Actually Devin, as you see from Dan's reply above, these people actually think that they ARE the Center!!!!!
In a few districts, they actually are. But not many.
BTW, I enjoyed the photo of the Bull elephants jousting with their tusks........
I am Dano, that is why I use my nickname.
If the other party is dumb enough to do the same (Joe Leiberman), then it would work, but when has the Democratic party ever shot itself in the foot like that?
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977869542
Of course the UAW said wtf when they demanded even more concessions.
Just how much profit is enough?
The committee picked GOP candidate was anything but moderate Devin. She had the support of the SEIU and ACORN, neither of which are known as moderate groups. She also had a record of support to the left of people clearly identified as GOP moderates like Snowe & Collins. That she was to the left of a traditionally conservative district does not somehwo make her a moderate victim of some Stalinist purge. She simply had no support and was being slaughtered by some indie no name candidate.
The GOP would be incredibly stupid to move left nationally at a time like this. The country is splitting hard over this Administration's policies, chiefly domestic. If the GOP tries to play Dem light again, it will lose any chance of catching that anger and see, if not split votes with 3d parties-a stay at home factor that ensured the 2008 loss. Whether the level of anger and distrust of the present congress/Administration lasts until Nov 2010, who knows. But right now, its palpable and if the GOP wants any gain from it at all, it has to steer according to it's often ignored principles.
Interesting post Devin!
The problem is that the MEANING of these words is constantly being twisted and reshaped to fit the rhetoric. The GOP claims conservatism, yet the years 2001 to 2007 of Republican stewardship was anything BUT conservative. The reason Dems are in power is because they walk their talk. You may not like liberalism, but that's what you get when you elect Democrats.
Don't be bipartisan, you don't get my vote.
"The GOP claims conservatism, yet the years 2001 to 2007 of Republican stewardship was anything BUT conservative. "
Bush wasn't a conservative. More like a Neo-Con Nazi who learned some bad habits from Daddy and Grandaddy. You see, you can't use the Bush years as an argument with me because I despise him along with Rove and Cheney.
Don't worry Devin, Republican party is not going to fall of a cliff.
Talk about carpetbaggers.
The conservative candidate seems even dumber than the moosegutter.
I see the others imploding some more.
Amazing.
Thank's Ruth, good to hear from you.