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We All Need Moderate Republicans
RealClearPolitics ^ | August 27, 2013 | Froma Harrop

Posted on 08/27/2013 5:43:21 PM PDT by 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....

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Issues; Parties; U.S. Congress; U.S. Senate
KEYWORDS: 2014; 2016; democrats; fromaharrop; gop; republicans; rinos; teaparty; teapartyrebellion
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Well I’m all for a whole bunch of Republican extremists.

The only question I have, is what is “extreme”.

For me, it is a bunch of Americans opening American companies, and hiring Americans.

But then you talk to others on this board, and you hear the exact opposite.

I don’t think either position is one of moderation.

We just believe in the opposite point of view.

:D


21 posted on 08/27/2013 5:58:45 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: Paladin2

Gonna be a purge in Michigan after the senate voted for the medicaid expansion by a 19/18 vote tonight.


22 posted on 08/27/2013 5:58:58 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
We All Need Moderate Republicans

Can't imagine why. I got food. I got firewood. Can't imagine what I'd use them for.

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

What's most depressing about statements like this is that a lot of liberals, this isn't a political talking point, they actually BELIEVE this to be true. [facepalm]

23 posted on 08/27/2013 5:59:12 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Guerrilla free marketeer is my way.


24 posted on 08/27/2013 6:00:01 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Why?
So we will remember what idiots look like?
25 posted on 08/27/2013 6:00:05 PM PDT by YHAOS
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Good ol’ Froma. The same rational, enlightened advice giver than called the Tea Party “Economic Terrorists.”

I will say, there is a (probably unintentional) kernel of wisdom in the story. Not that we need centrists, but that we need to scrutinize the conservative alternatives a little better. We’ve gotten burned more than once when it comes to Senate races. Angle and Akin were both unmitigated disasters.


26 posted on 08/27/2013 6:02:15 PM PDT by DemforBush (Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
what we really need is MODERATE democrats....they're all far leftist now...

used to be rats would try to protect jobs, have a strong military, protect freedom of speech and of press....

and now, we have yes men doing the bidding of the elite bankers and their ilk....

27 posted on 08/27/2013 6:02:24 PM PDT by cherry
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Well, well.... A female douchebag....


28 posted on 08/27/2013 6:02:33 PM PDT by freebilly (Creepy and the Ass Crackers....)
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To: YHAOS

Can’t imagine how that would be a problem — there’d still be Demonrats.


29 posted on 08/27/2013 6:02:43 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: YHAOS

Nah, just check threads like this. you’ll see ‘conservatives’ pining for them. Same idiocy.


30 posted on 08/27/2013 6:02:58 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: ought-six

Indeed. I know a Democrat who was complaining that “Gingrich was burning down the Republican party!” To which I responded that whe as a Democrat and that should make him happy but it didn’t and I’m sure it’s for the reason you articulated(though he would deny it vehemently).


31 posted on 08/27/2013 6:03:13 PM PDT by ReformationFan
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We All Need Moderate Republicans . . . to quit running for office.


32 posted on 08/27/2013 6:06:50 PM PDT by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Froma Harrop is an idiot Progressive/Socialist. She really doesn’t want to so ANY Republicans, Moderate or not. The fact she writes this tells you that all is not well in Democrat circles. She sees the writing on the wall. Democrat fundraising is down sharply from this same stage of the 2014 cycle compared to the 2010 cycle of mid terms. The Democrat Senators are defending in a lot of Red States that even a RINO like Romney carried. And they have little to no chance to win the House back with Obama’s popularity plummeting.

So she’s apparently throwing in the towel already. And wants to make sure we have a lot more Republican Obama Lovers like McCain and Christie. As Rush always said - the Left Media wants to pick their opposition candidates. She’s such a moron that she evidently thinks we can’t see through her ridiculous ploy. Even more to the point, if she and all her other Marxist Leftist Media cabal truly thought candidates like Cruz, Palin, and other true Conservatives were the electoral disaster she’s trying to convince Republican voters they are, then she should be promoting them! Why on earth would a Leftist like Harrop EVER want a Republican of any strip to take the seat that a Progressive could win? If they thought real Conservatives were destined to lose, idiots like Harrop would be championing them at every turn. That she writes this drivel tells you how scared they are.


33 posted on 08/27/2013 6:07:26 PM PDT by antonico
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To: Still Thinking; Norm Lenhart

Ya think? LOL!


34 posted on 08/27/2013 6:07:50 PM PDT by YHAOS
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We need people of principle and conviction.

Luke warm “moderates” are to be vomited out!


35 posted on 08/27/2013 6:09:03 PM PDT by G Larry (Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Psalms 109:8)
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To: YHAOS

I do ;)


36 posted on 08/27/2013 6:09:28 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: Wooly
Froma is probably the dumbist of the dumb. Meaning she can’t even get a gig on MSNBC

I take your point, but if you're going to be throwing around insults about the intelligence of other people, I suggest you check your spelling before hitting the "post" button.

That is, unless you meant to suggest that Froma is a follower of the philosophy of Dumbism, in which case carry on. Although do watch your capitalization.

37 posted on 08/27/2013 6:13:18 PM PDT by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

JFK and MLK would have been moderate Republicans if they were born 40 years later.

The statism bar has been lowered.


38 posted on 08/27/2013 6:16:01 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084 (I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer to drink a bunch of them. Stay thirsty my FRiends)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
every moderate republican should get honest and re register in either the democrap or communist party!!!
39 posted on 08/27/2013 6:16:08 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
We All Need Moderate Republicans

If it wasn't for Moderate Republicans the democrats would have to find something else to wipe their feet on!

40 posted on 08/27/2013 6:17:35 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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