Posted on 11/17/2006 11:13:00 AM PST by Miss Marple
I will only be on the computer for another hour, and any posts to me after that will have to wait until I return around 6PM.
This is an effort to move the discussion to productive areas. All sides could use some improvement, including the President, whom I think counted too much on Karl and failed to see what was happening.
Ping!
One more factor:
Minimum wage increases on many ballots. Hence, the high youth (and mostly heavily Democrat) turnout to vote themselves raises.
You threatened and you delivered!
Excellent post. Even though I don't agree with 100% of it, it is pretty much on target and good food for thought.
ping
I guess that's why the Contract with America was such a dismal failure. /sarcasm
The GOP needs to return to having core values. Otherwise, it's just that much easier for the charges to stick when it is clear to voters that too many pubbies don't walk the walk.
I couldn't believe it when I heard attacks on Sodrel because of the clock-switching flap! And yet I know it cost him a few votes.
And why was the base angry? Some were angry that we weren't fighting the war hard enoug, some were made about immigration (both pro and con) some were mad about earmarks...you name it.
But did an angry base think the democrats would do better? No.
This is truly an effort to understand HOW the democrats did it, so that next time we aren't caught flat-footed.
Minimum wage was one of those LOCAL issues (state by state) which we weren't paying enough attention to. That minimum wage thing also cost us votes, and I am glad you brought it up.
Gingrich stuck that Contract out so that when we won he could claim a mandate on those issues.
I, for one, never saw the darn thing. I don't subscribe to TV Guide and never have, and the first time I heard about it was a day or two before the election when I happened to tune into Rush.
Fair enough analysis. I would have rephrased it a bit, but I think you're on the right track.
In my view, the strength that the Democrats is that they are the more populist of the two parties. Or said another way, they're willing to represent their constituencies in order to win. The traditional advantage of the GOP has been in organization and funding.
In my view, conservatives need to start learning to play practical politics. The GOP is a political party. It should be viewed as a means to achieving an end, not a wellspring of religious truth. Conservatives are free to do whatever they want, but in my view, I think too many conservatives expect far too much from the GOP.
We're fortunate in that there are some models for winning in the political sphere even when the odds are stacked against us. The most shining contemporary example in my view is the gun rights people.
And then there is also the issue of communicating a positive conservative message. It's something that conservatives really need to work on. There are so many conservative success stories out there, it's just a crying shame that we don't communicate them better. Negative messages may win an election or two, but they don't inspire people in the long run.
You're right, it will be very hard for our candidate in 2008 if he/she follows a despised President. The problem is that if Bush continues with his amnesty plans and fails to secure the border, as he has so stubbornly resisted doind to date he will be despised and worse. If we want to see his approval rating improve we should encourage HIM to do more of the things that we approve of...not discourage folks for criticizing him when he drifts off into liberal land, as he is prone to do from time to time.
The GOP needs to start walking the walk. If the GOP campaigns on notions of personal responsibility, and then our Congresscritters and Senators fall over themselves inserting earmarks into budget-busting bills, how can that possibly mesh with the stated core philosophy of the party?
I disagree, because Clinton promptly triangulated to a lot of the basic values in the Contract, and he is as poll-driven as anyone.
Perhaps. I do think that whatever value it had worked because people were so aggravated at Clinton. Remember, until the OKC bombin he was being dismissed as irrelevant.
Might I suggest that the best way to get your point across while not hampering our 2008 candidate is to write to the President, call the White House, and contact those potential presidential nominees who could be convinced to side with you on your issue?
I need to leave for a while. Back about 6PM and will answer any further replies this evening.
No dissension within the party should be aired on national media.
Has to be rule No. 1! I can't even remember many details or instances, but my overall impression of the Republicans in the months leading up to the election is that of utter disarray, petty intraparty sniping, every-man-for-himself-ism, and the unedifying spectacle of spoiled prima donnas primping for the cameras.
The mad rush to dissociate themselves from Bush looked like they were crashing into each other and knocking each other down as they ran for the exists. I will (charitably --/withering sarcasm) assume that they were only speaking from their principles. But the most principled disagreement doesn't have to belittle the other person. Would it have killed them to phrase it more like, "I don't totally agree with the President on (fill in the blank). I know he's a good and serious man, and his points are valid. But I would emphasize certain other aspects. I'm not sure how we can resolve this, but I am certain that resolution is possible, with reason and good will." OK, not great -- but I'm not a professional politician!
At last a sensible explication of the election.
I would add that the left internet was a great benefit to the Dems, especially the "scandals". There were stories on the Allen/Webb election in "moderate" papers that sourced MYDD, Salon, and Kos!
Last election the right internet made the difference (Swiftvets, Rather...)
But they "read our book" and the media teamed up with them to great effect this time.
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