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Who Owns the GOP?
The Atlantic ^ | 19 Oct 2007 | Ross Douthat

Posted on 10/20/2007 7:28:15 PM PDT by Delacon

David Brooks and Dean Barnett both tackle Huckabee's gradual rise today, and both see a lot of promise: Brooks writes that whereas "each of the top-tier candidates makes certain parts of the party uncomfortable ... Huckabee is the one candidate acceptable to all factions," while Barnett acknowledges that the Huck's "taxing and spending in Arkansas may not be every conservative's ideal," but suggests that he "probably has fewer policy skeletons in his closet than anyone else in the field."

I dunno - as Matt says, taxing and spending are a pretty big deal in the GOP, and it's clear that Huckabee wouldn't be acceptable to this particular faction, at the very least. Throw in his wetness on immigration and his various rhetorical forays toward a "conservatism of the heart" on trade and inequality and so forth, and you have a candidate with as many deviations from GOP orthodoxy as John McCain and Fred Thompson, certainly, if not Giuliani and Romney (both of whom have enough skeletons to fill the whole house).

Which is why the current Republican race is so interesting - it's a laboratory, in a sense, for determining which interest groups really have clout in the GOP primaries, and which issues really excite the faithful. If Rudy Giuliani wins the nomination, it will tell us a lot about the real influence (or lack thereof) of folks like James Dobson; if John McCain gets the nod, we'll know that immigration and (to a lesser extent) campaign-finance reform are more important to activists than to actual voters; if Huckabee becomes a significent spoiler (or, though it's much more unlikely, an actual contender) then we'll know the Club for Growth doesn't have quite as much clout


(Excerpt) Read more at rossdouthat.theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; clubforgrowth; duncanhunter; elections; giuliani; gop; huckabee; romney; thompson
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To: Delacon

Who are these idiots kidding. They are really trying to put the screws to Americans. Really trying to make us mad with all of these stories trying to insinuate that our own people are turning on us. Keep using that Chinese brainwashing guys because when the rubber finally meets the road; you guys are going to be in for a big surprise. You will be the first to go.

In other words; your guys will turn on you. Think about it; it’s not hard to figure that one out.


21 posted on 10/20/2007 8:32:17 PM PDT by freekitty ((May the eagles long fly our beautiful and free American sky.))
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To: Delacon

I dunno who owns the GOP, but they couldn’t be any worse than the Kos, MoveOn, Code Pink, Soros traitors that own the RATS.


22 posted on 10/20/2007 8:55:07 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Delacon

Kudoes to the Atlantic but I think it’s much, much more interesting to explore for bones and skeletons in the Dim candidate closets. After all, there are so many more of them to pause over and much more elaborate scheming. By contrast the GOP is just dull.

Let’s consider the Clinton death list for example; I’m sure the Atlantic blanches at the thought, but there are plenty of entrees to munch on there, enough for a veritable feast of investigating, not that the Atlantic has any interest.


23 posted on 10/20/2007 9:02:02 PM PDT by Rembrandt (We would have won Viet Nam w/o Dim interference.)
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To: Delacon
...Huckabee is the one candidate acceptable to all factions,"...

I don't think this is at all true -- Huckabee has a poor record across the entire small-government spectrum, from taxes and spending to nanny-state laws and endorsement of big federal government programs. I will never vote for Huckabee; I'm interested in seeing what other small-government conservatives think about this.

Which is why the current Republican race is so interesting - it's a laboratory, in a sense, for determining which interest groups really have clout in the GOP primaries, and which issues really excite the faithful.

This is exactly right, which is why the choice of nominee will affect the overall direction of the GOP long past 2008 -- especially if that nominee wins.

24 posted on 10/20/2007 9:02:57 PM PDT by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: ellery

“I don’t think this is at all true — Huckabee has a poor record across the entire small-government spectrum, from taxes and spending to nanny-state laws and endorsement of big federal government programs. I will never vote for Huckabee; I’m interested in seeing what other small-government conservatives think about this.”

I think the writer was agreeing with you on this. As for me, Huck is a repeat of all the bad things of the Bush presidency. Immigration, spending, big government, and yes religious conservatism(which isn’t bad) handled badly at a national level.

“This is exactly right, which is why the choice of nominee will affect the overall direction of the GOP long past 2008 — especially if that nominee wins.”

Not if 06 is any indication. I see no realignment. Unless the republican party gets truly wiped out, it will be more of the same from both parties. If the republican party gets wiped out, what will happen is democrats will run the country into the ground as they did in the 70s. Look for a republican controlled govt in say 2020.


25 posted on 10/20/2007 9:24:34 PM PDT by Delacon (Don't Immanentize the Eschaton.)
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To: Redbob

Right. Why can’t the one rising be Duncan Hunter? He’s the one we need. Huckleberry is a squish on a lot of key issues.


26 posted on 10/20/2007 9:33:41 PM PDT by Defiant ("Expectorate" has Specter in it.)
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To: Delacon
The answer to the question is..............ME.
27 posted on 10/20/2007 9:36:02 PM PDT by ALASKA (IT'S NOT ROCKET SURGERY......................Don't just do something, STAND THERE!!!)
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To: RichInOC

LOL. If so, Rich, I am just waiting to get to that point in the primary where “two man enter...one man leave”.


28 posted on 10/20/2007 9:37:08 PM PDT by LowCountryJoe (I'm a Paleo-liberal: I believe in freedom; am socially independent and a borderline fiscal anarchist)
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To: Defiant

“Right. Why can’t the one rising be Duncan Hunter? He’s the one we need.”

Well if we are going to whine, why not about Tancredo who has actually been on the rise recently. :)


29 posted on 10/20/2007 9:39:04 PM PDT by Delacon (Don't Immanentize the Eschaton.)
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To: Redbob

Huckabee supports illegals. I could never vote for him.


30 posted on 10/20/2007 9:40:08 PM PDT by packrat35 (Politicians would be less worthless if they were edible, or useable for packing wheel bearings.)
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To: The Ghost of Rudy McRomney
Plus he’s a nanny-stater, same as the Clintons.

Exactly. Huck's nice but he fundamentally likes and defends the liberal approach.

I want more small-government candidates. I want them to say it loud and clear, not sit around hatching schemes to take our money (or borrow it from the Chinese or just deflate our currency) and then "help" us in some wonderful way. Well, if we obey and line up and march in little Stalinist formations for them.

I'm sick of compassionate conservatism and I'm not remotely interested in Huck's backwoods moonshine version of it either. I find Fred far more appealing on this stuff. For that matter, Romney and the others as well. Huck is the biggest nanny-man in the bunch.
31 posted on 10/20/2007 10:29:59 PM PDT by George W. Bush (Apres moi, le deluge.)
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To: George W. Bush; The Ghost of Rudy McRomney

I just had to bump a post that was from George Bush to the Ghost of Rudy McRomney. Some Freepers have the most interesting login names.


32 posted on 10/20/2007 10:32:47 PM PDT by Kevmo (We should withdraw from Iraq — via Tehran. And Duncan Hunter is just the man to get that job done.))
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To: Delacon
So according to the article the race is either:
  1. Hitlery vs. Rudi (Battle Of Gotham between two New Yorkers)
  2. Hitlery vs. Huck (Hatfields and McCoys between two Arkansans)
I think we should pay attention. The libmedia is just trying to help us poor Republicans pick our best candidate. Some mean FReepers will probably say bad things about them too but they're just trying to help us out.
33 posted on 10/20/2007 10:36:16 PM PDT by George W. Bush (Apres moi, le deluge.)
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To: ColdSteelTalon

(( ping ))

Over here.... Check this out.


34 posted on 10/20/2007 10:38:43 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: MainFrame65

BUMP what you said.
And throw in a retroactive de-citizenship of “anchor babies”.


35 posted on 10/20/2007 10:40:43 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Redbob

Huckabee is a pro amnesty.


36 posted on 10/20/2007 10:41:56 PM PDT by Pelham (Spanish is the new English)
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To: EternalVigilance

“I once thought it belonged to conservative Republicans. Not so sure now. “

Try Wall Street and global business. The last time conservatives were valued was during Reagan.


37 posted on 10/20/2007 10:44:33 PM PDT by Pelham (Spanish is the new English)
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To: Delacon
<"Throw in his wetness on immigration and his various rhetorical forays toward a "conservatism of the heart" on trade and inequality and so forth, and you have a candidate with as many deviations from GOP orthodoxy as John McCain and Fred Thompson,"

This clown lost me right there with this ridiculous statement!
38 posted on 10/20/2007 10:50:11 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
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To: Pelham

I’m afraid you’re right.


39 posted on 10/20/2007 10:56:06 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (With "Republicans" like this, who needs Democrats?)
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To: Delacon
Not if 06 is any indication. I see no realignment. Unless the republican party gets truly wiped out, it will be more of the same from both parties.

Sadly, you may be right. The fact that those idjits pushed amnesty against the will of the people, and now continue to try to push it piecemeal, says that they're not listening.

On the other hand, GOP strategists with no personal convictions would love it if they could win with, say, a pro-abortion or anti-gun politician. Strategically, that would allow our strategiests to nullify two potent donk issues -- so I do think it's likely we would see realignment there in the form of many more future pro-abortion and anti-gun GOP candidates.

40 posted on 10/20/2007 11:04:46 PM PDT by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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