Posted on 04/26/2009 6:03:07 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
In GOP base, a 'rebellion brewing' By: Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin April 26, 2009 07:03 AM EST
A quick tour through the week’s headlines suggests the Republican Party is beginning to come to terms with the last election and that consensus is emerging among GOP elites that the party needs to move away from discordant social issues.
There was Sen. John McCain's daughter and his campaign manager who last week demanded that their fellow Republicans embrace same-sex marriage. Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman – the most devoted modernizer among the party's 2012 hopefuls – won approving words from New York Times columnist Frank Rich for his call to downplay divisive values issues. The party’s top elected leaders in Congress, meanwhile, spooked by being attacked as the “party of no,” were recasting themselves as a constructive, respectful opposition to a popular president.
But outside Washington, the reality is very different. Rank-and-file Republicans remain, by all indications, staunchly conservative, and they appear to have no desire to moderate their views. GOP activists and operatives say they hear intense anger at the White House and at the party’s own leaders on familiar issues – taxes, homosexuality, and immigration. Within the party, conservative groups have grown stronger absent the emergence of any organized moderate faction.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
In other words the GOP has learned NOTHING.
I'd say they are a few election cycles behind...we've been in rebellion for quite some time now.
“.....consensus is emerging among GOP elites that the party needs to move away from discordant social issues.”
....and that is exactly why so many of us feel the GOP has lost it’s balls.
Trouble is the Republican Party doesn't realize this.
Ronaldus Magnus was the only resaon the GOP didn't become an irrelevant 3rd Party behind the Libertarians in the 1970's. The Tea Parties are only a tip of the iceberg for those of us Conservatives who believe the GOP is turning into Democrat-lite, who'll take away our freedom just a little big slower.
Ha ha! Watch the GOP continue to blindly stumble its way into irrelevance.
No, In other words the GOP leadership has learned nothing
It’s dead, Jim.
This is very curious.
Being AGAINST same sex "marriage" is a majority position, a winning issue, everywhere (including California!) that it has been subjected to a vote.
How is moving to the losing side of an issue good advice for a party which is trying to GAIN rather than LOSE votes?
The elites are getting just the wrong message from the past election, which demonstrated that John McCain’s hands-across-the-aisle, softpedal conservative social and economic priniciples does NOT work, and that what we need are Republicans that will strongly voice conservative principles regardless and act as a voice of opposition to Obama’s socialist tendencies.
Conservatives were duped by GWB and Mike Duncan. We’re mad and we’re coming back to take it over!
The very robust turnouts and enthusiasm for Mrs. Palin would lead me to believe that the Republicans would do themselves a favor to follow her lead.
“Rank-and-file Republicans remain, by all indications, staunchly conservative,.................”
__________________________________________________________
Actually, the majority of Americans are conservative on a variety of issues. Especially those that we apply on a daily basis. (moral values, finances, ethics, etc.) That is why true conservatives (Reagan) win huge cross-over voters (Reagan Democrats) in elections.
What we are now seeing in Washington are charlotans (both sides of the isle) living for themselves and not us. As time goes on, they will continue to not represent us and even insult us. Their policies and laws do not represent what is best for us and America but what is best for big goverment and centralized control by un-elected bureaucrats.
The time is now to stop them.
There can be no change until dormant Republican primary voters bring such at the primary level. Most primary voters lack knowledge but pride themselves on the recognition of the names of “friendly” (that is, people spending their tax money) incumbents.
Who is this Jon Huntsman? Is he some kind of clone of Orrin G. Hatch, who started out as a real conservative?
Idiots. As soon at the GOP is for same sex marriage, it will become the party that is AGAINST pedophilia, and the whole process will begin anew, another wrung down on the ladder.
The real question is how long before the conservative base starts literally chucking bricks and molotov cocktails through the windows of the local GOP offices?
Once that starts happening, we'll know the real direction the party will take.
Just imagine what we could do if we had a leader
The GOP elitists are going to be dragged kicking and screaming to where America is.
Pray for America and Our Troops
The GOP has run up the white flag and sent the message to the Dems that they’re ready for permanent minority status. It’s time for a third party.
They are just figuring out that the base is ‘still’ conservative? This says it all about the RINOs in Washington.
I understand your point, but MAN that didn't sound right the first couple times I read it.
I for one am not about to accept the GOP treating me like the Dems treat their many “groups”. Lip service and lies. Steele is a disaster. I will not buy the good cop bad cop routine again. In fact two GOP donation requests have been sent to the round file already this week.
FAT LITTLE RICH GIRL WHO SUPPORT KERRY AND GORE !
I am so sick of the idiots that keep throwing the fat girl up as some kind of GOP spokesman.
Steele needs to call and tell those LOSERS to shut up!
Excellent post Mutt
Go Florida beat Mississippi State for goodness sakes, Please.
because the beltway GOP have become what Rush aptly calls "the Washingtonians"--denizens of the rarefied political heights of the Capitol District where similar tenacious, 'rat-like political mutants dwell, and where they only talk to each other. These strange creatures actually are unaware that the earth revolves around the sun, not around them.
Amen.
And in other news:
GoP elites.. hardly,, more like liberals masquerading as republicans
They keep saying how widely “popular” he is among the ignorant lazy masses, thanks to the incredible lies and one track bias from the MSM.
Given the reality of what Obama has done to this economy and the Constitution, the USA is nothing more than a Dead Man Walking. It's like a healthy man, suddenly exposed to a deadly dose of radiation. they still feel fine and look fine, but will soon be dead.
Add to that, the sweeping laws being passed, will forever change this country towards Socialism. A capitalism based economy, and the resulting economic giant it created, will quickly collapse and there will be unemployment over 20%, runaway inflation due to the drunken spending of Congress and even worse, stagflation and eventually deflation. And industry will no longer exist that carried this country through hard times in the past.
During the ‘30’s we had an industrial economy that was production based. it was over 85% production based and only 15% service based. This is how we recovered so quickly after WW2. Those factories put millions to work over night; Literally.
today, we are less than 25% production based and over 75% service based. Which means, there will be no chance for a quick recovery for hundereds of millions of workers. When services halt, they are easily picked up from another source overseas.
This is why we are in such a mess this time around, but few actually realize it. Especially the GOP! Which is why we need to revive Conservatism. The more the better!
The elites that are currently running the Republican party have made their decision.
They would rather remain ruling a minority party than serve in a majority party.
Better to rule in hell than serve in Heaven.
Well, it’s obvious that John McCain hasn’t come to terms with the last election. He is so freaking arrogant he can’t admitt it was him and his luke warm message that was at fault. I wish he would just retire and go leave us all alone.
Republican moderates? Hey, there as common as Iranian “moderates” or Taliban “moderates” or hen’s teeth or unicorn. There is no organized Unicorn faction in the Repuplican Party.
“...move away from discordant social issues.” In other words, hide under their desks unless forced to take a stand and then, join the democrats. Gee, beats me how McCain could have lost!
I cannot wait for Gov. Palin to endorse Juan McCain’s Republican opponent in the 2010 race. J.D. Hayworth, John Shadegg, Chris Simcox would all be better than the McCain.
Bwahahahaha! I knew this was coming! The GOP lost because it was supposedly “too conservative”-What a joke!
How did a lame-brain twit being a daughter of a very unpopular RINO and loser mclame get any traction from Conservatives? I think not, only within the circle of RINOs, libdems and MSM trying to rescue their RINO friends.
So, Pilate like, it seems like it boils down to choosing social gay and abortion advocates or selecting conservatives who are Democrat families with union members [also known as Reagan Democrats].
Obviously the good GOP supporter will choose the one most likely to export jobs.
There, fixed it..
Social issues are not my #1 issues. I am first and foremost fiscal conservatism. That said, the idea that the GOP is wrong by having the same position as the majority of Americans on same sex marriage is crazy. California is off the cliff politically...the GOP is dead out there. That said, the majority of CA residents voted against same sex marriage. Anyone who debates that is is social issues as the central problem in the GOP is dishonest. The problem lies in the GOP spending foolishly and growing government when they had power, and ceding the advantage on a number of fiscal issues to the Democrats. They let a central planner get elected as a tax cutter.
You mean , GOP leaders--- and not all of them, just the ones the MSM touts.
Don't worry, somebody will emerge who will Folllow the base.
I remember 1980 when the media tried to play up Reagan's "senility" (he was 69) and try to push that weenie Bush on us, but then Reagan had that famous moment at one of those debates and sealed the deal, despite the workings of the miserable MSM. I doubt conservatives will be denied this time around, despite their best efforts
Barry Goldwater warned that if the Republican party ever turns into a Religous organzation(which it has) then you can kiss the party good bye.
We need to have one issue and one only and that is fixing the budget and the excesses in government.
We need to get rid of as much of government as possible and reverse the Socialism that has crept into the system.
Forget religous issues. Its has been our doom.
John
““ When you say “radical right” today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye.[40]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Goldwater
“a respectful opposition to a popular president”? If im reading this now, the opposition needs to be *respectful and constructive*? Oh, and for some reason that has never been *at all* been clear to me, Meghan McCain needs to be listened to?
Hell, even AlGores daughter got a law degree before she started spouting her nonsense. Whats the McCain twit ever done?
Only the headline was correct,,,there is indeed a rebellion brewing, just not the one they think/wish.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.