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.
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.