Will GOP Follow Lindsey Graham Model -- Or Die?

CQ Politics ^ | 4/29/2010 | Mort Kondracke

[FTJM]

While the Republican party is on track to score big victories in 2010, it's in grave danger of committing long-term suicide unless it's rescued from right-wing madness.

Riding a wave of anger at Democrats for spending too much and failing to solve the nation's economic crisis -- yet -- Republicans may even capture control of the House this year.

But consistent -- sometimes ugly -- opposition to immigration overhaul, resistance to climate change remedies, hostility toward gay rights, incendiary language at tea party rallies and waging primaries as ideological purification rituals all represent long-term threats to the party.

So does the perception -- opportunistically spread by Democrats -- that the GOP is merely the "party of no" without constructive ideas for solving national problems.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is not going to be the party's savior -- that has to be its 2012 presidential nominee -- but the more the party follows his advice and example, the better off it will be.

Graham insisted to me in an interview last week, "I want the most conservative guys and gals (as candidates), too."

However, Graham said the GOP will never be a national party until it changes course on immigration and improves its relationship with young people, who voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama.

[FTJM]

Liberal flop sweat.

[cripplecreek]

While the Republican party is on track to score big victories in 2010, it's in grave danger of committing long-term suicide unless it's rescued from right-wing madness.

No I didn't read the rest of the article. I just had to stop right there and laugh out loud.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Now Mor-ton!!

[Disambiguator]

Implied barf alert on this one?

[dr_who]

Serious punditry from Perfumed Gent Quarterly.

[Luke21]

The old commie should be happy as a toad in a puddle. But he just projects his anger and viciousness onto everything in sight.

[STONEWALLS]

...Mort’s sounding like a RINO in this column...now is not the time to play nice....now is the time to play hardball.

[dirtboy]

The country is the entity in danger of committing long-term suicide. The GOP has to decide if it wants to join the Kool-Aid party or serve up something better.

[FTJM]

Yes.

[shove_it]

Barf is Mort’s middle name.

[BerniesFriend]

sigh..mort..there is already a democratic party..we don’t need two..thank you...

[Pollster1]

Mort Kondracke’s advice to the GOP: just be democrats, and you can win big.

My thoughts: No thank you. I’ll go with being patriotic Americans.

[cripplecreek]

Funny thing is that Tinkie Winkie Graham is desperately trying to appear infected with right wing madness.

(I’m gonna have to make up a poster for that)

[DManA]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is not going to be the party’s savior — that has to be its 2012 presidential nominee — but the more the party follows his advice and example, the better off it will be.

This will color my interpretation of EVERYTHING that comes out of this man’s mouth from now on. He is the enemy and even when he says something reasonable you need to look for the ulterior motive.

[NYCslicker]

A great question answered over 200 years ago:

“Give me liberty or give me death.”

[rigelkentaurus]

Mort needs to lay off the illegal drugs - his brain is fried. The positions this Marxist described are simply all positions of the National DemonRAT Socialists Party. If Pubbies continue to be RAT lite, what is the point of having two parties with the same positions?

I still say, the US is a lost cause and it is time for a divorce. Pick your reason: infidelity, irreconcilable differences, spousal abuse, etc.

[dirtboy]

However, Graham said the GOP will never be a national party until it changes course on immigration

Yeah, let's naturalize a natural Dem constituency. Pandering to the Hispanic vote didn't work for McCain, and he's running from that record to try and win in Arizona - a very Hispanic state.

and improves its relationship with young people, who voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama.

The trick is to let the Dem agenda turn young people into conservatives. That and taxes taken out of a paycheck tend to do the job.

[meadsjn]

Mort Kondrake -- more backward reasoning from the commie RINOs.

The Lindsay Graham wing of the party is responsible, with their Democrat comrades, of the current sad state of the nation.

When the GOP runs conservatives, the GOP wins, and the whole nation wins.

[no dems]

but the more the party follows his advice and example, the better off it will be.
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Excuse me; what ever happened to doing what would make the country “better off”? But then, since when do politicians care about anything except what benefits their interests.