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The party of Colin Powell
Boston Globe ^ | May 13, 2009 | Jeff Jacoby

Posted on 05/13/2009 1:43:21 AM PDT by MartinaMisc

A PROMINENT supporter of Barack Obama told a Washington audience last week that "the Republican Party is in deep trouble" and "getting smaller and smaller" because its views are not in sync with those of mainstream Americans. Republicans would do better without the "nastiness" of Rush Limbaugh or the "very polarizing" Sarah Palin, the speaker said, and they should realize that their philosophy of lower taxes and limited government has put them out of step with their fellow citizens.

"Americans do want to pay taxes for services," he told his audience. "Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less."

There is nothing particularly unusual about Democrats deprecating conservatism or endorsing big government, but these comments didn't come from a Democrat. The speaker was Colin Powell, who claims to be a Republican.

There are times when party loyalty asks too much, JFK once said, but for Powell there rarely seems to be a time when it doesn't. Though he owes every lofty position he has held - national security adviser, four-star general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretary of state - to GOP presidents, Republicans perpetually appear to rub him the wrong way: especially the conservatives who constitute the party's base.

This is not the first time Powell has urged the GOP to become more liberal. "There is nothing wrong with having socially conservative views," he said in December, but Republicans must "begin appealing to Hispanics, to blacks, to Asians . . . and not just try to influence them by Republican principles and dogma." He complained that Republicans "had moved further to the right" - something he also complained about when he went on "Meet the Press" to endorse the presidential candidacy of the most liberal member of the Senate.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: colinpowell; gop; jeffjacoby; moderates; palin; rush; rushlimbaugh
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1 posted on 05/13/2009 1:43:22 AM PDT by MartinaMisc
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To: MartinaMisc

This is not the first time Powell has urged the GOP to become more liberal.


This is why Bush ticked me off for the last eight years. He wasn’t a real conservative and now to be “in the middle” is to be conservative.


2 posted on 05/13/2009 1:46:35 AM PDT by CommieCutter (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/ht/qt/3013_08.html)
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To: MartinaMisc

Powell served a long and honorable career in the military and a tour as Secretary of State. These are traditionally non partisan or political endeavors. Powell has never ran for political office nor has he been a political activist. How with a minimal or next to nothing party involvement he could be considered some kind of authority on what a party should stand for is bewildering to say the least. Eisenhower was a career military man. He only became a Republican because that was the party that was willing to nominate him for President. He was not however any kind of a spokesman for party values.


3 posted on 05/13/2009 1:55:24 AM PDT by Old Retired Army Guy (tHE)
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To: MartinaMisc

If you believe that, Colin, then why don’t you try out your theory and go to a liberal Congressional district and then run for office? Maybe you could try to unseat Charlie Rangel. Or Chris Dodd (if you want to shoot for Senate, out of the box).

Nah, you’ll never do that.

Because you know your liberal, cocktail party circuit limousine liberal buddies that have been feeding you this garbage will throw you under the bus so fast your head will swim.

It’s much easier to sit and whine than actually do something about it.


4 posted on 05/13/2009 2:04:31 AM PDT by markomalley (Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus)
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To: MartinaMisc

Powell has been supplanted as the poster boy for affirmative action by 0. Now he’s brown-nosing 0. Either senility has set in, or his being nominally Repub was just another cloak he wore to get ahead. Remember, the Repub nomination for Pres was his for the asking - all he had to do was to run against Bubba in ‘96. He declined ostensibly because of his wife’s poor health (and she WAS in poor health).


5 posted on 05/13/2009 2:07:11 AM PDT by tgusa (Gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger ....)
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To: MartinaMisc

Colon Powell as a Democrat is a walking redundancy, and irrelevant to boot. Just another smart looking Black Democrat; only one who used to be a mouthpiece for the hated Bush. .. He might as well retire in Jamaica.


6 posted on 05/13/2009 2:08:00 AM PDT by Nonstatist
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To: MartinaMisc

Colon Powell as a Democrat is a walking redundancy, and irrelevant to boot. Just another smart looking Black Democrat; only one who used to be a mouthpiece for the hated Bush. .. He might as well retire in Jamaica.


7 posted on 05/13/2009 2:08:00 AM PDT by Nonstatist
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To: MartinaMisc

Biden clearly to be replaced on the 2012 Democrat ticket. Auditioning?


8 posted on 05/13/2009 2:22:12 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: Old Retired Army Guy
How with a minimal or next to nothing party involvement he could be considered some kind of authority on what a party should stand for is bewildering to say the least.

Correct. And I would be willing to bet you that the only reason Powell endorsed Zero is because of his skin color. This never happens if Osbama is white.

9 posted on 05/13/2009 2:35:36 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: MartinaMisc
When the body becomes diseased you cut out the bad part. That is what is happening to the Republican Party. The people that were and are not truly Republicans and have cost the Party elections are being cut loose. From that more people outside the party that would not join because the party had just become Democrat Lite will join in the new revolution.
10 posted on 05/13/2009 3:13:26 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Coming to You From the Front Lines of Occupied America)
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To: MartinaMisc

Hispanics Blacks and Asians? What about Europeans? Google Immigration Reform Act of 1965 and read Ted Kennedys diatribe on how this act will not change the demographics of our Country,tell me these commie Bastards our not responsible for the Destruction of our Country


11 posted on 05/13/2009 3:41:21 AM PDT by ballplayer
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To: MartinaMisc

The party of Colin Powell? Why should we care about the Democrat party?


12 posted on 05/13/2009 3:44:34 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: gusopol3
Biden clearly to be replaced on the 2012 Democrat ticket. Auditioning?

I wouldn't be surprised. By the time 2012 rolls around enough whiteys may have recovered from their whitey guilt to possibly vote against 0bama that his re-election could be at stake. Colin Powell solves that problem.

13 posted on 05/13/2009 3:46:13 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: pnh102

Obama won’t have a 10-1 spending advantage in ‘12, that’s the big threat to his re-election.


14 posted on 05/13/2009 3:49:05 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: MartinaMisc

Since Powell has no values he is suggesting that hispanics, asians and other minorities have no values.

Interesting slur.


15 posted on 05/13/2009 4:14:44 AM PDT by Carley (OBAMA IS A MALEVOLENT FORCE IN THE WORLD)
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To: MartinaMisc
“The party of Colin Powell”... IS THE dim PARTY! NO DISCUSSION.

LLS

16 posted on 05/13/2009 4:14:46 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (hussein will NEVER be my President... NEVER!!!)
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To: MartinaMisc

Following Colin Powell.......last I checked Powell supported Obama and still supports Obama. Powell betrayed his party. Powell is a lib through and through and got where he was thanks to the pubbies and affirmative action. We’re on the right track just sticking with our beliefs and principles, especially when the Boston Globe gives the GOP advice.


17 posted on 05/13/2009 4:37:04 AM PDT by kenmcg (cOMMBYAH)
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To: MartinaMisc

If Colon Powell believes I want to pay higher taxes, and want more government in my life , he is as crazy as a loon.

His mental faculties have left him.

Why would any American want to pay higher taxes to have it handed to illegals , and the people (40% it’s said) who dont pay any taxes?

Damn Colon what the hell are you talking about?

As for sucking up Colon has made a career of being a Stepenfetchit black man, a true Uncle Tom who now is changing his spots because We is in Charge now.

Blacks had him pegged years ago, now we are waking up to him.


18 posted on 05/13/2009 4:50:53 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: kenmcg; Venturer

Powell is almost as liberal as my congressman, Mark Kirk (R-IL), who is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-gun control, pro-spending increases, pro-illegal alien, and anti-Iraq surge. I emailed Kirk, four times, and I asked why he’s a Republican, but I haven’t received a response.


19 posted on 05/13/2009 12:02:34 PM PDT by PhilCollins
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To: gusopol3
Biden clearly to be replaced on the 2012 Democrat ticket. Auditioning?

It'll never happen because Powell adds nothing to the Democrats just like Specter doesn't. The Democrats would rather have useful idiots on the GOP side than to have them actually join them. That's why I think the stories of Collins and Snowe being asked to join the Dems are completely bogus, it was just a ruse to portray the GOP as right-wing but in reality the Dems need RINOs to give them cover.

20 posted on 05/13/2009 5:53:32 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist ("President Obama, your agenda is not new, it's not change, and it's not hope" - Rush Limbaugh 02/28)
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