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By Disrespecting Its Base, GOP Risks Electoral Flop
news.investors.com ^ | 9/26/14 | Rick Manning

Posted on 09/27/2014 6:56:32 AM PDT by cotton1706

Political pollsters have a tough job. They have to create formulas to determine if the person they are interviewing is likely to vote, and it is within this calculation that their reputations are made.

Typically, those who are likely to vote in an off-year election are pretty set. They are the people who always vote in elections — with some motivated by specific issues.

In a wave election, the number of those motivated by specific issues escalates, changing the electoral landscape as the candidates who are beneficiaries of this increased participation sweep to victory.

The 2014 election is rapidly looking like something new and different. Democrats are reportedly demoralized by the failed Obama administration and general fatigue.

Republicans, in an orgy of expectations, believe the key to taking the Senate was getting "electable" candidates nominated.

And get them nominated they did.

The establishment got their candidates. Now they're looking at a potentially disastrous election where their chosen ones dramatically underperform all reasonable expectations, the result of attacking their own party's base to cement primary victories.

One state party chairman has privately bemoaned that social conservatives in his state openly question why they should bother voting at all. Given the national party's desire to kick them out of the big tent to make room for a hoped-for influx of pot smoking hipsters, who can blame them?

Across the nation, Tea Party conservatives question the wisdom of being tied to a Republican Party that wants them to just shut up and vote for whomever the establishment decides, and it is this indecision on whether to vote at all that is at the heart of the GOP's polling woes.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; uniparty
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To: tennmountainman

As the old saying goes: “If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for everything”. Even if the hapless GOP manages to win control over the senate (in spite of themselves) they’ll squander their newfound power away.

If the GOP was really serious, they would be constantly trying to reduce the size of government and expand our freedoms. They do neither.


41 posted on 09/27/2014 7:58:51 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: CPT Clay

“Haven’t we learned how much worse life is under dem rule?”

And what’s your alternative, to live just as bad under a RINO whose acting in our name? They have no solutions to this country’s problems. Like the democrats they are merely thieves using their office to enrich their sponsors from the public treasury at our behest and upon our reputation. I will not be associated with that.


42 posted on 09/27/2014 7:59:32 AM PDT by Justa
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To: Maceman

It’s attitudes like this which put Democrats like BO in power.


43 posted on 09/27/2014 7:59:47 AM PDT by ObozoMustGo2012
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To: centurion316

The problem is you have no plan, and the GOP has no intention of advancing conservatism. The notion that any GOP establishment win will further conservatism is an outright lie.

They spend their time colluding with the liberals and attack all true conservatives every chance thru get. How is this a “plan to advance conservatism?”

Liars and damned liars, all!


44 posted on 09/27/2014 8:03:41 AM PDT by antidisestablishment (Islam delenda est)
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To: cotton1706
It's not the "disrespect" that's the problem.

It's that they would RATHER, if forced to choose, live under Dukakis, Clinton, Gore, Kerry, or Obama than under Reagan, Cruz, or Palin.

THEY DON'T WANT WHAT WE WANT. It's worse than that - they hate and fear what we want.

This isn't an issue, for me, of hurt feelings. The issue is fundamental.

45 posted on 09/27/2014 8:08:18 AM PDT by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
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To: ObozoMustGo2012

No, it’s capitulation to the GOPe that put Obama in power. Moderation in the face of evil is no virtue. Conservatism wins only when conservatism is presented. There is nothing conservative being advanced by the GOP.

Refute this with facts, not more of your mealy-mouthed quisling drivel about winning by appeasement.


46 posted on 09/27/2014 8:10:15 AM PDT by antidisestablishment (Islam delenda est)
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To: Maceman

I thought about it and have come to the conclusion that if people are to follow your lead we’ll end up with HRC or worse. Staying home on election day is just one more demonRAT vote.


47 posted on 09/27/2014 8:10:25 AM PDT by rhubarbk (It's official, I'm suffering from Obama fatigue!)
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To: yoe

In order to win the war against the evil Democrats we first must defeat the back stabbing fascists in our own party.


48 posted on 09/27/2014 8:10:25 AM PDT by freedomfiter2 (Brutal acts of commission and yawning acts of omission both strengthen the hand of the devil.)
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To: antidisestablishment

Solid conservatives are being elected at every level of our government except at the federal executive level. More will be elected in November, especially in local and state elections. Excepting the failing cities and coastal fringes, conservatism advances.

Who are the new establishment Republicans who stand ready to replace McConnell, Cochran, McCain, and Roberts? These guys are older than I am, and that’s saying something. I’m not signing up to support Democrats just because these fossils refuse to retire or die. They’ll be gone soon enough, but the Democrats will be there forever and they have demonstrated that they intend to destroy us.


49 posted on 09/27/2014 8:11:15 AM PDT by centurion316
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To: redangus; RIghtwardHo
Giving power back to Harry Reid accomplishes nothing, including teaching Karl, Mitch and the boys anything.

Unfortunately for you, giving it to the GOP teaches them nothing either - thus the palpable indifference.

It is far simpler for me - I vote according to principle, and I will only vote *FOR* that which I can endorse. All of this hand-wringing and bed-wetting will not effect me in the least. If you want my vote, you'll have to earn it. Period.

50 posted on 09/27/2014 8:11:38 AM PDT by roamer_1 (Globalism is just socialism in a business suit.)
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To: Jim Noble

There is absolutely ZERO doubt in my mind that the GOP-establishment, its leaders, its big-money donor class, would ALL vastly prefer to see Hillary Clinton in the White House over a Cruz or Palin.


51 posted on 09/27/2014 8:13:48 AM PDT by greene66
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To: onedoug

I am not voting for a couple reasons. 1st: the chance of Andr`e Carson losing his district is slim; you would have a better chance of winning the lottery. Carson is black in a very heavily black district. Also the Rep. are running the same RINO that they ran last time. Carson trounced him. 2nd:
there is no Senator up for election in Indiana this cycle.


52 posted on 09/27/2014 8:19:40 AM PDT by DaiHuy (May God save the country, for it is evident the people will not! Millard Fillmore)
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To: cotton1706

I guess Childress is a shoe-in, then. Not.


53 posted on 09/27/2014 8:22:29 AM PDT by Lisbon1940
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To: redangus

Obama is going “pedal to the metal” regardless of who has control of the Senate. A “moderate” GOP congress will do absolutely nothing to impede his agenda. They have proven repeatedly that they are not interested in conservative policy.

Whenever the GOP loses they blame conservatives and,more importantly, when they win, they attribute it to their moderate stance.

This process has repeated itself for years, and has resulted in a party driven irresistibly to moderation. Seriously, the only way put of this self-defesting loop is to break out of this historic model.

You cannot expect different results from the same actions— someone much smarter than I once defined such thinking as crazy...


54 posted on 09/27/2014 8:23:38 AM PDT by antidisestablishment (Islam delenda est)
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To: DaiHuy; MinuteGal

Why are Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Louie Golmert, Rand Paul, and the other conservative base Republicans serving in Congress urging everyone to get out and vote for the Pub Party in the midterm elections, hmmmm? Or should you turn on all of them too for wanting you to vote Republican.


55 posted on 09/27/2014 8:25:07 AM PDT by flaglady47 (The useful idiots always go first)
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To: Maceman

Your not ever going to win with a true conservative in Mass. Might I suggest that you compromise for stregeicly important goals, like an honest history lesion in State education, or forcing its leaders to actually pay for the votes they buy in current taxes. (If all elses fails compromising the State’s credit score would accomplish this.).

Fortunately as a State, you can’t keep the productive abused and over taxed there-forever without really big compromises that will(when exposed) offend the left’s own greedy sense of ‘economic justice’. So expose those tax loopholes and intensive, while advocating that everyone should be equals.(Steal their economic justice thunder with an honest twist for a change).


56 posted on 09/27/2014 8:30:45 AM PDT by Monorprise
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To: cotton1706
The GOPe operating rules, developed after careful thought by their thumb sucking consultants and strategists-

- Let us not do or say anything that might overly antagonize the democrats and the left wing mainstream media. As a matter of fact, let us walk across the aisle and join up with them on a number of their left wing projects, so that they can see how nice we are.

- Let us not articulate a vision/mission of what we will be for and what we will fight for if the American people elect us. That way we will not have to defend our positions, as we are a bunch of unprincipled cowards who cannot put together a winning defense of our views. Moreover, not having a vision or goals means that we can be more "flexible".

- Our strategy and message for this election should be we are not as bad as Reid, Peloosy, or Barky. At the same time we should not articulate to the American people why Reid/Peloosy/Barky have been bad for the country, because that will antagonize the democrats and the media, and that will by baddy bad.

57 posted on 09/27/2014 8:34:15 AM PDT by Moorings
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To: centurion316

I never advocated supporting Democrats. I also will not advocate supporting RHINOs. That is worse than supporting Democrats.

Your entire argument hinges on a disproven theory that liberal Republicans will give conservative policy a chance at the federal level. The truth is that liberal Republicans support liberal policies time and time again.

They only vote conservative on issues that have overwhelming popular support, but their day-to-day margin votes are consistently liberal. The net effect is always toward liberalism.

Your question about who will replace the traitorous leadership belies the problem. On one hand, you say, “look, the bad leadership will retire or die (sometime)”

And in the next breath you say, “Make sure to vote in the next round of RHINOs.” (...who will replace the current leadership)

Don’t you see the fallacy, here?


58 posted on 09/27/2014 8:37:42 AM PDT by antidisestablishment (Islam delenda est)
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To: cotton1706

“Risks?”

Please.

The GOPe prefers minority status. Having to operate as the majority is too daunting for them. They’ll happily settle for a gain of four Senate seats in November.


59 posted on 09/27/2014 8:41:27 AM PDT by ScottinVA (If it doesn't include border security, it isn't "reform." It's called "amnesty.")
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To: centurion316
This is the problem with all of these diatribes. The ranting ends without a plan to advance conservatism, but in a fit of pique that will help Democrats and sends waves of pure joy through the hearts of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi. They thank you profusely.

The plan to advance Conservatism is to stop voting for RINOs. The plan to destroy Conservatism is to keep voting for them.

60 posted on 09/27/2014 8:42:49 AM PDT by Maceman
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