Tuesday, October 02, 2007
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How a Uniter Became a Divider
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
1:48 PM
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Frank Donatelli makes a good point today about how George W. Bush set out to grow the Republican Party's base, but because of circumstances, ended up shrinking it ...
... a review of recent political history reveals that the George W. Bush campaign of 2000 advanced an agenda of “compassionate conservatism” designed specifically to reach out to Catholics, moderate voters and, most importantly, Hispanics. As governor of Texas, Bush was known as a candidate who appealed for support far beyond the GOP faithful.
What happened to induce such a radical change in GOP thinking?
In order, the Florida recount of 2000, the Sept. 11 attacks and then Iraq and its aftermath all combined to create an increasingly polarized electorate that caused both parties to focus on incremental gains and large partisan turnouts as the way to electoral success.
... Then came the 2004 presidential election. Faced with an increasingly unpopular war, the Bush campaign circled the wagons and adopted the only strategy available:
It focused on identifying and turning out massive numbers of conservatives and Republican faithful to eke out a narrow victory. This was a substantial accomplishment, but the question remained whether the strategy could be replicated in other circumstances.
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The guy might have good points, but they have little to do with growing the base.
The "divide" has grown between the left and right, which is feebly demonstrated in the article. The base, however, has clearly pulled back from the RNC machine. A lot of that pull-back is directly the fault of President Bush.
Illegals, Harriot, boarders, NAFTA (which we can axe anytime we want), etc are the wedges that force the base to look for better candidates.
The rest of the pull back is from an inept congress that can't seem to get anything right wihtout the direct intervention of us citizens, for better or for worse.
Bush's only legacy that will help in pulling the base together is his supremem court appoitments - and he couldn't get that right without our guidance.
I'm not giving money to anyone. I may once we sort this mess of a primary of which we have ourselves burried, but it's not likely.
Isn't anybody else tired of shopping at Walmart? There is nothing of value to spend your money on there. It's going to be another decade before we can get good conservative politicans worked up through the ranks (in general - I know there are relatively few in the house now and less in the senate now) to actually give us some value for our buck. |
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The guy might have good points, but they have little to do with growing the base.
The "divide" has grown between the left and right, which is feebly demonstrated in the article. The base, however, has clearly pulled back from the RNC machine. A lot of that pull-back is directly the fault of President Bush.
Illegals, Harriot, boarders, NAFTA (which we can axe anytime we want), etc are the wedges that force the base to look for better candidates.
The rest of the pull back is from an inept congress that can't seem to get anything right wihtout the direct intervention of us citizens, for better or for worse.
Bush's only legacy that will help in pulling the base together is his supremem court appoitments - and he couldn't get that right without our guidance.
I'm not giving money to anyone. I may once we sort this mess of a primary of which we have ourselves burried, but it's not likely.
Isn't anybody else tired of shopping at Walmart? There is nothing of value to spend your money on there. It's going to be another decade before we can get good conservative politicans worked up through the ranks (in general - I know there are relatively few in the house now and less in the senate now) to actually give us some value for our buck. |
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The Republican Party under GWB seems intent on political suicide. Pandering to citizens of other countries illegally in our country while telling us we must be vigilantes if we object to illegal aliens ignoring our borders and laws. Mel Martinez is RNC Chairman to ensure an open borders candidate in '08. The cheap labor express will be kept running, regardless of the consequences, to party or country. GOP-RIP |
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...is that W and Dick live long enough to see history throw this administration on the dung heap of American politics. |
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Uh, no. In 2004, as in 2000, the Bushies didn't work toward unifying the base - they just cheated. But, to be fair, back then it was a tad easier to cheat when the vote was close - in 2006 cheating certainly fell short considering the "base" had shrunk to 29% with independents and fence sitters jumping to the Democratic vote.
Bush's intention seems to have always been one of division. His words have NEVER been backed up with action and when they have, it's been in a manner that is anti-American sentiment and divisive - like the war in Iraq and waging warmongering in Iran. But did he back up his words of support and promise to the victims of Katrina? Walter Reed? Burma?
NO. |
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If you believe this was ever true, I have some amazing waterfront vacation property for sale in Florida -- but this special offer is one day only, so contact me ASAP! |
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