Tea-Party Activists Complicate
Republican Comeback Strategy »
Posted By bluetexasvalley
1 month, 2 weeks ago
in Political News
The rise of conservative tea party activists around the country has created a dilemma for Republicans. They are breathing life into the party's quest to regain power. But they're also waging war on some candidates hand-picked by GOP leaders as the most likely to win.
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bluetexasvalley
I am a 60-plus widow, retired after almost 40 years in the newspaper business. My love of politics was learned, first, from my father, a ...
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bluetexasvalley1 month, 2 weeks ago
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FTA:
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Republicans are poised to pick up a number of seats in next year's congressional elections, pollsters estimate, on the back of a deep recession, public unease about the growth of government and the size of the nation's deficit. Anti-Obama activism manifested in rallies and town-hall meetings has galvanized conservatives, injecting enthusiasm into the Republican base.
But these newly energized conservatives present GOP leaders with a potential problem: The party's strategy for attracting moderate voters risks alienating activists who are demanding ideological purity, who may then gravitate to other candidates or stay at home. It's a classic dilemma faced by parties in the minority -- tension between those who want a return to the party's ideological roots and those who want candidates most likely to win in their districts.-
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Beau78901 month, 2 weeks ago
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Historically, the party in opposition to the White House always picks up some seats in the midterm elections. But despite what some pundits are saying (including the obsessive numbers-cruncher and genius of prognostication Nate Silver), I have a hard time believing they have a chance at picking up enough to win a majority in either house.
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Jeboba1 month, 2 weeks ago
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These lunatics are the best thing to ever happen to the Democratic party. They paint a picture of just how nasty and unreasonable the GOP has become. Americans do not want radical crazy people in their government anymore. Next year's election will see a bunch of them go down.
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VOTE OUT ALL REPUBLICANS IN 2010!-
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beavith11 month, 2 weeks ago
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jeb. you're drooling.
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don't want radical crazies in their gov't? looks like we already have some.
if Obama doesn't get his arms around the bank problem to get something happening, 2010 could be a worse democratic thrashing than they took in 1994.
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HannibalBarca1 month, 2 weeks ago
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Me being an outsider, I look at US politics different than any American does.
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It amazes me that obvious thins escape people
While the shrub was in office,,the DOW fell to 7000 points, massive bank failures and CEO's being rewarded obscene amounts of golden hand shakes, Afgan a forgotten war going downhill, and Iraq an unknown.
Now the DOW is at 10000 points, some rules are being implemented on golden handshakes ( laws should be made to get the money back)and Afgan still a mess ,, but moves have been and are in the works to try something to reverse it.
As for health care,,,say what you want about it,,,,but when 30 % of your Vets, yes Vets are in need of health care,,,well what is available for the common Joe, and not Joe the plumber either.
capitalism unchecked is what drove oil to $142/Bbl, allowed cretins like Mardoff (spelled right I hope)to flourish, and a CEO if ING bank get $300-500 million in bonuses in 5 years for bankrupting a bank.
And if health care is so called socialism,,,so is bailing out car companies-
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Endoscopy1 month, 2 weeks ago
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You obviously hate Bush. You ignore the fact that it was not the DOW drpping that caused the problem. The Democrats under Clinton change the mortgage laws so more people could buy homes. It worked. Banks were forced to give bad laons as the cost of doing business. Housing boomed and prices soared. People made a lot of money flipping houses. OOPS. In 2008 the bubble burst and the prices dropped like a rock. All of those people holding the mortgaged backed securities found they lost over 30% of the value of those certificates. Disaster in the financial community. Jobs loss first in the housing industry spread quickly to other areas. DOW then dropped.
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You are pointing out why the Tea Party groups are so angry. Taxing the country to death is the outcome of the legislation now in congress. Socialized medicine, cap and trade, etc. The DOW means nothing. The unemployment figures are where the problem is. It is approaching 10% and the FED just said it will be 10.3% in June 2010 and dropping to 8% in 2012. Obama PROMISED that if his stimulus package was passed that it would prevent unemployment from reaching 8% by 2010. Large unemployment coupled with large tax increases are the main problem. Increasing taxes usually means more lost jobs as money is taken out of the economy. Cap and trade is a big job killer.
You talk about moves in the Afghan mess. What moves? He was given a report from the top General (he appointed there) that there needs to be 50,000 extra troops and a change in tactics that worked well in Iraq. Otherwise we are slowly losing there. That report was given months ago. What has Obama done? Talk, talk, talk to politicians. He talked to that general twice in three months. Either the General knows what he is talking about or he doesn't. He should have moved on this a long time ago. Men are dying while Obama dithers. -
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djn3nunez31 month, 2 weeks ago
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Basically we're back to 1999 levels. However the DOW didn't go below 8000 when President Bush was in office. It kept falling after President Obama was sworn in, bottoming out somewhere below 7000 in March 09. Not that I put much if any of the blame for the record plumet on the new administration.
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fritz10211 month, 2 weeks ago
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The Right wing Loony Tuns are the best the Party has to offer,Thats great news for ???? who ever wants it,Republicans can hope and dream all they want but the reality is that America is not ready for a Party who has Leader that Believe in things like this.Oh heir is a fringe element that love all this but main stay America wont support it,That would be like Elevating Rush to be the Pope!
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Leemck021 month, 2 weeks ago
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The Mid-term is beginning to pick up in public view. The Tea Parties are organized, despite claims they are spontaneous. The point is their views have gone unchallenged by moderate and liberals. When the Tea Party, conservative ideals come between the hammer and anvil, the resude that can handle the pressure will be minimal, as it was for the loss of seats.
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The economy is still too bad for indifference. The idea that "Tax" drives wealth creation is stupid, and instinctive the average voter can be enlightened to seek more than the past failed economic policy that the "Right" cloaks in their message of social conservatism (meanwhile being more immoral than the liberals they claim as the problem).
When the heat of the "Party of No" is focused, they will lose more - all in the political season, the Tea Party's party will be for naught, no interest other than themselves.
Who believes in magic that 8 years of job loss is going to happen in a month? Who can miss Governor Sanford of SC, the epitome of "Tax Collector Management" as Republicans are, is outdated. Where are the growth leaders that can take stimulus money to make wealth instead of hoard it as offsets to save the rich? That's not the Republicans. Wasn't it Grey Davis who was the target of a Republican maneuver to re-call him for Arnold Schwarzenegger? Now California's economy is right there leading the US melt down, based on a Tax Driven strategy. Thanks Trickle Down for the misery.
Thanks 'W' for nothing - no nothing would be okay, we have a terrible setback. In the light of day, the pocketbook issues will prevail and the conservatives can't get to the Gay, prayer, etc. wedge issues because people see the shallow intent, where disruption is the real objective.-
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beavith11 month, 2 weeks ago
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where to start. where to start.
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'The economy is still too bad for indifference. The idea that "Tax" drives wealth creation is stupid,'
compare the failed states of MI and OH and CA. those (democratic) clowns promised everyone all kinds of things that cost money and provide for a tax heavy burden on the producers. when the economy tanks and those producers can't cough up cash to those gov'ts, the people that count on those promises made with others money can't be met. is there any wonder why they are worse than broke? stupid? looks like you want more of the same.
'Who believes in magic that 8 years of job loss is going to happen in a month?'
it hasn't been 8 years of problems. 2006 and on, which, amazingly corresponds to the democrats holding the House and Senate and Bush being a, more or les, figurehead lame duck.
stimulus is a joke. tax driven strategy? what's that?
it would really behoove you to read an economics text so that you would have a basic clue as to what you're gibbering about.
i must say, tho. you've got the DNC party line of BS down. maybe they'll send you a cookie for being a good zombie. -
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Leemck021 month, 2 weeks ago
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beavith1, if I can continue:
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Clinton raised taxes and had an economy that generated wealth that included enough contributors that he turned Reagan and Bushes deficit into a surplus. Frank Raines made it a point to tell the "No TAX To The Rich" Republican congress that no thanks to them the surplus was done and laughed in their face about in a congressional hearing.
Being a Zombie, I'll take that rather than being a fool that think the Top-Down, Tickle-Down economic model works. When asked what did happen to make the melt down, Timothy Geithner among others at the top agreed, "the administration (that was 'W') believed the market would correct itself".
See, a Top Down economic model looks like a "Free Market" but it is far from it. The meaning of Trickle Down is all Prime opportunities go through the top where these Business Deciders strip the profit and outsource the work to exploit the sub-contractor and they do the same on down. It gets so bad, they will offshore it to another country before they build American small business. This is particularly true in production. In services, the Big Bank or Insurance, etc. step on everyone below them. This is possible due to policy that permits it.
You may recall President Clinton had a House and Senate that was republican, the Lock Step before 'W' and Rubber Stamp when 'W' was elected. Further, the democrats did not have the votes to override the president for the two years they had a majority. So we still had an economy that was run by a "Decider". All this goes to 8 plus years of No-Tax To the Rich, and Trickle Down.
Do you recall Eron, World Comm and the rest that got that way by Republican oversight (or lack of)? The policies they threw out for the benefit of the rich and to the detriment of the consumer and middle class is glaring. Unless you were in a comma, and didn't notice the loss of opportunities, you must be one of the rich at the top with a silver spoon in your mouth provided at the expense of working people.
While I am reading my text on economics, particularly on "Freedom of Entry", something the nation won't get with Trickle Down. In the meantime . . . you should start eating plenty of wheat germ . . . it is supposed to be good for memory and to stimulate your brain.
The RNC has already given the me and most of the nation a reward for you following their party line BS, its called the melt down, weak dollar, war, etc.. Yes, I'll take a cookie over that.
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Om1 month, 2 weeks ago
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Many elements of the economy are cyclic and beyond the bane of government policy. So no President can take too much credit or be rightfully subjected to unreasonable criticism for the any financial climate. There is, however, an underlying principal that shapes the future: Where does our collective will want to go as a people? Do we want to strive to be the best and the brightest, seeking the most good for the most people, or do we want to focus on rewarding the already-wealthy, hoping some of the largesse will filter down to the middle and lower classes?
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Yes, to all you doom-and-gloomers who think we're going 90 miles-an-hour down a dead-end street. America is at a crossroads. But not because Obama is the President. The soul of America is at stake. The actual battleground is within your own mind.
Who do you want to be and what kind of people do you want to surround yourself with? That is the lurking question behind the vitriolic war being fought right here and on the airwaves. It's all a massive game, a house of cards built on the emotion that is controlled by the media.
When that decision is finally made, the hateful battle subsides. Fortify your own house of cards. If you can, surround yourself with a loving support system. Each of our own souls is at stake here. -
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gwe19991 month, 2 weeks ago
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Teabaggers. Isn't that what they were called originally? Did they finally realize it was a gay slang term for something sexual? Sure had me laughing out loud (and before one of you genuises posits the question, "Gee, you must be gay to know that!", as if that is an insult, the answer is yes, I am gay - get over it.)
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Daylight1 month, 2 weeks ago
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It is the GOP that is responsible for the mess that Obama administration inherited. Blaming Obama for the crimes of Bush and his thugs is ridiculous. Even if GOP maniacs are voted back to power to control the congress, nothing will happen because they will block everything in order to win the next election and that will worsen the condition. Only fools and mentally ill people will vote these knuckleheads to hand over power to them again. If they were better, why would they voted them out in the first place?
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FairNBalanced1 month, 2 weeks ago
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"If Obama doesn't get his arms around the bank problem to get something happening, 2010 could be a worse democratic thrashing than they took in 1994."
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beavith1- quote of the year, Its the bottom line and exactly right. 2010 is going to be an exciting year for republicans, because Obama is focused on all the wrong things. Top of the list, Fox News. Its a soap opera.
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