# "Buoyed by Resurgence, G.O.P. Strives for an Era of Dominance" -- Will they get it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 25, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390 "2003-05-25T12:54:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/21 "2003-05-26T19:57:06Z")
Megan McArdle opines that [the party out of power is insane](http://www.janegalt.net/). > [@](#): > > I used to think it was just the Republicans – well, some Republicans – who were insane…They were insane on the subject of Clinton. It wasn’t enough that they disagreed with him politically; nothing would do but that he be the AntiChrist… > > Democratic websites now offer the same vast well of spleen, the same conviction that every single news item with the word “Bush” in it somehow vindicates their thesis that Bush is not merely a center-right president with tax policies they dislike, but a proto-Fascist intent on establishing a dictatorship and herding his political opponents into camps. I’m not saying that all Democrats believe this, any more than all Republicans were crazy Clinton bashers. But just as the Republicans did, they tolerate an astonishing array of nutty opinion. And a very large percentage of the commentariat, from the blogerati upwards, are totally obsessed with proving that Bush is, like, the worst president ever… The Democrats right now seem to be almost entirely negative. Aside from the “Bush is a moron” mantra, they oppose, or appear to oppose, war in Iraq, strong military, ban on “partial-birth abortions”, tax cuts, tort reform, school vouchers, and ending affirmative action. Although I agree with them on some of these issues, the majority does not. Every one of these is a minority position. Democrats do a good job of attacking Bush and other Republicans (DeLay, Ashcroft, Lott, Santorum, etc.) But, negativity will not win a majority. Furthermore, they have made themselves vulnerable to being attacked as the party of negativity. I expect to see that attack hurt them in the next election. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/22 "2003-05-26T20:01:05Z")
I see two weaknesses, party solidarity-wise. First, is the knuckle-walking right, who have no real political issues except for social ones. They weep for a Golden Age that never existed and pine for an era without abortions, queers, hippies, or uppity colored folks. The Republicans offer them the occassional sop, like the “partial-birth” legislation, but cannot deliver on thier agenda. Always in the past, they could claim “Well, we’re a hunnert percent on your side, but them durn libruhls keep stopping us”. Now, with both houses of Congress and the presidency, they’ve run out of excuses. If they can’t deliver order, stability, and dewey-eyed children interuppting classroom prayers only to pledge allegiance, the Trog-Right will get restless. If a charismatic figure arises on the Trog-Right, GeeDubya’s got serious trouble. Then there is the sensible Right, deriving from Rockefeller, et. al… They recognize the need for social change, but counsel prudence and caution. These are honorable people, and I welcome debate with them. I do not fear fair-minded conservatives, we differ over methods more than goals. They are not reactionary, merely cautious. Though loyal to thier party, they are uncomfortable with the extremist wing that GeeDubya panders to (for instance, the speech at Bob Jones U., and GeeDubyas disgusting treatment of John McCain). They are not likely to vote Dem, but they might very well keep thier checkbooks in thier drawer, and stay home to watch TV on Nov. 5th. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/23 "2003-05-27T02:00:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aahala \* > \*\*The simpliest explanation is often the best. > > The reason for the change in Republican and Democratic fortunes and future is the South. The 70% who were Democratics are now mostly Republicans. Their views haven’t changed, just the party label. > > Democratic and Republican strength now outside the South is pretty much what it is has been for most of the last 100+ years. Areas have changed one way or another, but the proportions are about the same. \*\* ’ Yeah, the Repub strategy of nodding and winking and otherwise cozening up to Southern racists and bigots has paid off big-time for them. They should be proud. I’m sure Cheney, Rove and Bush are, but I have a feeling there are quite a few rock-ribbed Republicans up in the Northeast who are unhappy with their new bedfellows. Too bad they don’t have the guts to vote their convictions. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/24 "2003-05-27T02:23:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*Megan McArdle opines that [the party out of power is insane](http://www.janegalt.net/).The Democrats right now seem to be almost entirely negative. Aside from the “Bush is a moron” mantra, they oppose, or appear to oppose, war in Iraq, strong military, ban on “partial-birth abortions”, tax cuts, tort reform, school vouchers, and ending affirmative action. Although I agree with them on some of these issues, the majority does not. Every one of these is a minority position. > > Democrats do a good job of attacking Bush and other Republicans (DeLay, Ashcroft, Lott, Santorum, etc.) But, negativity will not win a majority. Furthermore, they have made themselves vulnerable to being attacked as the party of negativity. I expect to see that attack hurt them in the next election. \*\* Point of fact: The person you quoted is James Lileks, not Megan whatername. Minor, but still, this is the Dope. As for Lileks’ opinion, he follows the well-worn trope of false balance. he tries to make it seem as if the Repub outrage over Clinton’s blowjob = the Democratic outrage over the theft of the 2000 election. A blowjob = a stolen Presidential election. Suuuure. Right. I’m sorry, it’s stil the Republicans, and only the Repblicans, who are insane. I’m not sure if Lileks is himself insane or is only cynically using this article as other Repub apologists have, but in either case I’m disappointed in him. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/25 "2003-05-27T12:29:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Captor \* > Point of fact: The person you quoted is James Lileks, not Megan whatername. Minor, but still, this is the Dope. Maybe Lileks or also said it, but I was quoting from the cite provided: > [@](#): > > Which brings me to a political theory I have been developing for a while now: > > Jane’s Law: The devotees of the party in power are smug and arrogant. The devotees of the party out of power are insane. “Jane” is Megan McArdle’s board name. > [@](#): > > A blowjob = a stolen Presidential election. Suuuure. Right. I’m sorry, it’s stil the Republicans, and only the Republicans, who are insane. From a moral POV you might or might not be right. From a political POV, focusing on Clinton’s blow job was counterproductive and so was focusing on the stolen election. The public just doesn’t care that much about either of these things. The public cares about _their own welfare_. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/26 "2003-05-27T16:49:43Z")
The Republican party is definitely vulnerable to a coordinated political attack – Bin Laden’s still running around, the WMDs have gone missing, the deficit keeps climbing, the economy’s in the crapper, unemployment is rising, civil liberties are being pulled back, multi-millionares are getting bigger tax cuts, yadda yadda yadda. Problem is, this bloated elephant of a target is being hunted by the Democrats, who _still_ can’t find their spines and make a coordinated attack. While I am encouraged by some of John Kerry’s ballsy remarks, it seems to me the Democratic Party is still drifting along, hoping that the voters will vote for them only out of sheer frustration and/or disgust with the GOP – and _that_ won’t happen as long as the Bush White House has someone else to blame for their shortcomings. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390/27 "2003-05-27T17:25:27Z")
Could the country be on the verge of supporting a strong, viable third party? The Federalists more or less morphed into the Whigs (who more or less morphed into the Republicans), but that was a helluva long time ago, and there hasn’t been much in the way of new political organizing since then (Perot was a spoiler, he never had much chance of actually winning the White House. I’m discounting him and his organization). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buoyed-by-resurgence-g-o-p-strives-for-an-era-of-dominance-will-they-get-it/177390.md?page=1)