# Republicans: How satisfied are you with the current GOP? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671 "2011-12-09T21:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/21 "2011-12-10T22:11:23Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I hope that this is a public poll isn’t dissuading people from participating … Unfortunately, I’m sure it is. There are several people on the board who are on record as never voting in public polls. Why did you choose that option, out of curiosity? Accountability? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/22 "2011-12-10T22:14:12Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Unfortunately, I’m sure it is. There are several people on the board who are on record as never voting in public polls. Why did you choose that option, out of curiosity? Accountability? To prevent Democrats or independents or what have you from pushing the “GOP is hopelessly lost” choice. I really am curious to know (within reason) how many actual Republicans on this board really think so, or think things are fine. So far, it looks like no Republicans here want to go on the record as saying things are fine. That says something, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/23 "2011-12-10T23:44:53Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > So far, it looks like no Republicans here want to go on the record as saying things are fine. That says something, I guess. I don’t think you can really count it as all that telling unless you do a parallel poll for Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/24 "2011-12-11T02:41:56Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I don’t think you can really count it as all that telling unless you do a parallel poll for Democrats. Since this board–in terms of its American contingent–is overwhelmingly Democratic, what Democrats here think of things is pretty much out in the open all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/25 "2011-12-11T02:59:07Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’m not a Republican. Nor am I a Democrat (God forbid). I’m a libertarian with a small “l”. > > The only candidate I like is Ron Paul. > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Dr. Paul is better than any of the other candidates, IMO. But I must admit, he comes across as a goofball. His son Rand is a \*much \*better communicator. Am hoping Rand will run for president one day. So abolishing the Federal Reserve, not killing Bin Laden even if we knew his location, and going back to a pre-Pearl Harbour mentality are all good ideas to you? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/26 "2011-12-11T03:16:46Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Registered Republican here. I have no idea what happened to the party I joined 20 or so years ago. At this point I can’t decide whether to stick it out and vote for Ron Paul, or just re-register as a Libertarian now. I suppose it’s possible that my political views may have shifted to the left a bit over the years, but the party has taken about 10 Giant Steps to the right, and have just about lost me completely. I’m not trying to nitpick, but I’ve never understood this sentiment. Twenty years ago was December 10, 1991. George H.W. Bush was President. He was pro life, anti-gun control and in favor of prayer in school. We had just come out of the Reagan administration who was all of these things and a heavy tax cutter. Abortion was (and continues to be) a hot button litmus test for any serious GOP Presidential Campaign. Gays were absolutely excluded from the military. Not just Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, but an open ban. Gay marriage was a joke for even the left to think about. Newt Gingrich and the GOP minority in the House were clamoring to get elected to bring about fiscal sanity to the government. They promised to vote on a Prayer in School Amendment to the Constitution. Compare that with today, and if anything, the GOP has moved left from those positions, even if slightly. I’m not trying to start a debate, but I never understand the argument that in the past few years the GOP is just getting just too damned radical and crazy about stuff. These issues that are complained about have been the GOP’s bread and butter since 1980. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/27 "2011-12-11T03:41:55Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > None of the choices were perfect for me. I see no viable alternative. My main problem with the GOP is that they talk a good game about fiscal sanity, but they don’t walk the talk. I also tend to be pretty libertarian on social issues. SSM? None of my business. So that part of the tribe, the one that wants to regulate everyone’s morals on matters that affect no one but the participants, I could do without. > > I want fiscal conservatives, who respect persona liberties, will install strict constructionist justices, respect constitutional limitations, and who recognize that the government is not the solution to all problems. Given the choices, and looking for someone electable, the GOP is still the best alternative for me. But that’s not saying much. I think for the most part, the whole lot, both sides of the aisle, are a fraternity of imbeciles who generally do more harm than good. This pretty much sums me up, exactly. I am not a fan of the current GOP but the alternative, imho, is worse. Sadly, at this point, everyone sucks. What makes it even worse is the hate and bile both sides put out. I’d love to have a better option but I do not believe it will happen any time soon. Slee ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/28 "2011-12-11T04:01:42Z")
The GOP hopelessly lost its way years go. I bailed in the era of Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/29 "2011-12-11T05:04:43Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I’m not trying to nitpick, but I’ve never understood this sentiment. Twenty years ago was December 10, 1991. George H.W. Bush was President. He was pro life, anti-gun control and in favor of prayer in school. We had just come out of the Reagan administration who was all of these things and a heavy tax cutter. Abortion was (and continues to be) a hot button litmus test for any serious GOP Presidential Campaign. > > Gays were absolutely excluded from the military. Not just Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, but an open ban. Gay marriage was a joke for even the left to think about. Newt Gingrich and the GOP minority in the House were clamoring to get elected to bring about fiscal sanity to the government. They promised to vote on a Prayer in School Amendment to the Constitution. > > Compare that with today, and if anything, the GOP has moved left from those positions, even if slightly. I’m not trying to start a debate, but I never understand the argument that in the past few years the GOP is just getting just too damned radical and crazy about stuff. > > These issues that are complained about have been the GOP’s bread and butter since 1980. You’re not serious are you? 20 years ago there wasn’t an insane level of hatred and distrust for anything Democratic and liberal. Reagan raised taxes most of the years he was in office, so did Bush (remember “Read my lips: no new taxes”?). The deficit was something you talked about but wouldn’t actually shut down the government or risk default to protect. Litmus tests put out by the Tea Baggers would have even Reagan failing. And you wouldn’t force a vote of cloture for every single thing in the Senate. If you didn’t have the votes, the other party got their way for the most part ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/30 "2011-12-12T01:21:37Z")
I’m not a Republican, but I am a conservative who usually defaulted to Republicans, although I have voted for Democrats when I honestly thought they were the better choice. I am a social conservative, but don’t think the government has any business regulating personal actions, and therefor do not support things like making abortion illegal or banning gay marriage like Republicans have pushed in the last ten years or so, although I am pro-life and am a Christian who does not condone homosexuality. People should be free to make their own choices on such matters. I also am fed up with Republican politicians who refuse to stand up to Democrats and push for their own principles. Democrats have no problem pushing hard for their own agendas, why should Republicans not do the same? They always seem to give in to charges of “partisanship”, and give in in a way that neither side gets what they want and the public is not satisfied with the end results. I want people to support my positions with a backbone to follow through to the end. I am also tired of an “establishment” who handpicks the dullest, safest people possible as candidates. I want regular voters to decide for themselves who they want for a candidate. I don’t really consider myself Tea Party(I’m not as strident as those people, and think their candidates seem to be a bit too personality driven), but I am sympathetic to the reasons they protest for. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/31 "2011-12-12T02:17:44Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > You’re not serious are you? 20 years ago there wasn’t an insane level of hatred and distrust for anything Democratic and liberal. Reagan raised taxes most of the years he was in office, so did Bush (remember “Read my lips: no new taxes”?). The deficit was something you talked about but wouldn’t actually shut down the government or risk default to protect. Litmus tests put out by the Tea Baggers would have even Reagan failing. And you wouldn’t force a vote of cloture for every single thing in the Senate. If you didn’t have the votes, the other party got their way for the most part And Bush lost because he broke his promise. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/32 "2011-12-12T16:59:16Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > And Bush lost because he broke his promise. And Republicans liked Reagan for his tax and deficit raising ways? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/33 "2011-12-12T17:48:57Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > And Bush lost because he broke his promise. Made a compromise to make the nation more fiscally sound, and got booted out on his ass because of it. Republicans ever sense have made note of that. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/34 "2011-12-12T19:41:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Made a compromise to make the nation more fiscally sound, and got booted out on his ass because of it. Republicans ever sense have made note of that. It’s funny because, yes, Bush was forced to compromise with Democrats and yet, it was the Democrats who hammered him afterwords for it. I don’t know if there was a Clinton ad that didn’t include the “read my lips” soundbite. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/35 "2011-12-12T21:09:04Z")
Bush made the mistake of agreeing to raise taxes and then refused to defend himself. He should have admitted he raised taxes and explained why he did it. Instead he put himself in the position of being somebody who thought raising taxes was wrong and had done it anyway - it made him look either deceitful or weak. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/36 "2011-12-12T22:34:33Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Fair enough then… I pretty much agree with what many others have said. It isn’t the same party I signed up for 32 years ago. > > I like fiscal conservatism, small government, strong military, and the ability for someone who works long and hard for their money, paying taxes all the way to pass it down to their heirs without having to forfeit half to the government just because they die. > > I don’t like the current strong religious undertones, telling me that if two people of the same sex get married it will somehow undercut my own marriage, trying to dictate my morality, etc.. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/37 "2011-12-13T03:42:38Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > And Republicans liked Reagan for his tax and deficit raising ways? That there is a large part of why I no longer consider myself Republican. They used to be the party of smaller government and fiscal responsibility. Since Reagan, all they do is pay lip service to the idea. So who did the government and deficit shrink under? Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/38 "2011-12-13T04:03:02Z")
Well, I for one am shocked. I always knew that the SDMB was a godless, heathen den of libruls, but the only people to contribute to this thread are 60-odd socialists, 30-odd rinos, and only one true Republican. What is this country coming to? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/39 "2011-12-13T04:40:46Z")
Well, [the](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [usual](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [right](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)-[wing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [suspects](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [aren’t](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [voting](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)/[participating](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php), for some strange reason, so what the hell ya gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671/40 "2011-12-13T04:58:11Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Well, [the](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [usual](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [right](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)-[wing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [suspects](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [aren’t](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [voting](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)/[participating](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php), for some strange reason, so what the hell ya gonna do? never heard of the last two and I participated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-how-satisfied-are-you-with-the-current-gop/605671.md?page=3)