# What can moderate Republicans do to get their party back? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 2, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191 "2013-10-02T16:18:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/141 "2013-10-04T01:11:21Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Of course it does, if Nunes is trying to cast the blame back on the Dems. Except he called Republicans lemmings with suicide vests on. He left no doubt that this is a stupid strategy and that it is entirely the Republicans’ fault. It’s equally obvious how Democrats can benefit from it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/142 "2013-10-04T20:39:28Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > They can join Democrats and abandon their moderate conservative beliefs for a while until their party is back in order… No. They can join the Democrats, who are basically the same as the Republicans were, oh, maybe 10 or 15 years ago. They really don’t have to compromise anything except their name. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/143 "2013-10-05T11:50:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > You’ve done a crappy job paraphrasing me. I wonder if you could try your hand at giving us an accurate paraphrase of Cruz’s statement, then? Unless his words are, like the Qu’ran, untranslatable. > Seconded. Nah. I pretty much nailed it. Cruz’s paraphrase - Repubs, don’t cower in the face of a bully, fear his stature, and seize up because of fear. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/144 "2013-10-05T17:01:16Z")
> [@Conservian](#): > > Nah. I pretty much nailed it. > > Cruz’s paraphrase - Repubs, don’t cower in the face of a bully, fear his stature, and seize up because of fear. One step at a time: what was the bully that Cruz referred to? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/145 "2013-10-05T17:13:42Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I’d rather have no Republican party than Republican party that plays along with Democrats’ changing of the country into Europe-lite. (Actually, that would be Europe-hevi.) Suit yourself. Either way, we win. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/146 "2013-10-05T18:01:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > FWIW, **Debaser** , I think you’re participating in the spirit of the thread–it’s possible to oppose fiscal moderation and still talk about how fiscal moderates could take the GOP over. > > At this point I really wonder what would happen with Boehner if he did something as simple as shift emphasis: if he stopped taking marching orders from the Tea Party, could he retain his seat and speakership? It seems to me that if he steered a more moderate course–as it looks like he wants to do–and retained his Speakership, that would go like three quarters of the way toward putting moderates back in power. As soon as he brings the vote to the floor he will be viewed by that majority of the majority as a spineless coward who betrayed their cause. The irony of course is that he is doing things their way for now precisely because he is spineless, as are most of the less extreme/moderate of the House GOP. Afraid to stand up to the Tea Party and what it means to their own short term political futures. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/147 "2013-10-05T21:07:47Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > One step at a time: what was the bully that Cruz referred to? It’s really not that complicated to have to break down into ‘steps.’ A bully is a bully. In politics, they simply employ the tactic of intimidation through blustery, false rhetoric. Cruz gave an accurate account of an appeaser, a bully and what the outcome was. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/148 "2013-10-05T21:55:33Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I’d rather have no Republican party than Republican party that plays along with Democrats’ changing of the country into Europe-lite. If I wanted to live in Europe, I’d live in Europe. To add, I hold RINOs more responsible for the current status of America’s fading republic than Democrats. For Democrats have increased their embrace of Socialism for decades now. So we already knew what they represented. But it wasn’t until Republicans like Bush-Sr. & Jr. exposed themselves as pseudo-cons. that limited-government ideologues realized their Republican Party had left them, much like Reagan’s once Democrat Party did him. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/149 "2013-10-05T23:14:43Z")
> [@Conservian](#): > > To add, I hold RINOs more responsible for the current status of America’s fading republic than Democrats. For Democrats have increased their embrace of Socialism for decades now. So we already knew what they represented. But it wasn’t until Republicans like Bush-Sr. & Jr. exposed themselves as pseudo-cons. that limited-government ideologues realized their Republican Party had left them, much like Reagan’s once Democrat Party did him. This shows a massive misunderstanding of what socialism actually is. Also you use the “Democrat Party” slur, which just makes you look silly. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/150 "2013-10-05T23:28:34Z")
> [@Conservian](#): > > It’s really not that complicated to have to break down into ‘steps.’ > A bully is a bully. In politics, they simply employ the tactic of intimidation through blustery, false rhetoric. > Cruz gave an accurate account of an appeaser, a bully and what the outcome was. Yes, exactly: Cruz says that a bully is a bully, that Hitler is Obama, because they’re both bullies. As for who’s employing the tactic of “intimidation through blustery, false rhetoric”, I promise that’s obvious to everyone, with the possible exception of yourself, but I’m not even sure on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/151 "2013-10-05T23:33:58Z")
Things were moving along swimmingly. Democrats pushed the big government agenda. Republicans claimed they were against that, but increased the size of government any time they were in power. Democrats created loopholes for big business in tax laws. Republicans created loopholes for big business in tax laws. Republican candidates breathed fire during election season, promising all kinds of “small government” reforms, then completely forgot about it after they were elected. Democrat candidates did the same on the other side. Everyone was content. Then Tea Party showed up. And technology caught up to electioneering. And election financing laws were relaxed at the same time. Real conservatives - people who actually _believe_ in “small government” mantra - found out that they don’t _absolutely_ need Big Media, Big Business, Big Lawyers etc. to get their people elected. And the people who are elected by those real conservative organizations are not beholden to Big Media, Big Business, Big Lawyers etc. So they can actually vote the way they promised in the elections. Which is an enormous surprise to all the pundits and a vaguely distasteful thing, isn’t it? “I know they promised this, but who ever keeps their promises” right? Tea Party may not win this fight. But they are changing the political landscape, to the better, and thank God for that. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/152 "2013-10-05T23:45:51Z")
Terr, RealPolitik here. Do you really think the Tea Party would win much more than dog catcher without the funding of [its Big Billionaire Backers](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/opinion/29rich.html?_r=0)? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/153 "2013-10-06T00:03:49Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Tea Party may not win this fight. But they are changing the political landscape, to the better, and thank God for that. If I may speak from some experience of your brothers and sisters across the pond; pinning your hopes on a group not strongly elected before who suddenly find themselves thrust into the limelight on a platform of being different from those entrenched, corrupt, greedy mainstay parties isn’t a winning formula. Quite often we seem to discover that these politicians weren’t railing against the status quo, but more that they weren’t being included when the brown paper bags are being handed out. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/154 "2013-10-06T00:08:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Tea Party may not win this fight. But they are changing the political landscape, to the better, and thank God for that. I hope the change will be a revulsion against ideological politics. With the Tea Party discrediting the right, demographic changes pushing the voting public slightly leftward, and the near depression making for a more cautious electorate, we may see a political shift back towards the 1950’s pattern where there was little systematic ideological difference between the parties. I realize that the out of office party usually wins midterm elections, as will occur in 2014. So I’m not predicting the GOP will go back to the Wendell Willkie (liberal 1940 party nominee) era in a year or two. Instead there will be a few more years of hard sledding. Consider that gerrymandering has created a lot of House seats with only a mild Republican majority, so as to avoid wasting GOP votes. This means that when the next Democratic congressional wave comes, the Democratic majority will be massive. A shock like that will push the GOP leftward. True conservatives, by the way, would have an instinctive dislike against a group which aligns itself with historical revolutionaries. Real conservatives disdain all metaphoric tea parties and call themselves Tories 🙂 The real solution to this mess would be to have the Governor General call new elections, but we’ll have to muddle through. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/155 "2013-10-06T00:11:25Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Tea Party may not win this fight. But they are changing the political landscape, to the better, and thank God for that. So you’d say that letting group of people seethingly angry at conspiracy theories make leadership decisions is a good way run a country? Deathpanels!!1111 ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/156 "2013-10-06T00:20:53Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Terr, RealPolitik here. Do you really think the Tea Party would win much more than dog catcher without the funding of [its Big Billionaire Backers](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/opinion/29rich.html?_r=0)? Yes, a lot of them would. They got a lot of funding from much humbler sources. And again, I ask you - if you think they were bought by the billionaires - do you really think the billionaires _want_ the shutdown and the debt ceiling crisis? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/157 "2013-10-06T00:24:39Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Yes, a lot of them would. They got a lot of funding from much humbler sources. And again, I ask you - if you think they were bought by the billionaires - do you really think the billionaires _want_ the shutdown and the debt ceiling crisis? I think once the Kochs say stop the puppets will stop. The Kochs I am sure are playing the markets as they pull the strings. Are they risking that their puppets will become real boys? Sure. But they know the risk is small and would be short lived - 2 year terms in the House. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/158 "2013-10-06T00:25:34Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Yes, a lot of them would. They got a lot of funding from much humbler sources. And again, I ask you - if you think they were bought by the billionaires - do you really think the billionaires _want_ the shutdown and the debt ceiling crisis? I think the Koch brothers absolutely do. Being a billionaire is no insulation against being starkers. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/159 "2013-10-06T00:25:58Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I think once the Kochs say stop the puppets will stop. I think it is dangerous to believe your own propaganda. Don’t. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191/160 "2013-10-06T00:32:01Z")
The Tea Party isn’t just fueled by big money donors, but they’re a big part of it. There’s undoubtedly some grassroots enthusiasm, even if much of it is of the nutbar variety, but there’s also a lot of big money folks who have tried to control the train. But they didn’t realize the monster they were part of creating, and the idiocy of the individuals they were electing. Which is why, now, we have a party that painted itself into a corner it doesn’t seem to know how to get out of. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-moderate-republicans-do-to-get-their-party-back/670191.md?page=9)