I know this sounds nuts...

[PCIntern]

but I have vague sense of unease about all this. Maybe it's too many movies and books over the years, but I don't like how this is playing out at all. I awakened at a little after 2 this morning thinking about Seven Days in May, and all I could think of is that we haven't seen much of the VP because he is in an undisclosed location. Yeah...I know...

Meanwhile, for some interesting news: I just saw a patient of mine whom I've treated since 1980. He is a retired investment banker and a staunch Republican. A very dignified man, I never ever had any political discussions with him: he knew where I stood, I knew where he stood and that was that. A real gentleman, I must say: old school. Anyway, he just left, but boy did he give me an earful about these "disgraceful Republicans" who voted approprations and are now refusing to pay for them, AND that the only reason they were doing this was because Obama was President. It was striking...and almost amazing to hear the transformation.

I believe that this signifies that the well-to-do traditional Rethugs were willing to go only just so far, but many are starting to jump ship and have come to the realization that, for want of a better analogy, the Fonz has finally jumped the shark.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Not nuts. Entirely possible.

Their stated intent is to crash this government.
We should believe them.
I don't know if there are enough old school types
with enough clout to stop them, but I hope so.
It's not tinfoil to be prudent.

[SheilaT]

2. But if he continues to vote for Republicans

it makes no difference what he says.

From what you said, he sounds like a reasonable thoughtful person, but it still sounds as if he just does not get it, does not get that his vote has consequences, that continuing to support (vote for) these people he is as responsible for what's happening as those he elected.

I, for one, am heartily sick of otherwise good people who continue to vote Republican just because they always have, or just because they think some one small thing that the Republicans support (say, no abortion) outweighs everything else, like the economy, health care, and so on.

I do have hope that this shutdown, coupled with the opening of the exchanges, may finally make a difference.

[PCIntern]

5. You're right of course...

I was simply saying that to hear these words come out of his mouth was nothing short of breathtaking...after 33 years of quiet.

[Mnemosyne]

3. Hearing about your patient is truly encouraging, just hope the majority of them don't wake up when

it's too late, if it isn't already.

I feel the uneasiness too, and I am nuts, but that's beside the point. You are not nuts, many are feeling the same.

[redstatebluegirl]

4. Where I live it will never happen.

Mainly because they vote the way their Pastor tell them to. They do it all the time, when I went door to door for a democratic candidate for state legislature last cycle I was told that over and over again. If not Pastor, they vote the only party they know Republican. They would also say that the Democrats represented "those people" read between the lines. The brown party and the white party....

We have a guy who represents us in the state legislature who has anger issues, has had confrontations with various people and groups in public and they still elect him. Granted last time they had to have a recount to have him win but he won none the less. All that was required is the "R" next to his name.

It will be a long learning curve for these people.

[GeorgeGist]

6. I hope you're right ...

but your sample size is too small to support your hypothesis.

[LiberalLoner]

7. Not nuts at all. I am uneasy too.

[jeff47]

8. Reagan created a coalition between the economic and religious conservatives

Economic provided the cash, and religious provided the boots-on-the-ground. And it served the Republican party very well for a long time.

The problem is it was never an equal coalition. The economic conservatives were the ones in control during Reagan's era. The occasional bone was thrown to the religious, but the "fat cats" ran the show.

Over time, that has shifted. The religious conservatives used their large numbers to take control of the party. And now they are in control. And just as when the economic conservatives ran the show, it is not an equal coalition.

So yes, the economic conservatives are starting to jump ship - the coalition is falling apart. That's the good news.

The bad news is those economic conservatives are going to want a political home, and they have lots of cash with which to buy influence. And there's this Democratic party just sitting there.

My prediction is they'll drag the Democratic party right, to about where the Republican party was in the 1950's and 60's. That will, of course, shatter the Democratic coalition. The left side of the party will then either join an existing minor party, or form a new party.

In other words, it looks like we're gonna have a lot of political chaos for the next 20-40 years as Reagan's coalition failure shakes out.

[awoke_in_2003]

13. The democratic party...

in a lot of aspects,, is already to the right of 50-60s republican party, but I get what you are saying.

[grntuscarora]

9. My anecdote.

My 85-year-old Republican mother, discussing the shutdown, began with "As you know, I'm no fan of Obamacare, BUT....", then expressed her disgust with those Republicans/Teapartiers causing the shutdown. Not that she'll do anything about it---she's never so much as written a letter to her congressman in her life. Additionally, I'm sure she'll continue voting Republican, as it's all she knows. But even she realizes something is seriously amiss with her Party.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. The VP

His schedule is below (the last update from 9/30/13 and you can go backwards from there - going forward leads you to the not-really-updated "government shutdown" mode) -

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president/2013-09-30

He's around doing his duty, but the RW-owned M$M doesn't deem him worthy to cover unless of course, he makes a "gaffe".

[PCIntern]

11. Gotcha! Thanks! nt

[hamsterjill]

12. I see some hope here...

I'm not addressing your comment about your unease, but rather your comment about the "old school" gentleman.

You describe him as "well to do", and my hope is that those types of Republicans will, at least, send their political contributions to the more "normal" Republican candidates. In other words, at least people like him won't be supporting crazy idiots like Ted Cruz!

I live in Texas and I am surrounded by crazy idiots. Forgive me!

[awoke_in_2003]

16. I live in Fort Worth...

and share your pain.

[DhhD]

21. Crazy Idiot, as in Cruz? Frightening Primarist, as in Cornyn?

Texas Mixed Nuts! What is in the mix for Cornyn to defeat the extremist lining up to shut him down? What will he need to say to expose idiocracy of the TEA? Should be interesting!

[Orsino]

14. Decades of government inaction have cut our safety margin.

By refusing to perform regular maintenance, elected leaders have made it easier for civilization to go off the rails.

[zeemike]

15. And for those who don't know about that movie

Seven Days in May...it is worth watching...here is an excerpt.

[Myrina]

17. Sorry, I don't get the correlation ...

.... Biden isn't in the public eye and GOP voters are realizing that the GOP is made up of assholes?

Uhhh ... help me out here? ....

[Ohio Joe]

18. ummm... WTF? Who is saying Biden is in an "undisclosed location"?

The google tells me he has been out and about... Where is this coming from?

[PCIntern]

19. No...I didn't say that...

what I said was that I was uneasy...and was experiencing a middle of the night paranoia. You know...sometimes context is important.

[Ohio Joe]

20. Yes, you certainly did... It is right there...

"but I have vague sense of unease about all this. Maybe it's too many movies and books over the years, but I don't like how this is playing out at all. I awakened at a little after 2 this morning thinking about Seven Days in May, and all I could think of is that we haven't seen much of the VP because he is in an undisclosed location. Yeah...I know... "

You said it beyond doubt... Now you deny it... WTF?

[PCIntern]

22. WTF yourself...

I said that we hadn't seen much of him and that was my rambling thought in the middle of the night,

You want to hijack this thread with nit-picking...go right ahead.