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Thu Feb 23, 2023, 10:58 AM

Divorce, GOP extremism strategy and the long game.

Last edited Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:49 AM - Edit history (1)

This is taken from another post I made in response to current GOP extremism tactics.

I believe the extremism, regardless of how they got here, is a means to an end.

To understand requires taking a longer view, and a reflection of history of the past few decades.

First the problem the GOP faces:
Changing demographics. Younger voters, more diverse voters, voters who are as a general rule not going to vote R.

So, facing that certainty, how does the GOP remain a powerful force?

Consider
1) electoral votes are skewed to give more power to lower population states.
2) The Senate gives absolutely no differential power based on population of the state
3) The Senate also approves nominees for courts, govt positions, federal bills.

Given those three considerations, (and probably more), and the changing demographics, what can the GOP do?

They can play the long game. The long game is what they have been playing for a few decades now, and it has worked quite well. They have focused at the state level. This game, which literally took decades to play out, has allowed for extreme gerrymandering to help retain power in the U.S. House. But even that game won't work as demographics continue to push harder, narrowing election wins and starting to swing D.

So, what is the long game now?
Drive D voters out of red states. Attract R voters to red states.

How do you drive D voters out?
Make the state unlivable for people with a conscience, for people with educations, for people who care about other people and the planet.

Of course, this will not cause people to move instantly, and some people will stay put for reasons of family, or historical bonds. But you don't need everyone to move, and you have to be willing to let time and cultural pressure do its work. The GOP has seen how time can do the work with patience.

And now we have from the GOP moves that impact or create legislation for:
. Attacks on race
. Striking down Roe V. Wade
. Attacks on LGBTQ
. Attacks on teaching race history
. Book Banning
. Attacking Women
. Attacking immigrants
. Loosening gun laws
...

Those things (and others) will, over a decade cause enough people to either move outright, not consider moving to certain states, employers (with a conscience) to reconsider certain states. Enough so the GOP can regain and maintain control of the Senate? -- possibly so. Enough to squeak out another presidential election or two? -- possibly so. If they get the Whitehouse, Senate and the House, you can be sure there will be continued weakening of voting rights, and voting restrictions that impact D voters more the R voters.

As @NowISeeTheLight points out in response, if the GOP can sieze radical control of enough statehouses, they can call for a constitutional convention, which is a process that is essentially unbounded by any rules, or a governing body. See: https://www.commoncause.org/resource/u-s-constitution-threatened-as-article-v-convention-movement-nears-success/

It's certainly worth the GOP trying it, they understand the long game. I don't think DEMs really understand the long game.

While I think this is the GOP's underlying long term strategy, I don't have any idea how to counter it, other than to make it publicly obvious, and hope it will motivate people to vote for democracy right now.

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Arrow 12 replies Author Time Post
Reply Divorce, GOP extremism strategy and the long game. (Original post)
Pobeka Feb 2023 OP
Thomas Hurt Feb 2023 #1
Pobeka Feb 2023 #2
NowISeetheLight Feb 2023 #3
Pobeka Feb 2023 #5
Bettie Feb 2023 #9
NowISeetheLight Feb 2023 #10
Pobeka Feb 2023 #11
NowISeetheLight Feb 2023 #12
Grumpy Old Guy Feb 2023 #4
haele Feb 2023 #6
Pobeka Feb 2023 #7
Pobeka Feb 2023 #8

Response to Pobeka (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:03 AM

1. I see it as a secession without actually seceding.

To my view this has always been the point of state's rights arguments.

Create state christofascist theocracies and eventually take the entire country.

The christofascists have been on this path since Reagan.

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Response to Thomas Hurt (Reply #1)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:08 AM

2. That fits right in with my basic premise, thanks for that thought. nt

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Response to Pobeka (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:11 AM

3. Constitutional Convention

Take over enough state legislatures via gerrymandering to force a Constitutional Convention. The enshrine Christianity, conservative “values”, no abortion or contraception, hard-line immigration policies, gun rights and Capitalism into the Constitution. They know their policies aren’t popular with the majority so this is their end around.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/19/steve-bannon-us-constitution-tea-party-republican-state-legislatures

Freedom of press - Gone, criticizing Christianity will be illegal, blasphemy?
2nd Amendment - Gun ownership and open carry without restriction.
Freedom of religion - America is a Christian nation. Period.
LGBT rights - Forget it.
Social Security, Medicare, Assistance - Leave it to the churches. Work or die broke. Period.
Capitalism - Reduce regulations, open drilling everywhere, screw the environment.

I’m kind of glad I don’t have kids.

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Response to NowISeetheLight (Reply #3)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:30 AM

5. Excellent, I'm going to add that as another power states can have. thanks! nt

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Response to NowISeetheLight (Reply #3)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 06:19 PM

9. They want the US to be

Iran or Afghanistan under the Taliban...but with their chosen religion (whatever right wing white men want) ascendant.

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Response to Bettie (Reply #9)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 09:36 PM

10. I call it

I call their version “CHRISTAINISTAN”.

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Response to NowISeetheLight (Reply #10)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 09:43 PM

11. I see two groups here: Those in power, and the cult followers.

Those in power are so obviously not concerned about ethics, religion or morality it is absolutely laughable. They are only about gaining raw power and money. Maybe some ego fulfillment. They are willing to use religion merely as a tool to garner votes, and control their voting base.

The followers (i.e. the voting base), are just another classic cult, they actually believe almost all of this horseshit.

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Response to Pobeka (Reply #11)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 09:47 PM

12. True

I think the greed and power is the underlying motive. They’re just milking the Christian right to get there. They’re the gullible base.

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Response to Pobeka (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 11:21 AM

4. K&R

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Response to Pobeka (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 01:04 PM

6. So what they are looking to do is actually cut their population base.

They will lose house seats, especially in states like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, etc, when they force their liberal, lBGTQ, and non-"normal" population to leave their perfectly built Conservative Enclave State.
They may lock the Senate but certainly not the House, they will lose House Seats.

Haele

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Response to haele (Reply #6)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 01:29 PM

7. Depends on the relative movement of R/D voters.

If the same number of R voters move into a state as D voters move out, there is no net loss of population.

There will certainly be movement of R voters as well. I know one in my immediate family who is attracted to a crazy R state because he doesn't like progressive policies, and will be moving shortly -- entirely because of this kind of thing.

Of course one anecdote doesn't tell us much about the amount of movement in the general population, but it does show the possibility.

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Response to Pobeka (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2023, 06:02 PM

8. An afternoon kick nt

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