Idaho GOP considers bringing back the smoke-filled room

[jmowreader]

http://www.idahopress.com/news/state/idaho-gop-to-consider-requiring-leaders-ok-to-run/article_3812c1bf-7400-5a8b-9c96-a437caff2e74.html

One of the acts of Idaho's last legislative session (there are 105 members of the Idaho legislature, 20 of whom are Democrats) was to pass a bill authorizing a state-based healthcare exchange. The rank-and-file Republicans are unbelievably pissed about that; they wanted the legislature to pass an Obamacare nullification bill, not an exchange.

In retaliation, the state's Republican Central Committee is considering requiring the Idaho Secretary of State to only put Republicans who have been approved by a Republican committee - state and federal-level officials will be approved by the state Republican Central Committee, state legislative candidates will be approved at legislative committees, and local candidates will be approved by county committees.

[Warpy]

1. That might be too little and too late to save that party

The religious nutters overlapping with the teabaggers are going to rip that party apart. Only by doing this at the national level and returning their party to a top-down nomination process with delegates only there as cheerleaders can they hope to stay alive.

That will likely mean a mass defection of the faithful, especially if the religious planks are removed from the party platform once the social reactionaries are eliminated from all decision making.

This is the end game for the Reagan coalition. The only wonder is the depth of gullibility of social conservatives who got used decade after decade to fatten the rich with so little in return.

[nomorenomore08]

2. Well either way, that "coalition" has done more than enough damage to average Americans.

So all I can really say for them is...

[Warpy]

4. It's hard to say what will happen

There are a lot of bruised egos out there, baggers who wanted Ron Paul or Santorum but who got told to sit down and do as they were told and cheer for the "electable" Romney. Since Romney got trounced, I don't think they're going to be quite as graceful as they were in 2008, glued to their seats and golf clapping.

2016 is going to be fun to watch when they try to bully the baggers and religious nutters again. While they'll try to keep it off camera, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a lot of fistfights breaking out.

[jmowreader]

3. We're talking Idaho here, Warpy

The problem for the GOP in Idaho is every so often, someone who's not an extremist slips through the cracks. They're trying to end that.

[truebluegreen]

5. Got it in one.