"At this point, I'm almost ready to start rooting for the Republicans." by Eugene Robinson

[jefferson_dem]

Let's Go . . . Republicans?

By Eugene Robinson
Friday, May 1, 2009

At this point, I'm almost ready to start rooting for the Republicans.

No, not really. There's no "mercy rule" in politics. And anyway, the increasingly bitter ideologues who control what's left of the Grand Old Party are so bereft of new ideas -- and so determined to obstruct rather than collaborate -- that I could never wish them well.

The thing is, though, that input from an effective, constructive opposition party would be good at this pivotal moment in the nation's history. If only such a party could be found.

President Obama described this vacuum well at his "100 Days" news conference Wednesday evening. Republicans, he said, "can't . . . define bipartisanship as simply being willing to accept certain theories of theirs that we tried for eight years and didn't work, and that the American people voted to change."

Obama was responding to a question about Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's defection to the Democrats and the prospect of "one-party rule" in Washington. If Al Franken is eventually declared the winner of the Senate race in Minnesota -- and he's ahead of incumbent Norm Coleman by a few hundred votes pending further court challenges -- the Democrats will have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate to go along with firm control of the House of Representatives.

Specter's switch seems obviously based on arithmetic, not principle. About 200,000 Pennsylvanians left the Republican voter rolls between 2004 -- the last time Specter had to run for reelection -- and 2008. Specter would have had a tough time in next year's general election against a high-profile, well-funded Democratic opponent. But the real problem was that he might not have made it past the primary. The Pennsylvania Republican Party is not just smaller but more conservative, and polls showed that Specter's apostasy on matters of Republican dogma made him all but defenseless against a challenge from the right.

The trend away from the GOP is being seen nationwide. The Pew Research Center reported Wednesday that just 23 percent of voters self-identify as Republicans, down from 30 percent in 2004. Democratic Party identification has increased only slightly, the Pew survey found, but the gap between the two parties has grown from three points to 12 points.

<SNIP>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/30/AR2009043003303_pf.html

[wildflower]

1. Excellent points

Though the title of the article put me off at first. Made me look, though! :)

[dkf]

2. Yeah its sad to see these guys so attached to their failed ideology .

[bigbrother05]

3. Their dogma was run over by their karma

[Cha]

9. First their dogma

shit all over America.

[demokatgurrl]

4. Someone please educate me

if only 23 (or even 30) percent self-identify as Repubs, how did we end up in their control for so long?

[NatBurner]

5. the independents

the indy voting numbers fluctuated while the Dem/Rep nubers stayed relatively equal

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. they attacked the Dems as often as they attacked their own moderates

and surgically removed most of their spines. Some still haven't found them.

Of course, just a hint of a threat in 2001-2003 that you sided with the terrorists was enough to make a pol seem unpatriotic.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. The numbers were different just a few years ago.

The Katrina non-response seems to have been a turning point, among others.

[Cha]

8. I do know what Eugene Robinson means

by fucking intelligent "input". But, that ain't gonna happen so we might as well root for the current crop's "demise"..so they can rise like the Phoenix from the ashes.

Yeah, we'll see.

[Omnibus]

10. From the end of the article--

"Come on, folks. Aren't you supposed to believe that competition is good? Then why have you decided not to compete? "

Give that man a(nother) Pulitzer!

[Johnyawl]

11. Bullshit..

...The thing is, though, that input from an effective, constructive opposition party would be good at this pivotal moment in the nation's history. If only such a party could be found.

There is such a party. It's called the Democratic Party. ALL of the country's mainstream political philosophies are found within the confines of the Democratic Party. Anybody that doesn't understand that should come to DU and listen to the whining, outrage and gnashing of teeth over the DLC, the "centrist" block of 14 in the Senate, and the blue dogs in the House. We are a party that includes conservatives, moderates and progressives. The policy debates that should be taking place across aisles will be taking place within our caucus. Administration policies will be moderated by Democratic legislators negotiating compromises. (see outrage and gnashing of teeth).

The political philosophies of the current republican party are outside the mainstream political thought of the country, and are held by only a minority (21%) of the population. As such, the republican party is superfluous. They add nothing to the political debate, and are unnecessary to the political health of the nation.

[sohndrsmith]

12. Writing like this is the lifeblood for which the Pulizter Prize just drools over:

"The thing is, though, that input from an effective, constructive opposition party would be good at this pivotal moment in the nation's history. If only such a party could be found."

"--Aye, there's the rub" (as another incredibly elegant brain once penned...)

We all lose in not having a legitimate, thoughtful, conscious adversary that our system thrives on. Vapid and small doesn't work. Hopefully someone will alert the GOP herd - in monosyllabic words, and verrryyy slowwwwlly. Maybe that would help? You're right, who'm I kidding?

[ClarkUSA]

13. Who needs an opposition party when you have conservative Democrats?