Krugman: The Specter of Republican marginalization

[LSK]

Arlen Specter’s party switch isn’t all that startling. Richard Shelby and Ben Nighthorse Campbell switched to the Republicans right after the 1994 election, without (as far as I know) facing the same kind of primary challenge. But this switch is especially important, because once Al Franken finally gets seated it will give the Democrats the magic 60 number. The way is now open to a seriously progressive agenda.

What strikes me, however, is the extent to which this is a self-inflicted wound. If Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth weren’t so diligent about enforcing supply-side purity; if Republicans hadn’t made Rush Limbaugh the effective head of the party; Specter might still be GOP, and the Obama agenda much more limited.

Instead, though, we have a party that seems to be in a death spiral: the smaller it gets, the more it’s dominated by the hard right, which makes it even smaller. In the long run, this is not good for American democracy– we really do need two major parties in competition. But I’ll settle for getting that back after we get universal health care and cap-and-trade.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/the-specter-of-republican-marginalization/

[Enrique]

1. now the GOP is even more hard-core wingnut

and Snowe and Collins have less reason to stay with them...

[HamdenRice]

2. The Republicans don't seem to realize they are really close to a tipping point

Krugman is right. This has now become a feedback mechanism. As moderates dessert the party, it will get more shrill, alienating yet more moderates, and on and on.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. The K-Man writes fast

And well, too.

--d!

[LSK]

4. his blog is a must visit everyday

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. Brilliance manifests itself quickly. n/t

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. LOL, the problem with right wing conservatives is that the word.......

"wrong" is not in their vocabulary. They can't fathom the fact that they might be wrong therefore they are doomed. The facts do not matter. Facts are only to be manipulated.

[applegrove]

6. What a quick turnaround.

[glitch]

8. If we must be limited to two parties, why can't we have Democrats and Progressives?

Let the Republicans die out as they should, the Democrats can then split into their natural components.
I would much rather the two party debate be between centrists and progressives than centrists and fascists.

[kentuck]

13. What an absolutely brilliant idea !!

I like it! I may have to leave the Democrats and become a Progressive? :-)

[14thColony]

17. Shades of 1824

When, after the demise of the Federalist Party, the Democratic-Republican Party split along ideological lines into what would eventually become Democratic Party and, indirectly, the Republican Party.

It has happened before in American politics.

[glitch]

19. Yes, and as long as the shift is to progressive and away from fascist

I'll be happy.

[European Socialist]

9. The more DINOS we get, the more we can punch ourselves...

Instead of those Repuke bullies doing it to us.

[Juche]

10. Thank god the GOP is run by morons

You'd think a party made up of people whose lives and worldviews are ruled by fear, xenophobia, bigotry, aggression, instant gratification (tax cuts now, infrastructure never) and superstition would be cabable of competent long range planning and a modicum of social intelligence. Color me shocked.

Luckily the useful idiots are firmly in charge of the GOP now. It used to be they were just voting booth fodder for the intelligent \sociopaths who really ran the party like Cheney and Rove or the business interests. Now they are in charge. Good. Rocket towards irrelevance for all I care.

[Mike 03]

11. Well wait a sec. First of all, Good old Krugman, a former hero of mine, hasn't been supporting

Obama, so who is he to say Specter's defeat is "self inflicted" when even Specter himself has come out and admmitted it is financial and political?

I used to worship Krugman, collect his books, give copies of them to everyone. I wasted too much time and money on this person. He hasn't helped Obama one bit, and it's a bit too late for Mr. Krugman to be passing judgment on anyone, IMO. He could have helped Obama.

Sorry, Paul, Nobel Laureate.

[snot]

12. All that assumes Dems aren't conservative, as most are, lately.

[dgibby]

14. The base of the GOP is no longer a viable political party.

It's just another religious cult.

[lunatica]

15. I never expected the GOP would crumble the way it has

Since half way through Clinton's term they showed themselves to be a rock solid killing machine, almost like the Terminator who couldn't be stopped. They were so well organized that they actually stole the 2000 elections. That's important to remember. They ran roughshod over us for at least the first 6 years and to our despair they seemed unstoppable. We were convinced our United States didn't exist anymore. Torture and God became the nation's symbols. They wielded wedge issues so well that they kept winning regional elections like they were giving away money, when the reality was they were fleecing the American people.

Now, in just a couple of years they're reduced to babbling fools full of endless rage. And it wasn't Obama's doing either. After the mid-term elections in 2006 Bush never was able to regain control. We just didn't hear much about it because the msm wasn't talking about it. Taking away Bush's rubberstamp Congress was what did it. And that was done by us, the 'We' in the Constitution.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. OK, I'm a dumbass. What's cap-and-trade? -nt

[lame54]

18. we may need 2 major parties...

but the repugs don't have to be one of them