Wading into a contentious debate being waged within the Republican Party of Iowa, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour told a crowd of GOP activists and elected officials Thursday night that the only way back into the majority is to resist demands for ideological purity.
“There are tens of millions of pro-choice Republicans that are just as good Republicans as I am, and we need to support them,” he said, adding: “That’s what party building is about, and don’t think that is giving up your principles.”
[Iowa Independent, via Donklephant]
That’s sweet. Barbour thinks the GOP is capable of accepting differences and building coalitions. Unfortunately, we haven’t really seen any evidence of this lately. In fact, with each successive election more moderates have fled the GOP as it has become more and more conservative. The flight of those moderates makes the party even more conservative, which in turn chases away more moderates; the process of building an ideologically-pure party is one huge positive feedback loop.
Theoretically, party leaders could reverse the trend by welcoming moderates back into the party. Instead, they chase out “traitors” who dare to ever vote against the party. As the party becomes ever more strongly conservative, the inclination to accept any moderate votes declines accordingly.
All of which bodes poorly for Barbour’s chances in 2012.
This is no surprise. Barbour comes from the “every tax is a bad tax and if business does it it’s good” wing of the Republican Party, not the religious wing.
I would add that a small government, pro-jobs, tax-scrutinizing party can survive and even thrive. It is the religious wing that is driving this party into the ground.
A fiscally prudent, conservative-spending movement is aligned with the American people right now. The Christian Coalition stuff is not aligned with Americans, and fading fast.
Actually, a majority of Americans support MORE spending for stimulus and education.
You are right that republicans are not alligned with most Americans, though.
Wrong. According to Rasmussen this week:
“Just 27% of voters nationwide favor passage of a second economic stimulus package. Sixty percent (60%) are opposed.”
I use Rasmussen because it tends to lean left, so if anything the 60% opposition is on the low side.
Like any good liberal will tell you, never let a little thing like facts and logic get in the way of a compelling story. Good work, dtm.
Democrats do have a monopoly on being an inclusive party, though. Basically, they don’t care what anyone in their party believes in, just as long as they vote Democrat.
The far left has no more of a lock on the electorate than the far right. During this period of social unrest the complacent majority will move towards the party or politicians that best promote the principles of social justice and fiscal responsibility. It remains to be seen whether either party will embrace that truth.
Your absolutely right and I think this supports what DTM was saying as well. The Republicans need to teach their would be theocrats that “freedom means freedom for everyone”. If you want school choice or prayer in school you damned well better stop worrying about who is putting what into who. You don’t have to like them and they don’t have to like you but you do have to respect them as free men and women that make this country great.
Hats of to Haley for this and you may recall a certain ex vice president came out defending gay marriage recently. These guys get it. They may be old and crusty but they never once pretended to be any more pious or God fearing than their opposition. More of these Reagan wingers need to start standing up and being heard so that people realize that you dont have to carry a bible to be a Republican, you just have to be a republican.
Too bad Cheney didn’t have the fortitude to “come out defending gay marriage” when he held a position of power. Even the non-hypicrite republicans are cowards. (of course we always knew chickenhawk cheney was a coward)
If you want to look at fiscal responsibility, you’d better look to a president like Clinton. If you want to talk about social justice, you’d better look to Democrats, because republicans don’t give a flying flip about it.
I agree, lojasmo. In retrospect, Clinton was the closest thing we’ve had to fiscal responsibility in a couple generations. That kind of moderate tone (I think most conclude he was a Centrist Democrat) is what voters will crave in the next round of elections.
Voters recognize that spending too much money, especially carelessly, will lead to bad things. They also recognize that skimping on important investment will lead to bad things.
Long live the middle!
The Democrats are at the height of their power right now. This is as good as it will get. The question is what they will do with it and how long it will last.
There are already signs of generic ballots shifting to the Republicans’ favor. Voters sense when one party has become very powerful, and there is a kneejerk reaction to it.
It is an interesting time to watch politics, to see one party with this much power. Unless there is disagreement within the party (which there appears to be in healthcare or else there would already be deals done) the D’s can do whatever they want. It is largely unprecendented and I believe will be temporary, but is fascinating to watch.
If Bush brought about the death of the far (religious) right, then Obama will bring the death of the far (the list is much longer) left.
I could give a flying f about either party. I care about my family, my neighborhood my town, my state and my country and in that order and how great and beutiful a beautiful country it is to expect me to care and affect change for things in that order.