Hello all,
Did Dwight D. Eisenhower predict the the Tea Party and the end of the Republican Party?
"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things...Their number is negligible and they are stupid." Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Reality or wishful Rumps? In my imperfect view, the Republican Party will not fold for a long time, but they do have a serious possible problem of unity that could develop, and seems to be festering at beginning stages. Romney could get the nomination. If so, the large segment of the hardcore right wing will be difficult to motivate and become more divisive. If the hardcore right consolidates under Gingrich, or whoever, they will alienate a growingly active moderate segment in the party that has to look out for it's own interests due to the economic situation and is tired of the rabidly uncompromising right wing that no one can deny is at least the controlling force on one side of Congress. When key Independents look at that it will be a choice, and I'm sure they blame both sides, they may find it very difficult to vote for any prospective Presidency with a central core mostly backed by Tea Party extremists who seem 100% UNCOMPROMISING.
Yes, if they do all that Eisenhower said it could cause a significant damaging backlash. But, let's not forget that the likelihood of the extremists getting all they want is practically impossible. They would need to hold the Senate, the House of Representatives in dominating numbers, and the Presidency long enough and to do it fast enough before a virulent counter-reaction by the voters.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that this is the END of the GOP, but something has to give. You can't have a small bunch of radicals (Tea party) running the party & thus chasing away the moderates. I wouldn't be surprised if a third-party led by the more well-known moderates in the current GOP crops up after the 2012 elections once President Obama gets re-elected to a 2nd term & many GOP Congress members get the boot after their embarrassing anti-American showing over the past year or so.
It's rather obvious just by looking at the current GOP Presidential candidates that this is a party in total disarray, reminiscent of the current Montreal Canadiens. A total reboot of the party is a must. However, the tea party is there to stay & won't be going anywhere, even though the majority of the GOP would love to kick them out of the party. As i've mentionned above, the logical alternative would be to leave the GOP & create a conservative-based party of their own.
Radicals have been running and becoming more radical in the Republican Party since the election of 1980. They may be more radical than Reagan intended, but he and his legacy put the party on this course.
I can't see how supporters of Romney and the Tea Party/whoever the radical head of the ticket might be can be mutually supporting in principle. However, the state of the economy is severe despite some important signs of an upward trend. But whether those signs are significant enough to be noticed, make enough impact, and believed in by the voters are Obama's key problem. Whatever is going on in the Republican Party is trumped by how people feel about their state of living and view of their prospects under the current leadership. Then, there is the art of propaganda campaigns/smears that can direct those feelings.
In short, no one can rightly say right now with any confidence who will win in November; and it's either wishful, party biased myopia, or faith that guarantees nothing to think so.
I'm not sure how you can say that, when a moderate in Mitt Romney is about to win the nomination. Sure there is an extremist element in the GOP, but there is so in every political party, or grouping. Ultimately it's the majority, or plurality view of the party, that determines who the nominee would be.
I don't know how you can say that when it's so early. Romney is getting 35% at most, even in New Hampshire where he campaigned for years. Consolidation soon enough of the hardcore Right can easily change everything. The difference is the radical Conservatives are much more active and rabid, and Romney waffles in positions often conflicting in principle too much to lead and motivate a dedicated Moderate element.
Cheers,
Merlot
