The beginning of the end of the GOP?

[ceetee]

That's one thing I gave a lot of credit to the incomming Bush administration for in 2000. He didn't waste time making accusations or seeking justice from his predecessor (in fact specifically forbiding his staff to do so) and got down to work.

Considering what "work" was done, and what left undone, you're saying this is a good thing?

 

[MechAg94]

The GOP isn't going anywhere. The Libertarians aren't going anywhere either. One election loss and/or one defection doesn't mean a lot. The money is still there.

People were asking the same questions about the Dems a few years ago. Repubs in D.C. got a big head over it and screwed the pooch; so they lost this one. We'll see if they lose in 2008. Depends on which candidate steps forward.

 

[buzz_knox]

"starting investigations into the last six years of corruption" - oh please... what a great way to bring the country forward That's one thing I gave a lot of credit to the incomming Bush administration for in 2000. He didn't waste time making accusations or seeking justice from his predecessor (in fact specifically forbiding his staff to do so) and got down to work.

That used to be the norm. You didn't go after the former leaders because eventually, you'd be in the same boat. And mere investigations have the ability to destroy lives and careers, even if there is never a finding of wrongdoing or hint of same.

I wonder how the evidence in the hearings will go. "You can discuss the single source contracts Haliburton received under the Bush administration but you can't discuss the single source contracts Haliburton received under the Clinton administration." Or possibly, "you can discuss Bush's connections with the Saudis but you cannot discuss Clinton's connections with the Saudis."

As for the death of the GOP, people forget that after '94, quite a few Democratic politicians switched over to the GOP. The Dems certainly recovered.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The GOP is in the position they are in because they are running on an uninspired platform with uninspiring candidates.

Look at Dallas county - lots of GOP support, red in 2000, 2002, and 2004. During the recent elections, overall turnout was down 40,000 but Democrat turnout was up 20,000. What does that tell you about how successful the GOP was in appealing to their base?

The GOP disappointed the people who elected them. The Democrats smelled the apathy and got motivated enough to do something about it.

 

[xd9fan]

It will be interesting(ok that was me being polite) what the next five years in politics will bring. Both parties have no platform, both act like the other and nobody is worth voting for.
Almost seems like we are at a generational roadblock btwn the boomers and the Xer's.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

My prediction: Next 20 years, you'll see either both parties change their basic bloc of groups that comprise their power base or the major parties will fracture and new parties will form.

Either way, the two major parties will coalesce around a globalism and anti-globalism platform.

 

[ebd10]

My prediction: Next 20 years, you'll see either both parties change their basic bloc of groups that comprise their power base or the major parties will fracture and new parties will form.

Traditonally, that's what has happened at every turn of the century.

 

[Kaylee]

1. As already noted "end the corruption, etc etc" is always mouthed when Party A replaces Party B as majority. Never seems to stick past the first couple months, if that. I expect the real priorities on the Hill next term will be minimum wage, war grandstanding, probably "investigations" -- and maybe they'll get back to guns by the end of the '07 term. But we'll see.

2. The defection of one out-of-office Congressman doesn't say a thing about the state of the party as a whole.

3. The defection of many, many rank and file MEMBERS of the party DOES say quite a bit about the state of the party. I've lost count of how many local people (not to mention national commentators) who classify themselves as "generally conservative, No Longer Republican." Spending and border control issues seemed to be the biggest wedge issues within the party, though the first cracks appeared as early as the Medicare drug benefit back in W's first term.

At this point, the GOP is indeed on a rapid downhill slide. They've lost the complacent middle with the war, and they've lost a good deal of their base abandoning their principles.

At this point the best option I think would be a mass defection from the GOP from many well-known conservatives with existing clout, recognition, and seniority. Defection as in bandoning their party membership and re-coalescing into a new party based on actually walking their own talk. At this point the GOP has fouled their nest pretty bad.

Then again, the DNC will be in just the same place in six years or less.

 

[thexrayboy]

Is the GOP dying? hard to say for sure but maybe. However the Democratic party certainly no longer lives up to it's famous heritage either. Might actually be for the best if they both went the way of the dinosaur. Unlikely but a tempting thought.