Why Does The Republican Party Exist?

[Newt]

quote:
Why does the Republican Party exist? What is its purpose as a political entity – to what end do its members work to elect their fellow Republicans? What are its priorities? Whose interests does it serve? Why is this political party still around so long after its primary motivations for creation – the defense of the Union and the end of slavery – were achieved? The Democratic Party exists to serve its clients – but the Republican Party’s justification is more ethereal. Is it just an arbitrary entity seeking a universal negative, designed to push back against Democratic policies and demand they be more something (efficient) or less something else (expensive)? Or does it have actual principles and priorities it seeks to make a reality?

The Republican Party’s voters and supporters certainly seem to have such beliefs. But they rarely seem to make it through the process of synthesis that turns such beliefs into actual policy priorities. Being a negative force is not nothing, and blocking bad policy is worthwhile. But when given the opportunity to put good policy into place, or to take steps to make such policy more feasible in the future, where is the Republican Party to be found?

David Harsanyi writes about this today in the context of explaining poll after poll which shows the Republican Party less and less popular among Republicans, even as rabble-rousers like Donald Trump are overperforming:

quote:
“It’s conceivable, and I’m just spitballing here, that many conservatives are wondering: If the Republican Party is incapable or unwilling to make a compelling case against the selling of baby organs or the emergence of a nuclear Iran or the funding of a cronyist state-run bank—or all three—then really, what exactly can it do? Setting aside presidential politics for a moment, three issues have filled the conservative ether the past few weeks: The administration’s pact abetting Iran’s efforts to become a threshold nuclear power, Planned Parenthood’s organ harvesting controversy, and, to a lesser extent, the renewal of the Export-Import bank. None of these are hobby horses of the wild fringe. These are issues—ostensibly, at least—that strike at the heart of the modern GOP. And on all three, Republican leadership have, thought they held plenty of leverage to raise a stink, capitulated. In fact, they have probably put more effort into evading confrontation than their standard response of pretending to court it.”



Perhaps you believe the Republican Party exists as the party of limited government and free markets. This is impossible after the past weekend, where Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell went so far as to blatantly make the lie he told his fellow Senators – that no deal had been cut with interested Democrats during an earlier debate to reanimate an entity of pure corporate welfare, the Export-Import Bank – a priority so critical he would box out all other attempts to attach amendments to what is considered a “must-pass” measure, the Highway Bill.

Perhaps you believe the Republican Party exists as a national security party, which believes in a clear-eyed trust but verify approach to dealing with our enemies. This is impossible after the past few months, where the Senate Republicans completely ceded their Constitutional duty regarding the Iran deal, putting them in the wonderful position (so politically advantageous in the realm of domestic policy) of decrying this deal as awful without being on the hook for anything that happens because of it.

Perhaps you believe the Republican Party exists as today the lone pro-life party in the United States. This cannot be possible after the weekend, where Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell blocked any attempt to force President Obama and all his fellow Senate Democrats to take a stand for or against not even the legality, but the taxpayer subsidization of harvesting organs from aborted babies. The fact that McConnell did all this after telling his GOP colleagues that he definitely wouldn’t, and the fact that Texas Senator Ted Cruz pointed this out, is a breach of decorum. Orrin Hatch will be along with a ruler shortly to rap your knuckles, you naughty boy.

Taken together, the stance of the Senate Republican caucus on these three issues reveal the utter failure of post-Cold War fusionism. The Senate Republicans have in the space of a few short months dramatically undercut their ability to be considered serious on national security, fiscal conservative, and social conservative priorities. And for what? What is worth cutting all three flimsy legs of the stool shorter? Surely it has to be something worthwhile – avoiding a government shutdown, or repealing Obamacare? Surely it must be about achieving some greater legislative goal or laying the groundwork for taking the White House in 2016?

Well, actually, the aim is to pass a Highway Bill. It is a thousand page tax and pork-laden monstrosity which does not deserve to pass in the first place, and whose failure would be greeted as a positive development for any fiscal conservative. For conservatives, the Highway Bill is a bad thing that could be the vehicle for something politically useful. For Republicans, this is not the case. The passage of a Planned Parenthood defunding amendment would set up a direct conflict with the White House over the issue, and undercut McConnell’s priority of passing a Highway Bill with an Ex-Im resurrection attached to it – two things that are not a priority at all for Republican voters, mind you, but for the corporatist constituency the Republican Party actually serves, are near the top of the list.

And that is why the Republican Party exists.

http://thefederalist.com/2015/07/27/why ... rty-exist/

[littlewoody]

Lots of good points maybe they know something bad coming and they don't want to take the blame .

[Alabama John]

We don't want a King or Queen as they are singular in control so politicians know there needs to be two opposing parties so we the peons can align with one or the other.
While the two are fighting each other, and we are fighting one another taking sides, we will love one and despise the other. That is exactly why there are two parties as it satisfies our two inermost desires, love and hate, but, we don't see the shared goals and togetherness the two have when we are not looking.
A third or more party screws this teamwork up.
We are pawns!!!

[Mr.Glock]

The leadership of the GOP has a very different view of the world than its "base".They seem to have a "don't rock the boat " attitude. The average republican person is a smaller government , lower taxes type. Of course religious and moral conservatives usually register as republicans. Libratarians are changing the party. I believe that some of the old leaders need to go. We have to elect people who are willing to do what they were sent to Washington DC to do. Democrats don't care. It doesn't matter what kind of experience or ideas their candidates have. They just want to win. And keep the gravy train rolling. Obama couldn't manage a lemonade stand, but he's in the white house.

[Pine Mt Beagles]

The Republican Party is A Scam,,A Fake,,,it does not Exist,,they do nothing But Complain .Only brain dead fools even repeat what these fools say.


They have never Governed,THEIR BEST TALENT IS LIES,DENIES AND SMEARS..


JUST THE LAST ELECTION,,YOU BRAIND DEAD FOOLS VOTED FOR A NON-AMERICAN,,NON CHRISTIAN ,,NON,,PATRIOT.....

YOU WANTED WHAT HE PROMISED. ,SO YOU SAID.


AND YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED ,, THAT MUCH AND MORE ,,NOT FROM THAT ,,,LIAR ,,,BUT FROM A REAL PRESIDENT,,,PRESIDENT OBAMA,,A TWO TERM PRESIDENT ,,,WHO WOULD WIN BY A LAND SLIDE IF HE COULD RUN AGAIN.

[Pine Lakes]

The Republican Party is A Scam,,A Fake,,,it does not Exist,,they do nothing But Complain .Only brain dead fools even repeat what these fools say.
You got things backwards as usual. Democrats are the complainers. They like to stir the masses with false accusations of class warfare. Only brainless fools who want something for nothing vote for any lying democrat.

They have never Governed,THEIR BEST TALENT IS LIES,DENIES AND SMEARS..
You mistake limited governing for not governing. The technique of lie, deny, and smear is taken out of the leftist democrat play book. They ability to get votes is based on every one of those tactics.

JUST THE LAST ELECTION,,YOU BRAIND DEAD FOOLS VOTED FOR A NON-AMERICAN,,NON CHRISTIAN ,,NON,,PATRIOT.....
Barrack Hussein Obama, fathered by a non American muslim communist and raised by a communist/socialist mother with a PHD in anthropology. He has never accomplished anything productive for this country, quite the contrary. Just look at his blatant distain for the Constitution. You have to hold some kind of record for the lowest IQ able to post on a public forum board. Calling you a dumb hillbilly would be an insult to dumb hillbillies. Here's a quote from his book Dreams of My Father, "My mother's confidence in needlepoint virtues depended on a faith I didn't possess... In a land [Indonesia] where fatalism remained a necessary tool for enduring hardship ... she was a lonely witness for secular humanism, a soldier for New Deal, Peace Corps, position-paper liberalism." Here's one from The Audacity of Hope, "I was not raised in a religious household ... My mother's own experiences ... only reinforced this inherited skepticism. Can you put forth any evidence of what you claim or is this just another nonfactual Rufus/Adolf Stewart rant? Explain to me how Obama can attend the church pastored by Jeremiah Wright for 20 years and not be influence by that racist pig.[

YOU WANTED WHAT HE PROMISED. ,SO YOU SAID.
Any descent, hard working American didn't want a thing from what is now the worst president in American history. Low life dependents like yourself that abuse the system are getting exactly what you wanted. That being class warfare and animosity amongst Americans.

AND YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED ,, THAT MUCH AND MORE ,,NOT FROM THAT ,,,LIAR ,,,BUT FROM A REAL PRESIDENT,,,PRESIDENT OBAMA,,A TWO TERM PRESIDENT ,,,WHO WOULD WIN BY A LAND SLIDE IF HE COULD RUN AGAIN.
I do agree with you that he would win a 3rd election, or atleast come close. That's due to the ever growing dependent population that he keeps under his thumb with social programs, but that's exactly what he is and was raised to be. From his parents to his idol Frank Marshall Davis he was raised to be a communist and maintain power through the mob. What stupid people like you fail to understand is proven by history. Democrats created the KKK. Democrats created the Jim Crow laws. Democrats are the creators of slavery in this country. Even the slavery to state for people like you. The difference between today's slaves and those kept on the southern plantations is one was withheld by force and the other is by ignorance and dependency. Pop some more pills provided to you by the tax payers of America, then post something else totally devoid of truth so we can make you look foolish again. Have a wonderful day my old communist friend from the hills of KY.

[Rabbithoundjb]

Yes I have to agree Obama would have a shot at a third term if he could run after all look at the democrat voting base. Illegals, free loaders, atheists, lbgt, the dead, convicts, cheats, immorals, baby part harvesters and of course the just plain dumm as $hit. There are a lot of people that fall into a number of those categories and millions that that are in at least one.

[littlewoody]

I don't think Obama going anywhere !

[Pine Mt Beagles]

Rabbit

Say ,,,what you want but there is nothing on this planet that can slime it way under A Republican,,

To sorry to work .

Hate Children and poor people.

Hate women.

Kill jobs.

Hate America and all it stands for.,,,Plutocrats,,mostly home Grown Terrorist.

Have never heard of any God ,,or any kind of Morals.

But,,they do Love them some Elite,,Money to Worship.

Republicans ,,
Are the Baby Killers,,Proven,

Most a Republicans are Gay,,

Every time you watch the news some Republican Thug in A COP UNIFORM IS KILLING SOME UNARMED KID.

Not to mention their other crooks.

Sick Pathetic ,,People,,so Easily Brain Washed,,,,

Republicans ,,believe EVERY THING THEY HEAR AND NOTHING THEY SEE.

[Rabbithoundjb]

PMB Such a good little sheep, hitting all of the lefts talking points. Not one bit of independent thought but no surprise coming from a totally dependent troll. Its the end of the month the checks in the mail courtesy of all of us hard working republicans.