The Era of Obama Is Driving the GOP Extinct as Republican Identification Plunges

[sheshe2]

snip


The Republican decision to obstruct Obama at all costs has led to their own demise. When the Republicans became the party of no, they lost much of the country. The Obama era could have been one of bipartisan compromise and achievement, but Republicans rejected the validity of this president and his presidency from day one. The decision not to evolve with the country has left them taking unpopular position after unpopular position just so that they can say no to Obama.

The overall tone of the country’s political identification is decidedly more left. Contrary to what Republicans like to claim, America is not a conservative country. For the third straight year, the nation has identified more with Democrats than Republicans. When Independents were included in the partisan leanings question, Democrats maintained their six point advantage from last year, and led Republicans 47%-41%.

Not only is the Republican Party facing extinction, but the country itself continues to move left. The nation is leaving the Republican Party behind, and as the GOP has gotten smaller, the extremists have taken control. The only thing saving the Republican Party from total irrelevance at the federal level is their control of the House of Representatives. Of course that House of Representatives is the least popular Congress in history, which speaks volumes about the condition of the Republican Party.

America is moving on without the Republican Party. The United States truly has become no country for the old white conservative men who are the majority constituency of the GOP, as President Obama is leading a new era in American politics.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/01/08/republican-party-extinct.html

[freshwest]

1. And it's a good thing... n/t

[sheshe2]

5. It is freshwest...

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

~ Robert F. Kennedy

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1102&pid=21449

Thank you Mr President!

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Naively optimistic

"but the country itself continues to move left."

I do agree that the GOP seems to enjoy pouring buckets of scorpions down its pants, but any claim the country is "moving left" is just not supported by the evidence. At best, the country's rightward swing is slowing down.

[sheshe2]

4. Actually I do not believe that it is 'Naively optimistic'

Sometimes it moves slowly, yet it happens, Kelvin.

Hope isn't Dead~

2013?s unexpected lesson: Hope isn’t dead
It's easy to despair over the state of things, but this year showed hints of a brighter future — if we fight for it

snip

The past explodes from time to time, and many events that once seemed to have achieved nothing turn out to do their work slowly. Much of what has been most beautifully transformative in recent years has also been branded a failure by people who want instant results guaranteed or your money back.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/110221430

[Kelvin Mace]

9. We are probably going to suffer

serious adverse rulings on abortion from the SCOTUS, the one conservative institution that has the power to scuttle ALL liberal reforms for the next 30 years. The House is still controlled by the GOP and the odds or wrestling it back next year and 2016 are slim. And even in we do, the corporate wing of the Dems will block ANY financial/safety net reform and continue the austerity tango straight to fiscal ruin.

The most likely next president is another corporate tool who will do the bidding of Wall Street and the Oil/Gas industry.

The country will be "moving left" when we see the following reforms become law:

1) Constitutional amendment declaring a ban on "artificial persons", i.e. corporations, or at least denying then 1st Amendment rights.

2) Restoration of the Glass-Stegal Act.

3) Closing of corporate tax loop holes

4) Prosecution of war criminals and Wall Street banksters

5) An end to the "war on drugs" and all of its abuses.

6) A unambiguous repeal of legalized torture.

7) The repeal of the Patriot Act.

8) Withdrawal from Afghanistan.

9) Banning or at least mandatory labeling of GMO foods

10) Repeal of subsidies to oil/gas industry

11) Subsidies for renewable fuel.

12) A "Manhattan Project" for renewable energy (funded by a 10% cut in defense spending).

13) Restoration of food stamps unemployment benefits to realistic levels.

14) Prohibition of privatization of public services.

15) Repeal of abortion Trap Laws and other onerous restrictions.

16) Dissolution of Dept of Homeland Security.

17) Prohibition of domestic spying.

18) Expansion of Medicare to entire population.

19) Politically neutral redistricting laws

20) Repeal of voter ID laws.

21) Restoration of the gutted Civil Rights Act

22) National minimum wage law tied to inflation.

23) Reform of capital gains laws to penalize unproductive hedge fund day trading and reward long term "buy and hold" investment (gains made from trades of less than 30 days taxed at 90%, trades held longer than 25 years taxed at 5%).

24) Re-introduction and passage of ERA.

25) Serious investment in infrastructure and the return of training programs like CETA.

26) A "Net Neutrality Act" with teeth.

27) Refocusing of national law enforcement toward white collar crime and violent crime.

28) A federal carbon tax

I can go on, but these are the big issues off he top of my head.

Now we don't have to see ALL of these reforms to declare that the "pendulum is swinging left" but I would stipulate that at least five are required. Anything less than that and we are still drifting right.

[IrishAyes]

12. Always easier to snipe, isn't it?

[Kelvin Mace]

18. Call 'em as I 'em

The truth is rarely popular, especially in politics.

[IrishAyes]

19. It shouts immaturity to declare that manure dumping marks one as brave and knowledgeable.

That's pure teenage bluster and fools no one any more than Christie's cries of innocence. Your troll is showing.

Since you are obviously here to do nothing but mess on the carpet, I recommend your removal along with the crap you dragged in.

[Kelvin Mace]

20. I'm sorry,

but who died and appointed you arbiter of what should or should not be on the forum?

Recommend away!

Just because you don't like what I write doesn't make it wrong. If you wish to debate the merits of what I write, great, fire away. Blithe dismissal without objective substance does not make a case for your credibility. I, at least, took a post and laid out what I saw as genuine criteria for a leftward movement by the country.

[IrishAyes]

21. I know you're aware of the difference between a forum and a group, since you're sooo smart.

Noting, however uselessly to you, that this is a GROUP and not some cesspool forum, you are still grievously out of place in your behavior. Believe me, the only reason you've lasted this long in here is because the mods must be temporarily distracted. This is NOT GD. You've done everything except call President Obama the Anti-Christ in a group dedicated to his support, and you need to stop. Otherwise I'll see to it that those in charge put the brakes on for you. The only benefit to your temporarily extended presence is that you're pulling on enough rope to figuratively hang yourself with. I don't believe you should be allowed to post at all anymore in this group; trust me, soon enough that will come to pass.

And then what will you do for fun?

[sheshe2]

23. You have been here since 2003, Kelvin.

Surely you know the difference between a forum and a group.

This is the Barack Obama Group.

This is a group, not a forum. Groups often serve as safe havens for members who share similar interests and viewpoints. Individuals who post messages contrary to a particular group's stated purpose can be excluded from posting in that group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1102

Statement of Purpose
A safe haven for members of Democratic Underground who support the president and his policies.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=about&forum=1102

[Whisp]

22. This is the Barack Obama group, you have plenty of other rooms to take your wisdom to.

We like our peace here.

If you stumbled here by accident I will give you time to make amends, otherwise I will use my privilege and ban you from this group.

[IrishAyes]

24. Kelvin didn't wander in by accident, Whisp; look at all the other warnings he's gotten already,

long before I started to beat the drums. He's made it clear he has no intention of complying either; note especially our exchanges in 12 and 18-21. He'll only take an endless string of warnings as permission to continue. Direct and strict action is the only kind of response a bully understands. He's already said essentially, "You need me to set you people straight, and I'll say anything I please as long as I feel like it."

No, there's one thing and one thing only that sort understands: a good swift kick to the curb.

[Cha]

3. Thanks she.. we've seen plenty of evidence.

[sheshe2]

6. This is from 2010...

and they still haven't learned!

Facing extinction: The “responsible Republican”

Warnings about right-wing extremism from Michael Gerson and ousted Bob Inglis are too little -- and much too late

What defines a “responsible” Republican in the era of Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle and Rand Paul? Ask Bob Inglis, soon to depart from Congress after six terms as a Republican representative from South Carolina. Having suffered a landslide defeat in a primary this year — largely because he challenged the extremism of the far right and refused to pander to the “birthers” in his district — Inglis is now speaking out about the direction of his party.

In what amounts to an exit interview with the Associated Press, Inglis warned that the GOP’s eager embrace of a motley crew of media frothers, ideological fanatics and bizarre conspiracists is inflicting grave damage on the party’s integrity.

According to the AP, he denounced the “death panel” myth popularized by Palin as an example of “the lowest form of political leadership. It’s not leadership. It’s demagoguery.” He is also appalled by the undue influence of figures such as Rush Limbaugh and the Fox News gang, especially Glenn Beck, whom he described as a “divisive fear-monger” at a town hall meeting earlier this year.

“I think we have a lot of leaders that are following those (television and talk radio) personalities and not leading,” he said. “What it takes to lead is to say, ‘You know, that’s just not right.’” The obvious result is that the country becomes too polarized and too distracted by phony issues to address real problems.

As a white Southerner, Inglis said he is also sadly convinced that racism is among the motives of the most fanatical Obama opponents. He recalled being “shocked” as he watched Tea Party protesters heckling Rep. John Lewis in the Capitol last spring. Although he was too far away to hear the alleged racial slurs hurled at Lewis, a veteran of the civil rights movement in the South, he saw that the behavior of the mob was “threatening and abusive.” At the time he said to Lewis — who was beaten by racists in 1961 in Inglis’ home state as he tried to register black voters — “John, I guess you’ve been here before.”

snip

http://www.salon.com/2010/07/09/gop_23/



At the time he said to Lewis — who was beaten by racists in 1961 in Inglis’ home state as he tried to register black voters — “John, I guess you’ve been here before.”

Sad, Cha is it not!

[Cha]

7. Yes, the republicon sickness is deplorable. Thank Goodness we have

Democrats like President Barack Obama.

And, the Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey.. Mark Sokolich.. Amazing!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024301686#top

Thank you for the link, she.

[freshwest]

8. They will hold onto power any way they can. See this thread of 500 years of Brazilian history:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017168493

The video and the newer events remind me very much of your thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/110221430

Do you see the similarities?

See you tomorrow!

[Jamaal510]

10. At the risk of sounding pessimistic,

while the country does appear to be moving further left, there are still far too many people who continue to sit out elections:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_the_United_States_presidential_elections
http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout_2010G.html

Contrary to what the cynics and the 3rd-party advocates would lead you to believe, there are plenty of significant and clear-cut differences between the 2 major parties nowadays, and voting is (in places without ID laws, at least) free, convenient, and Constitutionally-guaranteed. In addition, many areas even have early-voting. There really is not much of an excuse for any eligible voter to skip an election. That turnout number for every election year should be between 90 and 100 percent like other developed nations, not just 50-something or 40-something percent. People tend to forget that we are the ones who shape the government. The people are the ones who have the ability to determine how docile or how corrupt the government is.

[IrishAyes]

13. So right. We do, as a people, get the government we deserve. It's really up to US!

[struggle4progress]

11. They aren't going to give up easily either: the voter suppression efforts may be just the start

of the ugly crap that's coming round the bend in the road ahead

So organizing remains important

[IrishAyes]

14. Love your sig line!

[struggle4progress]

16. Old labor organizer I knew had that on the wall over his desk

[IrishAyes]

15. "Not only is the Republican Party facing extinction, but the country itself continues to move left."

Lord, make it so.

Brings to mind a football cheer we had at school: "Push 'em back, push 'em back - waaaay back!"

[sheshe2]

17. We all had that football cheer!

Make it so!

PS Thanks Irish~