GOP presidential contenders drift to the right

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

In the first presidential election since the Tea Party's emergence, Republican candidates are drifting rightward on a range of issues, even though more centrist stands might play well in the 2012 general election.

On energy, taxes, health care and other topics, the top candidates hold positions that are more conservative than those they espoused a few years ago.

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"The most visible shift in the political landscape" in recent years "is the emergence of a single bloc of across-the-board conservatives," says the Pew Research Center, which conducts extensive voter surveys. Many of them "take extremely conservative positions on nearly all issues," Pew reports. They largely "agree with the tea party," and "very strongly disapprove of Barack Obama's job performance."

Climate policy is a dramatic example of how GOP presidential hopefuls have shifted to the right in recent years. Former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Jon Huntsman of Utah, along with other likely candidates, have backed away from earlier embraces of regional "cap-and-trade" programs to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43218411/ns/politics-decision_2012/

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I remember when the polling following the election of Scott Walker in Wisconsin and how he had decent support among self-described moderates and even 10 percent from self-described "liberals." Afterall, Scott Walker could not really mean all those extreme things he said, right?

Well, here are the Republicans Presidential candidates trying to out-crazy each other. Sure, they will probably try to sell this crazy to the general public as compassionate conservatives II. But, will the American people fall for it again?

[onehandle]

1. How? How much farther right is there?

Forget it. I don't want the answer.

[liberal N proud]

7. We get much further reich-t and we might meet the left

[Zoeisright]

2. "Drift"?? More like "steamroll".

Steamrolling right over America.

[AmBlue]

3. It's primary season.

They'll go back to pretending like they are centrists for the general.

[SoapBox]

4. Drifting? Seems more like they are on one of those jet sleds and hurling towards...

...hell.

As others have said...How much further right is there?

They are already in total crazy land.

[HillWilliam]

5. Maybe they'll keep "drifting"

and fall off the edge of their flat earth. Then good riddance to the lot.

[pnorman]

6. ".....fall off the edge of their flat earth. "

I like that!