Citing social issues, local GOP officials are abandoning their party in droves

[babsbunny]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3866/jumping_ship/

Jumping Ship
Citing social issues, local GOP officials are abandoning their party in droves
By Hans Johnson
Same-sex marriage

Many local GOP officials are citing their party's increasingly conservative views on social issues -- such as abortion rights, stem-cell research and same-sex marriage -- as reasons for defecting.


A wave of GOP state legislators and other officials is defecting from the Republican Party, exposing the role that an increasingly hard line on social issues may be playing in driving out moderates. The departures weaken the GOP as it confronts another challenging election.

“I don’t think Ronald Reagan would recognize the party anymore,” Wisconsin state Rep. Jeff Wood told the Chippewa Herald on July 8.

Wood announced he was leaving the Republicans to become an independent. In a closely divided state — where each of the major parties narrowly controls one chamber — Wood’s switch underscores widespread concern over conservatives’ embrace of big government on issues such as war spending and eavesdropping.

[tanyev]

1. “I don’t think Ronald Reagan would recognize the party anymore,”

What? This is the party Ronald Reagan created. He's the one who brought all the fundies in. :crazy:

[JaneQPublic]

4. Yep. RR sure wouldn't be FOR abortion rights, stem-cell research and same-sex marriage (nt)

[Joanne98]

2. I hope so.

[old guy]

3. BS!!

When I see stories like this, I really have to smile and shake my head. The only thing they are changing is their designation, not their politics. A skunk by any name stinks just as bad.

[RC]

5. This country has been pushed so far to the right,

The Democratic party center is now where the main stream Republicans were 50 years ago.