The Republican idea factory has dried up

[Decker]

Quotes

"The Republican idea factory has dried up. And we’ve got to catch up 
  on the key issues of our times -- health care, renewable energy and education." 
    -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty,    Link http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15357_Page2.html
 

 Hey Tim, I have some free advice for you:
 Stop being super-Nazi pricks on every issue.
 Stop borrowing money to give to the super-rich and
 stop pretending affordable health care means we're all "socialists."

 And what do you have against education?
 You tell kids to stay in school - why?
 So they can get a degree and be called "egg headed Harvard elites"
 by uneducated dirtbags like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh?
http://www.bartcop.com/

I thought that those were fairly astute comments by both commentators.  Some of the moderate republicans, like Pawlenty, get it.  It's the other 99% of republicans that drag the republican party into the 19th century.

[Dos Equis]

It's true.  No message.  No leader. 

[Decker]

It's true.  No message.  No leader. 

I like Pawlenty an awful lot.  I think he's the future of the republican party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Pawlenty

[Dos Equis]

I like Pawlenty an awful lot.  I think he's the future of the republican party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Pawlenty

Looks pretty solid.  I'd like to hear more about him in the coming months and years. 

[shootfighter1]

Will definitely have to keep an eye on Pawlenty.  We need more moderate republicans!

[Straw Man]

I'm sure they have a few ideas left.

The real problem is that all of their ideas have been proven to SUCK

[Le4rner]

If Barack Obama backs out of campaign promises will people realize left and right are both false ideas?  I believe a dictatorship is being steered into place no matter who is in office.

[Arnold jr]

I'm sure they have a few ideas left.

The real problem is that all of their ideas have been proven to SUCK

Think what you will but since 1953 when Eisenhower took office, the republican party has been in control 38 of those years. That is by far the majority of the time. It's hard to argue against the fact the most of America's power and wealth has been built during the past 50+ years, 50+ years that the republican party has run the majority.

Now enter people saying, "but look where we are now." IMO that's a ridiculous statement. We've always had ups and downs, doesn't matter which party is leading. That's the nature of any economy.

[shootfighter1]

No, the ideas don't all suck.  Thats a stupid generalization. The economic foundation of the country is at least partly conservative.  Bush and the neocons parted from traditional conservativism.  We need a social moderate, economic conservative.  The religious right cannot speak for the whole republican party if the party is to flourish again.  There's nothing wrong with conservative social ideas but there must be some tolerance.
Looks like the party is starting to reach out to more women & minorities, that trend needs to continue.

[Straw Man]

No, the ideas don't all suck.  Thats a stupid generalization. The economic foundation of the country is at least partly conservative.  Bush and the neocons parted from traditional conservativism.  We need a social moderate, economic conservative.  The religious right cannot speak for the whole republican party if the party is to flourish again.  There's nothing wrong with conservative social ideas but there must be some tolerance.
Looks like the party is starting to reach out to more women & minorities, that trend needs to continue.

Tell me one good idea that the neocons have implemented successfully in the last 8 years

[shootfighter1]

If we were a socialist country, we would not be a superpower.  We'd be just like most European nations.  thats why they like when we move toward socialistic policies anyway, no one outside of the US wants to see us as the superpower in the world.  (Well, until there is a conflict)

[CQ]

No, the ideas don't all suck.  Thats a stupid generalization. The economic foundation of the country is at least partly conservative.  Bush and the neocons parted from traditional conservativism.  We need a social moderate, economic conservative.  The religious right cannot speak for the whole republican party if the party is to flourish again.  There's nothing wrong with conservative social ideas but there must be some tolerance.
Looks like the party is starting to reach out to more women & minorities, that trend needs to continue.

Excellent post and I agree, the chokehold the religious right seems to have needs to be tampered, and also yes they need to diversify.  Economic conservatism I am all for and think many are, they need to get back to that.

[shootfighter1]

Strawman, we don't disagree.  I separated Bush/Cheney out.  They damaged the rep party greatly with their intolerance for the public and big gov/big corporation ways.  Thats why thereBush/Cheney did not represent traditional conservatism which champions personal freedom, smaller government, constitutional principles and lower taxes.

[Decker]

If we were a socialist country, we would not be a superpower.  We'd be just like most European nations.  thats why they like when we move toward socialistic policies anyway, no one outside of the US wants to see us as the superpower in the world.  (Well, until there is a conflict)

How does capitalism engender superpower status?

I thought that our country had an abundance of natural resources and a representative democracy that made all of old Europe's governments obsolete and undesirable.

[CQ]

If we were a socialist country, we would not be a superpower.  We'd be just like most European nations.  thats why they like when we move toward socialistic policies anyway, no one outside of the US wants to see us as the superpower in the world.  (Well, until there is a conflict)

One thing I never get when people complain about socialism what per se do they see it as? I've been told by some people here my nation is socialist as we get free college and health - even though we barely pay taxes maybe $25 a year for average income people. Americans are gouged with taxes just like the "socialist" nations now - the real difference is on where the tax money is later spent.

[Decker]

One thing I never get when people complain about socialism what per se do they see it as? I've been told by some people here my nation is socialist as we get free college and health - even though we barely pay taxes maybe $25 a year for average income people. Americans are gouged with taxes just like the "socialist" nations now - the real difference is on where the tax money is later spent.

Excellent post.

Government contracts for families like Bush's...little work, shitty workproduct, priced at exorbitant gouging rates.  That's how many of these free marketeers make and retain their fortunes.

[a_joker10]

Excellent post.

Government contracts for families like Bush's...little work, shitty workproduct, priced at exorbitant gouging rates.  That's how many of these free marketeers make and retain their fortunes.

Socialism only works when there is an excess of revenue from one source that pays for the social spending of the rest.

Places like Norway thrive under socialism, however the test of their system will be when the oil runs out.

I came from a province that was heavily into socialism and it worked for most when the wealth from the farms was redistributed to the cities.
When the farm wealth dried up so did socialism. What we were left with was massive deficits and no way of paying for it.

[Dos Equis]

I hear some (HH6, shoot, Ron, and others) say that Republicans need a moderate, or at least a social moderate to run.  Why do you say this?  What specific issues are social conservatives either wrong about or out-of-step with the majority of the country?   

[Decker]

Socialism only works when there is an excess of revenue from one source that pays for the social spending of the rest.

Places like Norway thrive under socialism, however the test of their system will be when the oil runs out.

I came from a province that was heavily into socialism and it worked for most when the wealth from the farms was redistributed to the cities.
When the farm wealth dried up so did socialism. What we were left with was massive deficits and no way of paying for it.

How does the wealth dry up if the farms are productive and engage in a system of shared burden/benefit not unlike commercial insurance companies?

[a_joker10]

The republicans need a strong conservative.
They need a leader that has lots of charisma and someone that is young.

Personally I think they need an anti Obama.
From this election I found that it is easier for the media to believe that someone can moderate. Then they can go the other way.

McCain could never be viewed as social conservative, but Obama could easily be viewed as moderate Democrat.

They should also make sure their Candidate is a governor.

The group they need to target are the blue dog democrats, formerly know as Regan democrats and Women.
They performed badly with Women only getting 40% of their votes.

[a_joker10]

How does the wealth dry up if the farms are productive and engage in a system of shared burden/benefit not unlike commercial insurance companies?

Overhead.
Someone has to be paid to manage the system and when times are good management grows, when times are bad they are first to start to collect.

[Hedgehog]

Socialism only works when there is an excess of revenue from one source that pays for the social spending of the rest.

Places like Norway thrive under socialism

Norway is not a Socialist country.

Eg, Norway has free enterprising, offers private schools, private drug stores and private health care.
Compare that to the the Socialist state of Soviet where no private corps where allowed.

[a_joker10]

Norway is not a Socialist country.

Eg, Norway has free enterprising, offers private schools, private drug stores and private health care.
Compare that to the the Socialist state of Soviet where no private corps where allowed.

Many business are owned by the state, especially their nationalized oil company.
This has lead to their high standard of living.

[CQ]

The group they need to target are the blue dog democrats, formerly know as Regan democrats and Women.
They performed badly with Women only getting 40% of their votes.

Yes, and 40% with a woman on the ticket is laughable.

I was flamed to a crisp for saying months ago Palin would not draw the female vote really, and she didn't. As a female that was obvious to me quickly.

Other issue they have is another female VP back to back will look far too gimmicky, as Palin was a gimmicky pick anyway. A female outright winning the nomination is a more feasible idea to attract female voters, but Palin won't do, she won't perform any better with women in 2012.

[w8tlftr]

I'm sure they have a few ideas left.

The real problem is that all of their ideas have been proven to SUCK

This is what happens when you stray from your fiscally conservative and socially liberal roots.