Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <You seem to like Rush, Hannity, et al, but you have to admit that in our little microcosm, they're alienating moderates big time.> I like Christopher Buckley, Kathleen Parker, and David Frum as well. I think they make a lot of good points. But I can see where they often have the same "you're with us or against us" mentality as some conservatives do. And I've seen that same mentality evident on the left as well. I think you don't hear about Democrat leaders apologizing for criticizing those to their left because they rarely criticize those to their left. Right now, I don't think moderates want to see that, but I suspect that will change.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>A little over the top? That's an understatement.<< So true. I wouldn't call pouring gasoline on someone and saying it's what Obama's doing "a little over the top." Calling our democratically-elected government a "tyranny?" Wow. The thing is, I think Douglas has made some good points, but I think where he's missing the boat is in degree and influence. It's possible to point to certain things and certain examples and say, "This is how it is." While those examples are fair, I don't think they're an accurate reflection of the real issues the GOP faces. For example, it is possible to point to some conservative disenchantment with McCain. But as Dabob2 points out, I think citing that disenchantment as the reason for McCain's loss breaks down when we examine the moderate turn-out and compare these two to 2004. Perhaps the GOP many of us describe here, of Rush, Hannity, et al, being the power behind the party, is not the party Douglas recognizes. Fair enough. But it is the perception many Americans have, and that perception is their reality. Poll after poll shows that moderates overwhelmingly side with Obama over the GOP and that a majority of Americans like Obama and dislike the GOP. The GOP can make all the excuses about this it wants, or it can realize it has a problem on its hands and it better make some adjustments.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh The latest Rasmussen poll also shows the GOP ahead of the Democrats, so I don't think the GOP is in as much trouble as you guys think.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_scott_rasmussen/is_the_beltway_gop_irrelevant" target="_blank">http://www.rasmussenreports.co...relevant</a>
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <<You seem to like Rush, Hannity, et al, but you have to admit that in our little microcosm, they're alienating moderates big time.>> <I like Christopher Buckley, Kathleen Parker, and David Frum as well. I think they make a lot of good points. But I can see where they often have the same "you're with us or against us" mentality as some conservatives do.> Come on. "Often?" As often as Rush and co., who have it every day? Not even close. Frum just wrote a column decrying that very attitude, saying it was counterproductive. Plus, they couldn't possibly have the same alienating effect on moderates as Rush, Hannity, etc., for the simple reason that they're not well known except among those who follow politics fairly closely. Limbaugh would probably have 90% name recognition among the general US populace (just a guess); Kathleen Parker? Nowhere near that. So even if they've taken that attitude at times, they are relatively minor players in the country as a whole. <And I've seen that same mentality evident on the left as well. I think you don't hear about Democrat leaders apologizing for criticizing those to their left because they rarely criticize those to their left.> Well, that's a convenient thing to "think," because one can't prove a negative. Meanwhile, in the real world, we have actual examples of congressmen and the RNC chair daring to criticize Limbaugh, then being forced to toady to him. <Right now, I don't think moderates want to see that, but I suspect that will change.> Again, one can only see what is actually there. Republicans kowtowing to Limbaugh is there for all to see; the equivalent among Democrats is currently in your imagination.
