Comments on: The Rally Has Been Cancelled Due To Lack Of Interest http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:57:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Zarathustra http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7352 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:17:35 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7352 "Getting the Republican nomination means you must be anti immigration reform" Even if it's assumed, <i>arguendo</i>, that "immigration reform" in this sentence really refers to "amnesty" that statement would still be absolutely incorrect. Rudy inexplicably enjoys a conformable lead in the polls, with second place occupied by fellow amnesty supporter Fred Thompson. The men below them are no improvement, Janus Romney in third place and McCain in fourth. Arguably the strongest candidate on the GOP side who's unambiguously opposed to amnesty is, shockingly, Rep. Ron Paul. "This is a recipe for electoral disaster." Yes, endorsing the immigration position that is held by well over <b>seventy</b> percent of Americans, i.e. no amnesty for illegals and, instead, an emphasis on border security and workplace enforcement will lead to nothing save calamity for the Republicans. That must be why Clinton, Obama, Reid and Pelosi have repeatedly brought up the failed immigration "reform" bill in speeches, press releases, and commercials over the last few weeks; it's just such a great wedge issue for the Democrats to exploit. Oh wait, that's right, they haven't done anything of the sort. Odd, is it not? “Getting the Republican nomination means you must be anti immigration reform”

Even if it’s assumed, arguendo, that “immigration reform” in this sentence really refers to “amnesty” that statement would still be absolutely incorrect. Rudy inexplicably enjoys a conformable lead in the polls, with second place occupied by fellow amnesty supporter Fred Thompson. The men below them are no improvement, Janus Romney in third place and McCain in fourth. Arguably the strongest candidate on the GOP side who’s unambiguously opposed to amnesty is, shockingly, Rep. Ron Paul.

“This is a recipe for electoral disaster.”

Yes, endorsing the immigration position that is held by well over seventy percent of Americans, i.e. no amnesty for illegals and, instead, an emphasis on border security and workplace enforcement will lead to nothing save calamity for the Republicans.

That must be why Clinton, Obama, Reid and Pelosi have repeatedly brought up the failed immigration “reform” bill in speeches, press releases, and commercials over the last few weeks; it’s just such a great wedge issue for the Democrats to exploit.

Oh wait, that’s right, they haven’t done anything of the sort. Odd, is it not?

]]> by: ottovbvs http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7343 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:44:17 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7343 One of the least fortunate side effects of the Rovian strategy of polarization, to be fair it actually pre-dates Karl and goes back to Gingrich and Attwater days, but he was an enthusiastic player, is that it has manned the ramparts of the Republican party in the widest sense with zealots. They occupy all the positions of power in the party machine; they are apart from the surviving war horses like Lugar the people sitting in congress; the opinion formers are all leading the charge and are if anything even worse than the politicians because they don't have to worry about elections; and finally the administration has packed the govt machine with it's devoted followers as Waxman is demonstrating every day. In short the Republican party is now controlled by the far right of the party. On the whole the moderate Republicans have been fairly quiet about this but in a vague inchoate way the general public realizes it. The result has been to put the GOP on the wrong side of just about every major issue of the day. Iraq is just at the top of the list but think about healthcare, income inequality, stem cell research, global warming, competence in govt, immigration, corruption, the list is endless. And those manning the ramparts are going to defend this agenda to the last man. Getting the Republican nomination means you must be anti immigration reform, for the Iraq war, against stem cell research. You get the idea. This is a recipe for electoral disaster. Quite apart from the structural issues favoring the democrats next year the Republican party seems to be wedded to a platform that could kill them for a generation. Basically we have a situation where its Republicans one third, Rest of the country two thirds. In the excitement of the election some will come home but its seems probable that the GOP is going to sustain a defeat of '32 like proportions next year. Take a look at some of the comments from supposedly knowledgeable commentators like Lowry at the Corner, not to mention the raving idiots, and it indicates the extent to which these folks have lost contact with the real world. Perhaps the GOP should take a look at the fortunes of the Conservative party in the UK, it could happen to them. One of the least fortunate side effects of the Rovian strategy of polarization, to be fair it actually pre-dates Karl and goes back to Gingrich and Attwater days, but he was an enthusiastic player, is that it has manned the ramparts of the Republican party in the widest sense with zealots. They occupy all the positions of power in the party machine; they are apart from the surviving war horses like Lugar the people sitting in congress; the opinion formers are all leading the charge and are if anything even worse than the politicians because they don’t have to worry about elections; and finally the administration has packed the govt machine with it’s devoted followers as Waxman is demonstrating every day. In short the Republican party is now controlled by the far right of the party. On the whole the moderate Republicans have been fairly quiet about this but in a vague inchoate way the general public realizes it. The result has been to put the GOP on the wrong side of just about every major issue of the day. Iraq is just at the top of the list but think about healthcare, income inequality, stem cell research, global warming, competence in govt, immigration, corruption, the list is endless. And those manning the ramparts are going to defend this agenda to the last man. Getting the Republican nomination means you must be anti immigration reform, for the Iraq war, against stem cell research. You get the idea. This is a recipe for electoral disaster. Quite apart from the structural issues favoring the democrats next year the Republican party seems to be wedded to a platform that could kill them for a generation. Basically we have a situation where its Republicans one third, Rest of the country two thirds. In the excitement of the election some will come home but its seems probable that the GOP is going to sustain a defeat of ‘32 like proportions next year. Take a look at some of the comments from supposedly knowledgeable commentators like Lowry at the Corner, not to mention the raving idiots, and it indicates the extent to which these folks have lost contact with the real world. Perhaps the GOP should take a look at the fortunes of the Conservative party in the UK, it could happen to them.

]]> by: tkopec http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7340 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:29:40 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/17/the-rally-has-been-cancelled-due-to-lack-of-interest/#comment-7340 Although it is considered bad form to compare Bush to Hitler, I thought George Will had an interesting point on This Week last Sunday when he stated that we were approaching a "Weimar moment" in the US. He said that when we pull out, there will be a significant number of people who will believe that we were on the verge of winning and only lost Iraq due to the fifth column media elites and liberals. Any chance of sensible discourse on the right has been lost due to the name calling and fear mongering by the President and his supporters. Anyone who even dares to reconsider his position is considered a traitor. The general public seems to have tired of this nonsense, but the base of the Republican party (particullary primary voters) will not allow their candidates to move on this. Bush decided to govern as a 51% president. He will end up insuring that Republicans are a 15% party. Although it is considered bad form to compare Bush to Hitler, I thought George Will had an interesting point on This Week last Sunday when he stated that we were approaching a “Weimar moment” in the US. He said that when we pull out, there will be a significant number of people who will believe that we were on the verge of winning and only lost Iraq due to the fifth column media elites and liberals.

Any chance of sensible discourse on the right has been lost due to the name calling and fear mongering by the President and his supporters. Anyone who even dares to reconsider his position is considered a traitor. The general public seems to have tired of this nonsense, but the base of the Republican party (particullary primary voters) will not allow their candidates to move on this.

Bush decided to govern as a 51% president. He will end up insuring that Republicans are a 15% party.

]]>