During times when loonies from the far reaches of the Democratic caucus in the Senate are threatening to filibuster health reform because it includes or does not include a public option, we'll take any sign of strong, moderate candidates we can get.
Senator Olympia Snowe, the moderate Republican from Maine, may be set to switch parties on the heels of a poll that shows her losing her Republican primary to a generic conservative candidate. It seems that the Republican Party no longer accepts moderates. There is plenty of room under the Democratic tent for a nuanced and reasonable leader like Ms. Snowe.
If Snowe made the move, which her colleague Arlen Specter made earlier this year, she would become the 61st vote in the Democratic caucus and allow the Party to retain a supermajority even if outliers like Lieberman should join the GOP in stonewalling health reform legislation.
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If the extreme wing of the GOP continues to eat the middle of the party, what is historically a threatening year could be a bloodbath for the Republicans. The New York race demonstrated that too.
ReplyDeleteThey will be on the way to being a fringe party of a few southern states.
Keep in mind, Bob, that the same thing could happen to Democrats if they continue to persecute the moderate element within their party.
ReplyDeleteThe more selective a group becomes, the smaller it becomes. They are shooting themselves in the foot, and then forcing an "either you are for us, or against us" mentality on its remaining members. This does not just extend to a few key issues, but all issues. By their own current structure a Republican must be anti-(all)taxes on the rich, against a woman's rights over her body, against gay marriage, pro-gun, trust all endeavors giant corporations despite the economic crash, be against healthcare reform, for drilling up Alaska, support their concept of "gentle" torture, and be actively trying to turn this country into an official theocracy. Anyone who does not fit into all these little holes is a traitor to their party and ousted.
ReplyDeleteOnly the Sith deal in absolutes. Eventually, there will only be two of them left... a master and an apprentice.
I agree--no matter which party, when they go to the extreme, they're in trouble. My perception is that in the past 10 or 15 years, the Democratic Party has been bending over backwards towards the center. I say that as a proud liberal who personally disagrees with those positions, but who respects and agrees with the reason behind them. A Democratic leader who is representing all the people is bound to go contrary to liberals like me some of the time. But when the alternative is a Republican (be they a tea-bagger, religious fundamentalist or corporate schill), I'll support that Democratic candidate as the better alternative.
ReplyDeleteb.t.w., Chris, could you please email me? bob (dot) layton (at) yahoo.com