The Republican Thread

[Rex Kickass]

That's really sad. He lost his wife in another plane crash that he survived thirty years ago too.

[Balta1701]

Sean O'Keefe reportedly survived the crash, along with his son.

[kapkomet]

That's really sad. He lost his wife in another plane crash that he survived thirty years ago too.

 

 

That is just stunning - he was in a plane crash 30 years ago, lost his wife, he survives, and then 30 years later dies in another plane crash. That is incredibly sad.

[Balta1701]

That is just stunning - he was in a plane crash 30 years ago, lost his wife, he survives, and then 30 years later dies in another plane crash. That is incredibly sad.

What this really provides (politics aside) is an insight into Alaska. There's no road between the capitol city and the largest city. You have to fly. Going from the capitol city to the oil fields or cities on the North Slope is like going from Texas to Maine. Then you're flying dozens of times per year between your constituents in AK and the vote in DC. And then you're contending with Alaskan weather.

[NorthSideSox72]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but it seems like there were more interesting GOP primaries than Dem ones yesterday...

 

Looks like the newbie candidates won out more often than not in the hot races. Seems to me that's good and bad. Its good to get some new blood in there, and certainly good to get some candidates in there who understand fiscal restraint.

 

Problem is, look at what is happening in Nevada. You have a novice going against Harry Reid, and the novice is managing to take defeat from the jaws of victory. Will these newcomer candidates have the same sorts of issues, and be more easily beaten in the general elections against experienced opponents?

 

[mr_genius]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but it seems like there were more interesting GOP primaries than Dem ones yesterday...

 

Looks like the newbie candidates won out more often than not in the hot races. Seems to me that's good and bad. Its good to get some new blood in there, and certainly good to get some candidates in there who understand fiscal restraint.

 

Problem is, look at what is happening in Nevada. You have a novice going against Harry Reid, and the novice is managing to take defeat from the jaws of victory. Will these newcomer candidates have the same sorts of issues, and be more easily beaten in the general elections against experienced opponents?

 

It's really amazing that it's even as close as it is considering how bad of a candidate Angle (IMO) is.

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/20..._reid-1517.html

[NorthSideSox72]

It's really amazing that it's even as close as it is considering how bad of a candidate Angle (IMO) is.

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/20..._reid-1517.html

Which tells me, if the NV GOP had put up a candidate who wasn't nuts, they probably take Reid's seat with ease. Using Angle though, her verbal gaffes will only be amplified as time goes on, and Reid will probably win that seat again.

 

[Balta1701]

Which tells me, if the NV GOP had put up a candidate who wasn't nuts, they probably take Reid's seat with ease.

There are probably more than 5 races where you can say the exact same thing; the Dem shouldn't have a shot, but the Republicans went with the tea party candidate rather than the more mainstream candidate. Alaska's Senate Race may suddenly be on that list.

[mr_genius]

There are probably more than 5 races where you can say the exact same thing; the Dem shouldn't have a shot, but the Republicans went with the tea party candidate rather than the more mainstream candidate. Alaska's Senate Race may suddenly be on that list.

 

I think what's going to happen is a bunch of 'tea party' candidates get elected to office. We need a predictions thread for the Nov elections. See who can get the most right.

[mr_genius]

Which tells me, if the NV GOP had put up a candidate who wasn't nuts, they probably take Reid's seat with ease. Using Angle though, her verbal gaffes will only be amplified as time goes on, and Reid will probably win that seat again.

 

Maybe, but I think a lot of voters are against the typical GOP candidate. I don't think they can win if they just take "I'm not a Democrat, vote for me" approach. But that doesn't mean having a gaffe machine like Angle in the general election is an advantage. There needs to be balance.

[Balta1701]

Maybe, but I think a lot of voters are against the typical GOP candidate. I don't think they can win if they just take "I'm not a Democrat, vote for me" approach. But that doesn't mean having a gaffe machine like Angle in the general election is an advantage. There needs to be balance.

Well...I'm afraid i have to ask...which of Angle's supposed "Gaffes" aren't basically explicit tea party positions?

[NorthSideSox72]

Maybe, but I think a lot of voters are against the typical GOP candidate. I don't think they can win if they just take "I'm not a Democrat, vote for me" approach. But that doesn't mean having a gaffe machine like Angle in the general election is an advantage. There needs to be balance.

That's what I was getting at. I don't think its a disadvantage to be bear the Tea Party seal of approval, in fact I think it helps more often than not right now. The problem is candidates like Angle who are gaffe machines and just overall terrible candidates, regardless of their affiliation.

 

Then there is the wildcard - some races were won by more establishment type GOP'ers, and the tea partiers in those districts may run as independents, taking votes away from the Republicans.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Well...I'm afraid i have to ask...which of Angle's supposed "Gaffes" aren't basically explicit tea party positions?

I think her views are tea party positions taken to some extremes.

 

[Balta1701]

I think her views are tea party positions taken to some extremes.

And to me...I'd equate taken to some extremes to "said out loud".

[mr_genius]

Well...I'm afraid i have to ask...which of Angle's supposed "Gaffes" aren't basically explicit tea party positions?

 

she just isn't a good public speaker or particularly bright. as far as the 'evil tea party' and their positions, i don't think there are any. it's not really an official organization. just people that are abstractly against massive deficits and spending without positive return. you could also throw in government corruption i suppose

Edited August 26, 2010 by mr_genius

[Balta1701]

she just isn't a good public speaker or particularly bright. as far as the 'evil tea party' and their positions, i don't think there are any. it's not really an official organization. just people that are abstractly against massive deficits and spending without positive return.

I'd agree on the first 2 points but that wasn't my question. Some of her major gaffes have been saying that Social Security and Medicare need to be phased out, that "Second amendment remedies" ought to be used as a check against government tyranny, that the $20 billion BP fund was a "Slush fund" and that the administration had "extorted" it out of BP. Those are, frankly, things we've heard all the bleeping time lately.

[mr_genius]

I'd agree on the first 2 points but that wasn't my question. Some of her major gaffes have been saying that Social Security and Medicare need to be phased out, that "Second amendment remedies" ought to be used as a check against government tyranny, that the $20 billion BP fund was a "Slush fund" and that the administration had "extorted" it out of BP. Those are, frankly, things we've heard all the bleeping time lately.

 

See I don't hear that type of stuff from the 'tea party' enthusiasts.

 

1) usually they support the second amendment, but I don't hear anything about an armed mutiny. i see more 'vote everyone out of office' type of things.

 

2) i don't see any support for BP, and most 'tea party' people believe that the government is corrupt and bought off by corporate interests. they hate corporate bailouts as well.

[Jenksismyhero]

See I don't hear that type of stuff from the 'tea party' enthusiasts.

 

1) usually they support the second amendment, but I don't hear anything about an armed mutiny. i see more 'vote everyone out of office' type of things.

 

2) i don't see any support for BP, and most 'tea party' people believe that the government is corrupt and bought off by corporate interests. they hate corporate bailouts as well.

 

Just stop with reality. It's so much easier to discount a "movement" by creating stereotypes and running with it. Who cares about facts? They have wackos in the group, so therefore they're all wackos! God save us all from their crazy ideas!

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Just stop with reality. It's so much easier to discount a "movement" by creating stereotypes and running with it. Who cares about facts? They have wackos in the group, so therefore they're all wackos! God save us all from their crazy ideas!

Agree, but let's try to make sure we apply to the bolded to other groups too. Like the billion people on earth who practice Islam.

 

Not targetting that at you BTW, just making a general statement - some people say this when defending their own allegiances, but ignore it when applying judgment to others.

 

[kapkomet]

And to me...I'd equate taken to some extremes to "said out loud".

 

 

yep, all tea party people are racist motherf***ers who hate all other races but RICH white people... and hate gays., and hate women, and hate (insert whatever strawman you want here). keep perpetuating that notion, and preaching the hate.

[Rex Kickass]

yep, all tea party people are racist motherf***ers who hate all other races but RICH white people... and hate gays., and hate women, and hate (insert whatever strawman you want here). keep perpetuating that notion, and preaching the hate.

 

Not all of them, just the ones you nominate for office. And the ones who run the "tea party" organizations.

[Jenksismyhero]

Not all of them, just the ones you nominate for office. And the ones who run the "tea party" organizations.

 

Yep. So true. Absolutely true. All of them that are nominated and that organize. All racists haters. Yep. 100% accurate. No need to verify. You've spoken the truth on this one.

 

GMAFB. Take the blinders off and open your eyes.

[GoSox05]

Yep. So true. Absolutely true. All of them that are nominated and that organize. All racists haters. Yep. 100% accurate. No need to verify. You've spoken the truth on this one.

 

GMAFB. Take the blinders off and open your eyes.

 

 

Who would you say are five most influential people in the Tea Party?

[NorthSideSox72]

Who would you say are five most influential people in the Tea Party?

I don't know that anyone is really "in" the tea party - as stated earlier, its more a loose affiliation of people around a set of general ideas surrounding principles like smaller government, term limits, personal freedoms, etc. Of course, its also been partially co-opted by the general anti-Obama crowd, as well as the hate-filled, intrusive government neo-con crowd, led by the likes of Palin and Limbaugh, but that was not (IMO) how it was originally intended to be. And its not been taken over by them either, as much as they'd like to have done so.

 

[Jenksismyhero]

I don't know that anyone is really "in" the tea party - as stated earlier, its more a loose affiliation of people around a set of general ideas surrounding principles like smaller government, term limits, personal freedoms, etc. Of course, its also been partially co-opted by the general anti-Obama crowd, as well as the hate-filled, intrusive government neo-con crowd, led by the likes of Palin and Limbaugh, but that was not (IMO) how it was originally intended to be. And its not been taken over by them either, as much as they'd like to have done so.

 

And as much as the people in this thread seem to think.

 

Actually attend a rally and report back what you hear. When you do that, I'll respect your opinions more. Until then, you're relying on outliers supplied by the media, which of course just gravitates towards the most headline grabbing piece of news they can find.