In June, I would have been the first to say that the GOP's problems this year were just a temporary phenomeonon. But suddenly we've been deluged with news that indicated serious long-term problems for the GOP. They have become the Incredible Shrinking GOP.
I've already discussed how the GOP faces threats from voter apathy and extremist social conservatives. But perhaps the greatest challenge the GOP faces from within its own ranks is Ron Paul. Rep. Paul, who is more more suited to the libertarian ticket, has a legion of rabid supporters who are bent on pushing the Republican party to the right, and they've been far more successful than anyone would have guessed.
Paul is having a huge effect on the party, even if party leaders are trying to stop him. After GOP leaders refused to award him a speech at the national convention, Paul decided to hold his own counter-convention. Now the Minnesota Independent is reporting that Paul's convention is going to have such high attendance that they're changing venues:
"After measuring the excitement and enthusiasm, we decided that the Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota was just too small to hold you," Paul said in a released statement this morning. "Therefore, we are making a significant upgrade."Clearly, Paul has a lot of grassroots support. What's even worse for the Republican party is that he will be holding a political training for supporters who have already proved quite effective at infiltrating the ranks of the GOP.
With a capacity of over 20,000 the Target Center is certainly an upgrade from the 14,000 seat Williams Arena. Target Center is not onyl the largest arena in the Twin Cities, it is also engaged in a year-round competition for concerts and events with Xcel Energy Center, site of the RNC.
The bottom line: Between Ron Paul's libertarianism and the growing influence of social conservatives (more on them Thursday or Friday), the GOP is moving hard to the right. This could spell major trouble for the party in upcoming elections. The GOP will be competitive in fewer states, and it will attract fewer voters in those states. If the Democrats' 50-state strategy pays off and Democrats learn to communicate better (something I'll also address in future weeks), they could seriously marginalize the GOP for the next decade.
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6 comments:
I disagree with your statement that the GOP is moving more to the right. The GOP is moving more towards the left as they embrace the policies of the Democrats in such things as war, big government, and curtailment of indvidual liberties.
While the Democrats today are more in the mold of Carter and their embrace of socialism, the Republicans are more in the mold of LBJ and his embrace of guns and butter.
Otherwise the differences are not so great.
Both parties make war on people just in different places, both spend money the do not have and are one of the primary sponsors of the failing economy which now hurts the American poor and middle class. They both curtail individual liberties just different ones. And both parties lack any respect for American sovereignty and the Constitution.
While those who are ignorant of their political history call Ron Paul a Libertarian, he is really a Republican cut form the cloth of Taft and Coolidge who railed against entitlements, government waste, involuntary drafts and needless wars and expressed a profound respect to the rule of Law as dictated by the Constitution.
Some who are ignorant of political ideology still see this as a race of left versus right when it really is a race between two different shades of the left.
Socialism espoused by the Democrats who bring a platform where the individual is merely property of the state to be used and extorted for some perceived common good and class warfare is a tool of control
Fascism by the Republicans who bring a platform where the individual is still property of the state to be used and extorted for sake of empire and corporatism and fear is a tool of control
Ron Paul espouses a platform where the government shrinks in size, leaves people alone and only does what the law says it should do and that the people control and harass the government
Anonymous wrote:
"Ron Paul espouses a platform where the government shrinks in size, leaves people alone and only does what the law says it should do and that the people control and harass the government."
That's a libertarian, Anon.
As far as the ways in which the Democratic party lacks "respect for American sovereignty and the Constitution," I'd love to hear some actual examples.
"That's a libertarian, Anon."
Actually no, that's Republican .. listen to Taft's speech against the draft and the Korean War, it is spot on to what Ron Paul espouses and Taft was known as Mr. Republican.
"As far as the ways in which the Democratic party lacks "respect for American sovereignty and the Constitution," I'd love to hear some actual examples."
Illegal immigration Reform, Nafta, Cafta, Kyoto Treaty, capitualtion to the WTO
As to the lack of respect to the Constitution
Patriot Act
Military Commissions Act
Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq,
those are 3 big examples right there.
Taft may have been a Republican, but party definitions change over time. Under Lincoln, the Republican party was the party of inclusion... now it's the opposite.
How do Nafta, Cafta, Kyoto Treaty, etc. violate our sovereignty?? Do we not have the power to sign treaties?
I would agree somewhat that the acts you noted violate the constitution. But I wouldn't lay acts like the Patriot Act on the Democrats. Their problem is that they are weak and afraid to take on Republicans on national security. That's a problem, but not the same problem as actively attempting to circumvent the constitution. I'm not in the business of defending the Dems on national security issues, but when you lump them together with the GOP, you lose the forest for the trees.
"Taft may have been a Republican, but party definitions change over time. Under Lincoln, the Republican party was the party of inclusion... now it's the opposite."
Factions within the party may come to power and dictate a new agenda but the core principals cannot be ignored. Republicans fort he last 100 years have always been for smaller government, low taxes and adherence to the Constitution.
How do Nafta, Cafta, Kyoto Treaty, etc. violate our sovereignty?? Do we not have the power to sign treaties?
For sake of brevity, I will include only one example is each mentioned item
NAFTA - Chapter 11 allows foreign nationals to overturn state and federal laws and in some instances can take tax payer money from another country as part of the settlement
CAFTA - Chapter 9, which mimics chapter 11 of Cafta but also dictates that foreign nationals MUST BE INCLUDED in any procurement procedure and that any state/federal law that may hamper business by foreign nationals that may be deemed "unfailry"
KYOTO - The creation of 3 unelected panels that had the power to dciate what a country and its industries could and could not do.
"I would agree somewhat that the acts you noted violate the constitution. But I wouldn't lay acts like the Patriot Act on the Democrats. Their problem is that they are weak and afraid to take on Republicans on national security."
Ron Paul wasn't weak .. he followed his personal ethics and the law of the land. He upheld the pledge he took when he became a Congressman. Making excuses for the lack of moral standing is lame and old no water."
"but when you lump them together with the GOP, you lose the forest for the trees."
Actions speak louder then words and the actions of the GOP and the Dems are so closely lock=stepped with each other on the big issues they are basically one party
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