Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
So I must say -- speaking only for myself -- that I'm not thrilled by the Delaware result. I'm a conservative, but I can do basic math. To me the whole thing looks like it came right out of Harry Reid's dream journal. I think the primary voters decided, and it is their decision to make, to toss away a sure-thing GOP Senate pick-up for, well, I'm not sure what. I can say that with a GOP majority now a longer shot, heads are exploding throughout the GOP Senate caucus.
That said, let me make a suggestion to the snarling combantants in the GOP's looming civil war. Let's settle the argument once and for all. I think the architects of the O'Donnell putsch, namely S.C. Senator Jim DeMint and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, should both temporarily move to Delaware full time and personally lead the O'Donnell campaign. Control it, direct it, and own it. Show that Georgetown cocktail party addicted and hapless GOP establishment how it's really done. I've got my notebook out, and I'm ready to learn. Call me a peacemaker.
RAHE > The Significance of the Upset in Delaware
ROBINSON > The Delaware Primary and What Happens Next
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Arrgh! I am tired of people who call themselves peacemakers who are really throwing stones. If you really want to talk peace, let me know.
Aug '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
I second Jeanne's 'Arrgh!'
I also think this kind of article is much less a reasonable assessment of the chances of winning an election than it is the reason the election is 'unwinable'. (How do you spell that?)
But the election isn't unwinable, so long as we stop with the self-fulfilling prophesies.
Jun '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
That's right. The voters in Delaware's Republican primary decided, and it is their decision to make. Regardless of what I think about grand party strategies, etc., the bottom line is Castle didn't make the sale.
The tea party movement, whatever its future, has its sights on reining in Washington. The GOP establishment has to learn to listen if it wants to truly harness the energy the tea party represents. You want peace in the GOP, listen to what your own voters are trying to say. The GOP should be careful about lauding the voters in one moment, and then denigrating them in the other.
The voters in Delaware made their choice. The GOP should respect that choice and work like hell to get the nominee elected.
Edited on September 15, 2010 at 11:24pmJul '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
.... and to not use words like "putsch" to describe it.
Jun '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Mike is saying in effect, you have to decide whether you want to make a statement, or you want to govern. But maybe, sometimes, you have to make a statement about how you want to govern
Sep '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Mike, this is a game of chicken that the GOP stalwarts are losing. They will lose even more if they insist on pressing matters. Conservatives have let go of the idea that the GOP establishment can bring them anything substantive with these preening rogues who undermine the central debate, who give cover to Democrats on game changing votes, and allow themselves to be used as propaganda pawns by the media. Nope. Done with that. And they have sufficient evidence that the strategy is wrong. Next...
The issue is not whether O Donnell can or will win. The takeaway is that the GOP has to at least start presenting conservatives with more difficult decisions.
Aug '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Now that the Tea Partiers in Delware have nominated O'Donnell they need to dig deep and finance her campaign. No griping about the GOP senate committee shorting them funds. They voted for her, now they need to get her elected.
I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm sincere. The TPers knew she'd be a longshot; If they aren't willing to pony up some serious coin they shouldn't have nominated her. Good luck. I'll be happy to come out and headline a fundraiser (My qualification being I've been to Delaware...once)
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Pilgrim: Mike is saying in effect, you have to decide whether you want to make a statement, or you want to govern. But maybe, sometimes, you have to make a statement about how you want to govern ยท Sep 15 at 2:41pm
Yes, I think this cuts to the heart of the matter. Many conservatives aren't ready to accept that the GOP is ready to govern again. Folks are just plain suspicious. Then again, how will we ever know if the GOP is ready if we don't put elect a majority? And are we willing to sacrifice more damage in the short run to perhaps (or perhaps not) establish a more principled party in the long run?
May '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Advancing the idea that it was a "putsch," an illegitimate assumption of power, is beneath contempt. Sorry that something as ugly as "democracy" got in Mr. Murphy's way. This establishment disdain for the voting public has got to stop. Mr. Castle had no more "right" to the nomination as anyone.
I guess if the people actually become involved in the process and rely less on the advertisements and strategies Mr. Murphy makes his living advancing then he might have to find another way to make a living.
May '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Geez Louise. Can it get more snarky and graceless?
Jun '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Yes, I think this cuts to the heart of the matter. Many conservatives aren't ready to accept that the GOP is ready to govern again.
And a GOP "civil war" will very precisely undercut the premise that they are ready to govern again. The time for this debate was during the primary season. The primary is over now. To start slinging it now only magnifies the ruling class vs. citizenry argument. Find out why Castle didn't make the sale. Learn from it. Try to recruit and field better candidates next time, if these don't suit you. But don't dismiss the voters you depend on - especially now that the result is final. A party "war" after the fact is a waste of energy and resources.
Feb '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Sorry, but there is a lot of anger at both Republicans and Democrats right now. It may appear "irrational" to someone whose goal is to get "our team" (ostensibly the Republicans) in power. But voters really are saying something like "a pox on both your houses" to establishment Republicans and Democrats alike.
This is a lot bigger than most people realize. There is a major, once-in-a-generation realignment and shift happening, and it's anybody's guess what the outcome will be. In this kind of generational transition period, entire parties can and have disappeared, if they are not able to weather the transition.
The last time this happened was two generational cycles ago, when the Whig Party died and the Republican party was born, largely over the issue of how to handle slavery. We may not have an issue as divisive as slavery today, but there are so many other issues upon which our country and even Republicans are divided.
Aug '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
The Republican party has an unequaled ability to seize defeat from the jaws of victory. They have within reach a good chance of taking control of the House, and possibly even the Senate, but by nominating off-the-chart, right wing extremists such as O'Donnell, the party is handing one essential race after another to the Democrats.
Tea Party enthusiasts may wildly cheer when their candidates prevail over moderate Republicans, but in November they'll run headfirst into a wall of reality when they find that voters whose support they need to win the general election-- Independents, conservative Democrats, and moderate Republicans-- are seriously put off by extremist views and positions they cannot endorse.
This remains at heart a centrist country, and neither the far-left nor far-right will find much support among the majority.
Obama needs to be stopped, as the threat he poses to the future and freedom of this country is real and must not be underestimated, but nominating candidates who can't possibly win in the general election is not going to bring his agenda to a halt.
On November 2nd, the Tea Partiers may well hand Obama his greatest and most unexpected victory.
May '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
And how long until we see Murphy and Peggy Noonan on MSNBC commiserating on how gauche these amatuers and hayseeds are?
May '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
My question is who is declaring war on whom? Mr. Murphy, who is supposed to be one of the most savvy media persons on the GOP side, has been at war with Gov. Palin since day one. Remember he is the one who called Palin's selection as VP as "cynical" and "gimmicky" to an open mic at a taping of Meet the Press. I'm sure he believed his establishment friends at NBC wouldn't dare leak that to make good establishment Republicans like himself and Peggy Noonan look bad.
Aug '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Frozen Chosen: Now that the Tea Partiers in Delware have nominated O'Donnell they need to dig deep and finance her campaign. No griping about the GOP senate committee shorting them funds. They voted for her, now they need to get her elected.
I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm sincere. The TPers knew she'd be a longshot; If they aren't willing to pony up some serious coin they shouldn't have nominated her. Good luck. I'll be happy to come out and headline a fundraiser (My qualification being I've been to Delaware...once) ยท Sep 15 at 2:46pm
Drudge reports the cash is pouring in. The Tea Party is doing their part.
Now why does this justify establishment financiers sitting on their wallets? (Not an answer--or at least a blind answer: the election can't be won. Because it absolutely can be won. Again, look at the failure of pollsters so far this year.)
Edited on September 16, 2010 at 12:14amAug '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
First, Mike is right in saying that those who promoted O'Donnell now need to own it. They need to work as hard as possible to get her a general election victory, and to take responsibility if she loses. He may have been snarky when he wrote the post, but he is right. Palin and crew need to spend political capital in the General election now that they have spent it in the Primary.
This isn't controversial, it is just true.
Second, Mike isn't necessarily acknowledging that O'Donnell's victory may be good in the long run -- even if bad in the short run -- for conservatives.
Formal term limits are odious and lead to larger and more empowered bureaucracy and more ingrained political parties, as California so gallantly shows, but informal "term limits" based on genuinely competitive elections lead to accountability.
Castle wasn't he right candidate for Delaware. O'Donnell likely isn't either, but her victory demonstrates an intolerance for the good ol' boys club. That is a very good thing indeed.
It is just happening at the wrong time. We need this wave of progressive legislation to stop now -- and can wait for cleansing.
Jul '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
Obama needs to be stopped, as the threat he poses to the future and freedom of this country is real and must not be underestimated, but nominating candidates who can't possibly win in the general election is not going to bring his agenda to a halt.
The problem is, a lot of American Voters believe that a person with Castle's record would not bring Obama's agenda to a halt. But, this O'Donnell would/will. I watched Karl Rove last night, and believe me, it was a tantrum. As is this angry missive from Mr. Murphy. It's time to calm down, remember all that old time stuff like honour, and being good losers, and get on with electing good people to Congress. I just wish that there were Democrats who were as tough as those Tea Party folk who backed this O'Donnell woman.
Jun '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
EJ, I guess my thought is that I don't care much who started it. But if there can be common cause between the GOP and this uprising of voters, everyone's interests are better served in avoiding this intraparty war, with November weeks away. It's like a pitcher who loses his composure over a play 2 innings before, beats a water cooler to death, yells at his teammates and can't get his act together to focus the team on finishing the game. If the GOP wants to fight itself, at least consider waiting until after November 2nd.
You want to hand Obama a victory in November, the GOP losing its collective "cool" before the game's over is a good way to do that.
Jul '10
Re: Civil War in the GOP? A Peacemaker's Proposal...
In 1994 the populace wanted to stop the madness. They turned to the GOP and said, Help Us Stop this Madness.
The GOP stepped up to the plate and whimped out in the first real test of restraining the madness. They couldn't defund a nothing government entitlement program that really isn't important, and has no constitutional authority. That is the National Endowment for the Arts.
In 2010, they aren't taking what is being served, they are saying to the GOP, We Want REAL change. Not just lip service to us and business as usual when you get in office.
We (the Tea Parties) tried it their way and we got Jeffords and Spectre. How did that work out again?
Fair Weather Friends are great when the going is easy, but the Tea Party is interested in governing (yes governing) with people who will stand by them when the going isn't all that easy.
Personaly, if peace offers like this continue then you may find that peace comes in the form of another party. (I won't say third party as I do beleive that the Establishment Republicans will be the third party.)