Democrats say Republicans should be more like them
After Senator Arlen Specter’s politically expedient switch to the Democratic Party, Congressional Democrats are recommending Republicans to become more moderate. Some believe the Republicans ran a moderate, John McCain, for President, while others believe the Republican Party needs to return to its more fiscally & politically conservative roots. Some believe the Republican Party must adopt more moderate stances in order to compete, while others believe compromise has badly hurt the party. Still others believe there is little difference between the two parties, as both parties pass $3 trillion budgets, add more debt, endorse huge bailouts, and increase the size & scope of the Federal Government. What do you think?
Read the article here.
Carol E Donaldson said:
I think that just like teens who say they want to do whatever comes to mind, no one really means that they want anarchy and the freedom to do anything, no matter how destructive. People DO want limits even while they fight against them. That fighting is just to check the boundaries to see if they’ve shifted or not. Liberals are willing to shift as people press against their boundaries. Example: Abortion. It went from Illegal, to Legal in certain circumstances, to legal in any circumstances in the first three months, then the first six months, and now, up until the day of the live birth but before the first breath. And as the boundary of Abortion got pushed farther and farther towards birth, the Liberals seared their minds and hearts as they declared that Abortion is not the murder of a child, it’s removing an ‘inconvenience’ from a woman’s belly. And Liberals would not keep bringing it up if they didn’t know in their heart of hearts that it IS Murder. If it didn’t grate at their souls, they’d ignore the subject. But they cannot because they know the truth but don’t want to admit to it.
The Republican Party MUST be a totally different choice from the Democrat Party. It cannot be “Democrat Light” because it will not be taken seriously. To be taken seriously, the Republican Agenda MUST have Boundaries that Do Not Change. Solid Boundaries. And if Chairman Steele and the GOP do not get the message, then it will be time for a Third Party.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Laura L said:
I suppose it’s possible Democrats actually believe it when they say that — don’t most people believe everyone else should think more like they do? More likely it’s a cynical ploy to smear the rest of Republicans and shape the debate.
Regardless, they are wrong. There is no way the Republicans can ever “out Dem the Dems.” Why try? All it does is alienate the real Republicans.
McCain is a perfect example — soft on amnesty for illegal immigrants to a point of driving away many security conscious conservatives. Did it get him any votes? Of course not — every pro amnesty person out there knew Obama was softer. Republicans big on big spending? What will that get them other than angry fiscal conservatives? What entitlement voter will ever vote for a “big spending” Republican when there is a Democrat to vote for? The best thing Republicans could do is stand up for what they stand for and stop letting themselves be cowed into apologizing for it.
April 29th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Robert J. Paxton said:
I think there is a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans in terms of their vision for the country. Dems want an “equal outcome” society achieved by taking from the “haves” and giving to the “have nots”. Republicans want an “equal opportunity” society where everyone has the same chance to succeed, but each individual’s level of success depends on his/her own abilities and work ethic.
However, what both parties want the most is pure political power, and they use the same vote buying tactics to get and keep it. Republicans claim to be for individual responsibility and less government dependence, yet they gladly passed the biggest new government entitlement program in a generation a few years back.
Laura L is right. Republicans need to start standing up for what they say they believe in. They also can’t let the Dems define them as simply “the party of ‘no’”. Republicans need a new Contract with America that clearly states what they believe it and what they’ll do if given the chance. Then if they ever get that chance, don’t blow it again by acting like Democrats.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Lori CLark said:
There is a third party, one I follow closely - the Constitutional Party. It’s the one we need in power. The sole purpose is to restore the Constitution following/believing government. Return us to the days when the “we the people” actually had a say in what the government does. Next election, (if our society makes it until then) vote for the one who wants that restoration, not the popular rep/dem choices.
We need to stick to the guidelines of our Constitution, our Declaration of Independence, our Bill of rights. Stop leaving them in the musuems as antiquities. Use them against those in power. Learn them, memorize them, use them.
April 30th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Mr. Smith said:
I would like to see a party have require test for its members. Not to exclude anyone but to make sure that members of a party are on the same page. Some member of said party’s are members in name only.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:59 pm