tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143820766803772881.post6837145489394897377..comments2023-03-25T05:47:59.204-07:00Comments on Ruminations of a Junkie for Politics: Why are the Republicans so popularUncle Walthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287229628325946260noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143820766803772881.post-74199084704721694722010-12-28T18:03:41.130-08:002010-12-28T18:03:41.130-08:00"We need to do a better job at getting the tr..."We need to do a better job at getting the truth out."<br /><br />Off course walter, the democraps are deeply unpopular because the republican bogeymen are hiding in peoples closets whispering lies to them.<br /><br />It's just crazy how the democraps raging success simply can't find its way into peoples everyday lives. All those jobs, taxcuts and other wonderful things your blessed party has brought about is just invisible to the people.<br /><br />It's just so strange why people are leaving democrap controlled states in droves for states controlled by those bastard, hateful republicans. So strange how they never come back even after years of being screwed over by the republicans isn't it walter.<br /><br />Oh and you forgot to mention that the MSM are just shills for the republican party and have it in for your blessed leader.MKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143820766803772881.post-4995949848278427372010-12-28T18:00:44.708-08:002010-12-28T18:00:44.708-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.MathewKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14385674205383405783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143820766803772881.post-41867413664800128522010-10-07T19:34:29.236-07:002010-10-07T19:34:29.236-07:00I was underwater for some of 76 - 80, and I am not...I was underwater for some of 76 - 80, and I am not touting the entire Carter Presidency. But the point remains that even under Jimmy Carter, the pattern of the economy performing better under Democrats than it did under Republican continued.<br /><br />As an aside about Carter, you might go back and read this famous Malaise Speech. It was in many ways prophetic.<br /><br />I don't disagree that the Democratic victories of 2008 were partially due to the factors you mentioned. But the principle issues that the Democrats ran on, Health Care Reform and taking on Global Warming, were widely popular.<br /><br />And the last poll I saw on the health care reform seemed to show that the individual elements of the health care reform package are widely popular. The fact that the whole package is unpopulare is, I believe, a testament to the success of the Republicans in attacking the reforms at every opportunity and the failure of my party to get out and just as aggressively defend what they had done. We won the legislative war and lost the public perception war.<br /><br />What part of the package do you think is actually unpopular??<br />Ending the really egregious abuses of the health insurance companies?<br />Allowing kids to stay on their parents plan until they turned 36?<br />Bring 32 million more Americans into a health insurance plan?<br /><br />Waht parts of the plan are actually unpopular.<br /><br />There are no death panels. It isn't a budget buster, it is supposed to actually reduces the debt slightly, it doesn't provide federal funding for abortion nor does it provide subsudies to illegal aliens.<br /><br />The things Republicans claim the bill does may be unpopular, but I suspect the things the bill actually does are mostly popular. We just did a lousy job of countering the drumbeat of criticism coming from the Republicans.<br /><br />Most Americans acknowledge that Global Warming is a real problem that we need to address and I suspect that most Americans would be willing to pay the $170/year the CBO estimates that the Cap and Trade plan would cost. But, again, we let Republicans get away with telling America that it would cost the average family $2000/year. Its a bogus number and they know it, but we let them get away with that lie as well.<br /><br />Hell, even the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell is popular with something like 70% of the people, yet we can't get it passed.<br /><br />75% of those people making more than $250,000 a year are willing to lose the Bush Tax Cuts for their income level and Republicans refuse to identify a way to pay for the tax cuts for that wealthy 2%, yet we can't get a tax cut for the other 98% passed. Yet more lies from the Republicans about how many small business owners will be hurt when very few small business owners make that kind of money. And DEmocrats have not been out aggressively selling their plan.<br /><br />The cower in the corner like scared kids and then wonder why they are getting their ass kicked.<br /><br />Guess what, I am very frustrated with my party and their unwillingness to get out and brag about what they have done.Uncle Walthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287229628325946260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143820766803772881.post-48250111066071448052010-10-07T15:02:12.944-07:002010-10-07T15:02:12.944-07:00Good to see you back, Walt.
I don't believe t...Good to see you back, Walt.<br /><br />I don't believe that Republicans are as popular as you think. The base is VERY energized, it's true. I think that independents are leaning toward the Republicans only in that they're an alternative to the Democrats. In this way it's similar to Gingrich's ridiculous "Contract With America" takeover back in 1994.<br /><br />The incoming Republicans were high-handed and not inclined to compromise, and as we've seen, their "Revolution" didn't last.<br /><br />Likewise, the Democratic takeover in 2006 and (particularly)2008 created a similar situation. The Democrats were elected more as an alternative to the Republicans than for some of their more leftish platforms.<br /><br />The Democratic landslide of 2008 was a result of many things: Republican incompetence, war weariness, the economy's catastrophic stumble and the phenomenon that was Barack Obama. "Wanting the Democrats to be in power" is waaaaay down on that list.<br /><br />And when the Democrats came to power, led by the extreme left of the party, they acted much like 1994's GOP had, except--as you so correctly point out--they accomplished more.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Democrats pushed through an agenda that the majority of the American people do not want. Unable to completely sell the package, they resorted to dirty tricks to shove it past the American people, for whom they know best.<br /><br />People are really, really pissed about that. So the question shouldn't be "Why are the Republicans so popular?", but rather, "Why are the Democrats so reviled that the American people are ready to put the same dudes back in power that they just threw out?"<br /><br />And lastly, I don't believe anyone should EVER cite Jimmy Carter when trying to give props to the Democrats. You don't hear me arguing Clinton, but Carter?<br /><br />Knowing you're a submariner, I have to wonder (facetiously, of course) if you were underwater from 1976-1980?<br /><br />Hope to see more Ruminations soon.RKMeiernoreply@blogger.com