Republicans do some soul-searching after Romney loss

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
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Ottawa, ON
I think that the Republicans would do well to do some tax-haven searching... Something more tangible

So they should just step out of politics altogether? I disagree. The US needs a liberal conservative alternative, which it does not have right now.
 

captain morgan

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 28, 2009
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A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
So they should just step out of politics altogether? I disagree. The US needs a liberal conservative alternative, which it does not have right now.

Big assumption here Machjo - IF Obama follows through with his increased taxes on any person or entity (that's important as many/most small business' will now qualify), you will see a reaction from these groups.

You can assess the nature of the reaction for yourself, but we can both agree that it probably won't result in expansion and higher wages
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
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bliss

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
21,155
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They could start with using good old American values, like working together rather than making obstruction their primary mission.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
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Big assumption here Machjo - IF Obama follows through with his increased taxes on any person or entity (that's important as many/most small business' will now qualify), you will see a reaction from these groups.

What assumption? I don't quite get what you're getting at here.

You can assess the nature of the reaction for yourself, but we can both agree that it probably won't result in expansion and higher wages
Probably not. With the US debt as it is, lower wages might be a necessity, and might even be beneficial for the US economy.

Would you respect the politician who doesn't believe anything, but just changes his platform according to whatever will get him elected?

That's why I referred to going back to the Burkian roots of liberal conservatism rather than the neo-conservative stuff they have now. At least Burke's liberal conservatism lied on a solid philosophical foundation. It's obvious that most republicans have never read Burke's works, or at least ignore them. He especially detested colonialism, which was probably influenced by his being Irish in British Ireland.
 

captain morgan

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 28, 2009
28,429
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A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
What assumption? I don't quite get what you're getting at here.

Probably not. With the US debt as it is, lower wages might be a necessity, and might even be beneficial for the US economy.

I don't really know how I can communicate my thoughts any clearer (in a brief manner). Clearly. I haven't succeeded thus far.

Ultimately, increasing the tax burden during a time when the economy is shrinking will (probably) result in speeding-up a collapse. As revenues decline in the private sector, the gvt tax revenues collected will shrink as well. It will get to the point where you may not be able to service the debt, let alone pay for social services.

This is what basically happened to Greece. I'm not saying that this is the fate for the USA, but doing anything that might reduce the private sector's capacity to expand in a stable environment is really walking a very thin line.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,614
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Would you respect the politician who doesn't believe anything, but just changes his platform according to whatever will get him elected?


How is this different than any politician in Canada or the states? And respect and politician are not words I would ever use in the same sentence (except the sentence explaining why I would not use those two words that is).
 

Just the Facts

House Member
Oct 15, 2004
4,162
42
48
SW Ontario
Would you respect the politician who doesn't believe anything, but just changes his platform according to whatever will get him elected?

It worked for Barry.

They could start with using good old American values, like working together rather than making obstruction their primary mission.

You mean work for love of country, rather than revenge? Wish Romney would have thought of that. :)
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
3
36
London, Ontario
Would you respect the politician who doesn't believe anything, but just changes his platform according to whatever will get him elected?

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I've ever had any "respect" for a politican. I honestly see them as predominently opportunists and our selection between them is alway "best of a bad lot".

Call me cynical.
 

Just the Facts

House Member
Oct 15, 2004
4,162
42
48
SW Ontario
Big assumption here Machjo - IF Obama follows through with his increased taxes on any person or entity (that's important as many/most small business' will now qualify), you will see a reaction from these groups.

You can assess the nature of the reaction for yourself, but we can both agree that it probably won't result in expansion and higher wages

It's a great opportunity for Canada to entice American business to come here. Could be a boon for us if we stop being so darn nice and actually promote ourselves above others. Imagine the possibilities....Microsoft, Boeing, Exxon, ConocoPhilips, GE etc. etc. Heck, we could get the entire U.S. Military complex to move to Canada!!
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
9,949
21
38
kelowna bc
The hardest reality for the Republicans is this, They Lost Period. That was totally unexpected.
The reason is not so much the mainstream Republicans it was the tourists in the party. The
large group of malcontents and obstructionists, the zealot Born Again Christians and the fact
that the mainstream Republican Party didn't have the guts or the power to kick them to hell out.
Imagine legitimate rape, or passing laws against women's right to chose. Now some may say
that is a noble cause for an extreme right wing conservative. The problem is women are more
likely to vote, women think more about the social issues and what is good for their children and
the future of those children. In addition women don't subscribe to the old right wing nonsense
that its a man's world, as it were.
Right there they shut down a large voting block with nonsense.
Then there is the immigration issue where the immigrants who became citizens became very
uneasy about the treatment they might receive from their government Immigrants voted for
Obama.
Youth have issues they want on the table, education, pot laws.. jobs and a host of others they
voted for Obama
Republicans should get the picture, bad mouthing people, being inflexible and disruptive is not
the way to get elected period.
 

coldstream

on dbl secret probation
Oct 19, 2005
5,160
27
48
Chillliwack, BC
The Republicans are going to have to expel the Tea Party and radical libertarians.. and quit compromising of real conservative values and economic policies (which have nothing to do with NO government and free markets.. quite the opposite).. if they ever hope to regain the White House.
 

In Between Man

The Biblical Position
Sep 11, 2008
4,597
46
48
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49° 19' N, 123° 4' W
Would you respect the politician who doesn't believe anything, but just changes his platform according to whatever will get him elected?

It worked for Barry.

It sure did!

Barry IRREFUTABLY flip-flopped on "gay marriage":

Timeline: Obama and same sex marriage - YouTube

Sure looks like Barry "changed his platform according to whatever would get him elected" if you ask this cat. Eh Karrie? What's up with that? Huh?, *jabs in ribs*... :)

I'd also like to point out that although Romney flip-flopped on the issue of abortion, which makes it difficult for one to truly know where he stands, we know EXACTLY where Obama stands on the issue, and his position is not one us conservatives can support.
 

Just the Facts

House Member
Oct 15, 2004
4,162
42
48
SW Ontario
The hardest reality for the Republicans is this, They Lost Period. That was totally unexpected.
The reason is not so much the mainstream Republicans it was the tourists in the party. The
large group of malcontents and obstructionists, the zealot Born Again Christians and the fact
that the mainstream Republican Party didn't have the guts or the power to kick them to hell out.
Imagine legitimate rape, or passing laws against women's right to chose. Now some may say
that is a noble cause for an extreme right wing conservative. The problem is women are more
likely to vote, women think more about the social issues and what is good for their children and
the future of those children. In addition women don't subscribe to the old right wing nonsense
that its a man's world, as it were.
Right there they shut down a large voting block with nonsense.
Then there is the immigration issue where the immigrants who became citizens became very
uneasy about the treatment they might receive from their government Immigrants voted for
Obama.
Youth have issues they want on the table, education, pot laws.. jobs and a host of others they
voted for Obama
Republicans should get the picture, bad mouthing people, being inflexible and disruptive is not
the way to get elected period.

So, in summary, the Republicans lost because they're not Democrats, and because people believed the BS they heard on MSNBC. I guess I can't disagree with that.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
It sure did!

Barry IRREFUTABLY flip-flopped on "gay marriage":

Timeline: Obama and same sex marriage - YouTube

Sure looks like Barry "changed his platform according to whatever would get him elected" if you ask this cat. Eh Karrie? What's up with that? Huh?, *jabs in ribs*... :)

I'd also like to point out that although Romney flip-flopped on the issue of abortion, which makes it difficult for one to truly know where he stands, we know EXACTLY where Obama stands on the issue, and his position is not one us conservatives can support.

Oh jab away alley, but really, one issue changing, versus an entire party rewriting their platform with the express purpose of winning an election... there's a difference.