Democrats’ Rise Has Pluses, Say G.O.P. Centrists

[cal04]

If the Democratic ascendance on Capitol Hill was supposed to usher in dark days for Republicans, it is hard to tell from talking to moderate ones like Mike Ferguson, who represents a suburban district in central New Jersey.

As the new Democrat-led House rushed to complete its business before adjourning for spring break this week, Representative Ferguson was marveling at the many bills that had been passed in Congress’s first 100 days, including one that would make it easier for unions to organize and another that would increase the minimum wage.

“Under the Republican majority, those bills would have never gotten to the floor,” he explained before heading back to his district. “Now they have been brought to the floor, and I’ve voted for them.”

Mr. Ferguson’s enthusiasm captures a peculiar political reality in the Capitol: many Republicans from swing districts in the Northeast are finding that life under Democratic rule has its advantages.

During the 12 years that Republicans controlled the House, moderate Republicans were the stepchildren of their party, expected to vote with their conservative leadership on crucial issues, even if it meant taking positions that could anger centrist voters back home.



http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/washington/07moderates.html?hp

[BayCityProgressive]

1. Good

maybe we can cause some splits in their party like they did to us for 25 years.

[The Magistrate]

2. Only Till '08, My Friend

It is precisely these 'moderates' in swing districts in the Northeast and Midwest who must be the principle targets of the up-coming Congressional campaign. They must be rendered extinct, and the Republican Party left in the hands of its most monstrous and repellent elements....

"Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

[Jackpine Radical]

5. My good Sir, I must humbly beg to differ.

By leaving the "most monstrous and repellent elements" in the gutter in 2008, is seems to me that we could end up with the political center of gravity shifted much further to the leftward than would otherwise be the case. As long as snarling beasts are tolerated anywhere in the system, there is ultimately no civility. I would argue that a return to decency in public discourse is something akin to a categorical imperative

[The Magistrate]

9. Unfortunately, Old Friend

The most reactionary Republicans, particularly in the House, are ensconced in areas we cannot effectively reach yet. Their 'moderates' are accessible, and they are vulnerable. If the Republicans are left with only their worst elements in office, more people will be driven away from the spectacle they present. The Republican platform is necessarily one that, in pure form, can appeal to only a minority of the public, and therefore, it is best for us to have it distilled to its bitterest essence. Removing the masking flavors of their 'moderates' is a good step towards this.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Reminds me of a quote from the movie Dogma,

with the fence-sitting moderate Republicans playing the role of Azrael:



Jay: What are you, some kind of fucking chicken?

Azrael: No, I was an ARTIST, STUPID! I WAS INSPIRATION! A muse has no place in battle!

Serendipity: So after the fallen were banished to hell, God turned on those who wouldn't fight, and Azrael was sent down with the demons.

Serendipity: Something he considers a GRAVE injustice!

Azrael: Ah, come on! Don't tell me you NEVER questioned the judgement, Serendipity.

Serendipity: No. It never bothered me. So you were an artist! Big deal! Elvis was an artist. But that didn't stop him from joining the service in time of war. And that's why he's The King, and you're a schmuck.

[The Magistrate]

8. That Might Be A Fun Movie, Sir

[Vincardog]

3. Why are we going to let gay people vote? Then all the blue dog RePigLickins

can defect like the southern democrats did 25 years ago?

[Vincardog]

4. Why are we going to let gay people vote? Then all the blue dog RePigLickins

can defect like the southern democrats did 25 years ago?

[BayCityProgressive]

7. the thing is

I think we would have abetter chance taking the right wingers out in 08. Even most Republicans I know are moderates now. I think the moderates will survive 08 unless there is a Democtratic Presidential landslide and I don't think any of our candidates are strong enough to win a landslide..although I think most any of them could win. The right-wingers are goners. I wouldn't mind seeing a moderate GOP like it was before the 80's. I am still a big Lefty but at least if one of them won, it wouldn't be quite so bad. I work with 17 people in my office. Only 2 of them are Republican..they both voted Granholm over Devos int he last election. they never had voted Democrat before but thought the party went bat shit crazy. They also voted to uphold affirmative action and give more money to public schools. They were both in the military and think the media is "liberal".

[Vincardog]

10. I believe all Republicants need to be tared with the bush brush.

WE have a long way to swing this country to the left before we even have a middle. If the republicans want to be 'reasonable moderates', let them switch parties and be our 'reasonable moderates'.

Leave the republicant party to the corporatist loving
people haters that belong there.