If you know any GOPers who don't like bush, but are for some odd reason

[salin]

warming to a GOP pres candidate - get into a conversation with him/her. Get them to lay out what it is that makes them disastified with Jr. Then get them to try to say how their candidate's positions/policies are different than Jr.'s. Of course they probably can not, as most aren't paying much attention to details and are going on "gut instinct." Remind them that "gut instinct" is what landed us Bush, and that to your read - x candidate (all but perhaps Paul) is advocating policies that are almost identical to what we have now. S/he may not take full credence in what you say (partisanship and all that)... but plant the seed to get the person to start LISTENING to his/her candidate. With those disaffected by Bush - it is hard to see how they could support more bush policies - if they are paying enough attention, that is, to know the TweedleDee candidates are all pushing "4 More Years" - ala disasterous policies. With any luck - over time (within the next 14 months) said person will either come around to actually listening to GOP and Dem candidates - and looking for DIFFERENCES from bushco - or will get so fed up as to stay home and not vote (if they are in the camp of "I just can't bring myself to vote for a democratic candidate")

Seriously, it is so striking how bushlike in policies/positions this current crop of TweedleDee Republican pres candidates are - especially the front runners. It should onlly work to our advantage. But too often folks don't pay enough attention to the policies/positions of candidates. That, my friends, is OUR job. Get them to start listening, and get them to talk to their other disaffected, bushdisliking repub friends with the same message.

[bluestateguy]

1. "The Republican Nominee = Bush's Heir Apparent"

If that's how we can frame this election, then it's all over.

[upi402]

2. Like talking to a mad dog. I gave up years ago.

I talk to kids. There's hope with them.

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. ....

:thumbsup:

[salin]

4. skip the rabid. Go for the disaffected (that is, really don't like W,

but still see themselves as republican.) If you can get them to begin to articulate the WHY of their discontent/anger with Bush - then you can work to seperate them from voting for nearly any of the major repub candidates. But no hope for the 28% ers.

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. They may hate bush but they are still republicans which means that they are

self serving selfish people. They might discount bush but they will never stray from their republican roots. They are lost. They never get the disconnect, ie, what their leaders say to get elected and what they do, once they are elected. Abortion is a prime example. The republicans were in control of Congress for 12 years and did nothing about the abortion issue, why? The short answer is, and what their constituents don't get is, abortion is a wedge issue to keep their base in line. The greedy will always vote repub, so they are lost. The rest of the rank and file working class repubs are sheep and will always believe what their leaders spew, ie, if you work hard enough, you will achieve wealth. It's crap of course because this American crapalists system is rigged against them. But they don't get that. They never will. I don't' waste my time on repubs, especially working class repubs which is an oxymoron. But good luck to you.

[salin]

8. I have repub relatives

who have grave misgivings, not only of bushco - but of the corporate dominance of the GOP in DC. I think they are possibly going to do some protest voting - that is crossing the ticket - not in the sense of seeing themselves as dems - (or even independents - just some sort of habit/affiliation) but in the sense of "sending a message". One was RABID as recently as four years ago.

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. I have repub relatives who are rich, they love their tax cuts. They will never

vote for a Democrat. Why, because they are self-serving rich a$$holes.

[salin]

11. my relatives are not hurting

(medical field) - but are starting to listen. The difference could be a) their kids are approaching college age and they are starting to realize that there are not many stable fields to go into... and b) one was raised by good dem parents - but got scared by the rhetoric of healthcare reform back in the early 90s (new docs, easily influenced by the hardcore repub docs). The ironic thing... the one that got radicalized by the fear of healthcare reform... now thinks the only entity that can take on healthcare (giving coverage and managing costs...) wait.for.it. is the federal govt. This is a man who was spewing rush points four years ago.

[OHdem10]

5. I watched Guilliani twice over the past week and

Thompson last night. I have watched Romney before.

They are all gungho on Economic Conservatism. They contradict
themselve. They give this spiel on how we must do this that
and the other for the troops. In the next breath, they
are going to make permanent the Bush Tax cuts. If you plan
to do anything to rebuild our military, you must have some
tax revenue--not tax cuts. Unless of course you plan to
plunder SS and other social programs.

[Yurovsky]

6. They are all going to have to take orders from Pat Robertson anyway...

so I guess it doesn't make a whole lot of difference either way.

I would submit that you might have a chance talking sense to someone who's leaning towards Guiliani (sp?) or possibly John McCain. Not a great chance, but certainly moreso than someone who is supporting Fred Thompson or Mike Huckabee. You can tell those folks pretty easy what with the Klan robe and all ...

[salin]

9. they are promoting more of the same...

and the same hasn't served most people too well. Get everyone to listen to these fools. They seriously have not realized the degree to which the political climate has seriously shifted.