Baltimore Sun: Brand Republican Crumbling

[Hissyspit]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.schaller14feb14,0,771774.story

Opinion > op/ed
America's view of Republicans crumbles in Iraq
Thomas F. Schaller
Originally published February 14, 2007

According to the latest Gallup survey, Republican self-identification has declined nationally and in almost every American state. Why? The short answer is that President Bush's war of choice in Iraq has destroyed the partisan brand Republicans spent the past four decades building.

That brand was based upon four pillars: that Republicans are more trustworthy on defense and military issues; that they know when and where markets can replace or improve government; that they are more competent administrators of those functions government can't privatize; and, finally, that their public philosophy is imbued with moral authority. The war demolished all four claims.

In uniform or out, Americans think Iraq is a disaster, oppose escalation and blame Mr. Bush and his party for the mess in Mesopotamia. Heading into the 2006 mid-terms, polls showed Republicans trailing Democrats as the party most trusted to handle Iraq and terrorism. Nationally, Mr. Bush's war approval ratings hover around 30 percent.

Military members are skeptical, too. A Military Times poll released in December revealed that only 35 percent of military members approved of the president's handling of the war - despite the fact that 46 percent of them are self-identified Republicans (down from 60 percent in previous Military Times polls) while just 16 percent are Democrats. According to a recent Zogby survey of troops serving in Iraq, 72 percent want American forces home within a year.

MORE

[jaysunb]

1. Seems Howard Dean was right again

for in 2003 & 04 he articulated each and everyone of these failures. < sigh >
But like the republicans are always saying, " there's no point in looking back, " I just hope Schaller is right about the collapse of the party-- as we know it, at least.

BTW, good find Hissypit... K&R

[WiseButAngrySara]

2. And DU has been articulating this since it's inception,

right?

KNR and thanks Hissypit!

[jaysunb]

7. Yes it has....

and it probably helped draw me to Dr Dean right from the start. :thumbsup:

[BeFree]

3. Too bad

...it had to happen this way. The death and destruction could have been avoided if all the votes had just been counted.

[tabasco]

4. Thank you for the post.

The Sun is the greatest!

[Lex]

5. Bush, if nothing else, has helped destroy brand Republican.

I figured he would.

The cost has been so high, though.

[Olney Blue]

6. Poor Republic party. Rove's math was off even more than he thought.

[Old and In the Way]

8. But they are polling well on their core competencies...

Incompetence, Corruption, Hypocrisy, and Perversion

[Hissyspit]

9. You forgot Arrogance and Delusion. n/t

[tblue37]

10. Buddhists have a concept called "right company," meaning

approximately the same thing as the proverb about lying down with dogs and rising up with fleas.

The Republicans should have been more careful about the company they keep.

[KharmaTrain]

11. Third Party Anyone???

This is the first time I've seen hard numbers on the drop of self-awoved Repugnicans in the Military (do the math, that's a nearly 33% decrease with more on the way). The military used to be the most loyal of constituencies and have been pissed on the most in the past 6 years.

The interesting thing is how boooosh's numbers have collapsed in a military indoctrinated by Rushbo on the radio and Faux Noise pumped onto all military TVs (Rummy's order)...with little to no way from them to hear or read anyone on our side. They've learned the truth the hard way...and while they're not about to become Democrats, the fact so many are now claiming to be bipartisan is just as good.

The buzzsaw the Repugnicans walked into in '06 is nothing compared to the disaster they're facing in '08. Their ranks are fracturing...as assuredly whomever is their nominee or annointed "frontrunner" (remember boooshie bought his nomination in '99) will piss off one or several other factions. The religious right doesn't trust Rudy, neither does the "close the border" crowd", St. McCain pissed off those people and now others with his constant pandering and the other seven dwarfs will only serve to divide the party further as they try to "develop a constituency" by reaching out to one fringe group by attacking another. Add to the growing accrimony, a party that knows they're in deep shit in winning and the blame game is sure to be ferocious.

I'll say it again, I haven't seen a better time for a third party to get some traction than this year. There's no strong candidate on the Repugnican side and the natives are restless...far more than on our side. The longer booosh's popularity hoversin Nixonian range, they're gonna try to get further and further away from him and by doing so are sure to rip the party even further.

A real good indication of how well Democrats have done with the military are all the new members of Congress. I'm watching Joe Sestak on C-SPAN right now...or there's Pat Murphy or Tim Walz or Jim Webb...these are people who are going to turn that 29% for the Democrats up to 40% or more in the next election.

Cheers...

:hi:

[pat_k]

13. Without IRV a third party is a shot in the head.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3113242&mesg_id=3114816

[Hissyspit]

12. .