Technically, it’s still an even playing field, because Sarah Palin is the embodiment of one of the Republican party’s supporting factions; it’s not like she’s an outsider trying to sabotage them, she represents part of the base just as much as Russ Feingold represented part of the Democratic base.
Hey, it worked once already!
;-)
AlanQ
3763
No, that’s not what I said. I meant exactly what I said in my first post: I prefer Democratic policies to Republican policies (in general) and Palin running arguably makes it easier for Democratic policies to be put into action.
That’s kind of the point. The Tea Party branch of the GOP doesn’t really have any ideas – they have goals, and some of those goals are laudable in a vacuum, but they have no plan to get there.
Right now those goals are being floated out there as “ideas” because they are preaching to the choir. “We will achieve fiscal health by cutting spending and lowering taxes” To which the crowds respond: “Yay! Yippie!”
If a Tea Partier got the candidacy, they would actually have to answer questions of how they intend to get there. “We will achieve fiscal health by cutting spending and lowering taxes!” To which the independent voters or their debate opponents will respond: “Which services are you going to cut? How will you mitigate the consequences of those cuts? It doesn’t seem like simply cutting discretionary spending will get us there, so which other major program will you cut to get the rest of the way - military, social security or medicare?”
A Backmann or a Palin candidacy would actually allow the two major approaches (cut services or raise taxes) to go head-to-head. By contrast, my current impression is that a Romney or Pawlenty candidacy would result in a less clear-cut choice: keep the status quo or raise taxes.
There’s also the social-issues component. Romney has been sidling a little more to the center, but a Backmann or Palin are too much on-record as having heavily conservative evangelical ideals. They would have no choice but to go head-to-head against Obama’s more liberal social stances. Given the choice between the two, I think that the majority of Americans would choose the more moderate/tolerant stance.
Finally, a toe-to-toe matchup might force the GOP to clean house become less of a regional party. In 2016 I’d love to see a more centrist republican party that has taken back the “Reagan Democrat” portion of the political tent.
Brett, this is an opportunity for you to learn one of the most important things you will ever learn. Ready?
Government is about running the country, not winning elections.
It’s not a competition between rival sports teams where winning is all that matters, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. The GOP tries to win the election at any cost, will say any dumb thing and will gut the country in order to pander to those who put them in power. This is a terrible set of qualifications for running the country. The democrats are nearly as bad but aren’t quite so keen on the whole gutting and screwing of everyone but the ultra-rich, so they get my vote for now.
H.
Palin isn’t “somebody else.” She was your party’s chosen candidate for vice president in the last election. She’s not some random interloper you can pretend not to be associated with.
She’s also short-sighted, self-absorbed, incoherent, and utterly incompetent.
In other words, she nicely encapsulates the state of the GOP in 2011.
I finally got around to watching the Daily Show episode covering the Revere gaff and Palin’s follow-up with Chris Wallace. Wow. As Stewart points out, the amazing thing isn’t the bizarre word-salad she spewed about Revere; it was her defense after the fact. Both doubling down on the claim that Revere “warned the British not to take our guns” and claiming “What have you seen so far today, and what are you going to take away from your visit?” is a “gotcha” question.
It’s funny that she fears the “gotcha” questions. I do think Katie Couric did go after her a bit with that “what magazines do you read” question. I’ve never heard that one asked before. To be fair to Couric, she was just asking the kind of question about Palin’s knowledge of world affairs that a lot of people were wondering about.
I do think quitting her bus tour will hurt her. It’s just another question of her willingness to finish what she starts.
Only in a world where anti-intellectualism, idiocy, and proud ignorance are ideals to strive for is “What do you read” a gotcha question.
She is, isn’t she? Hahaha! You know, this guy has been reported like 12 times! I kinda like him! I’m not going to ban him!
She is, isn’t she? Hahaha! You know, this guy has been reported like 12 times! I kinda like him! I’m not going to ban him!
She is, isn’t she? Hahaha! You know, this guy has been reported like 12 times! I kinda like him! I’m not going to ban him!
She is, isn’t she? Hahaha! You know, this guy has been reported like 12 times! I kinda like him! I’m not going to ban him!
FUCK! Quadruple post… Sorry guy’s!
Yet have you ever heard that asked of any other politician?
Pogo
3777
Tom just countered a spamming troll with… a spammed troll. Brilliant and unexpected move.
I don’t even remembered when this happened at this point, do you have a link?
You guys realize that “Tom Chick.” is just the new troll’s latest alt, right?
Indeed… Glanderence will be our new Administrator because I sold the site to him…
Brilliantly played, Sir Tom.
