Thursday, January 24, 2008

What Happened to Republicans?

What Happened to Republicans?
Randy A. Samuelson

Just ten years ago, the Republican Party of Texas was working towards being the majority party in Texas for the first time since Reconstruction. Now, it is 2008 and Republicans are about to lose the majority that was held for only a brief moment in history. What went wrong?

In 1960, John Tower was elected as Senator, marking the first Republican elected statewide in Texas since 1874. From there, the conservative revolution began in Texas with Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Republicans, through extensive grassroots efforts, worked hard to elect Republicans in the general elections in the 1970’s, culminating in Governor Bill Clements in 1978. In the 1980’s, Republicans convinced many conservative Democrats to switch parties, including Senator Phil Gramm. In the 1990’s, the Republicans went for the gusto and worked toward becoming the majority party in the Texas Legislature by winning the Texas Senate, and in 1998, Republicans took control of the Texas cabinet by sweeping the statewide elected positions. In 2002, Republicans took control of the Texas House for the first time since 1877.

What happened?

It is now 2008 and the primary is upon us. Republicans in 2008 are at risk of losing the majority in the Texas House. Governor Perry was re-elected in a plurality election in 2006 in which 60% of Texans voted against him and his policies. Republicans, who drew Congressional seats for themselves, lost those seats to Democrats in 2006 (Bonilla and DeLay). The Republican Party Headquarters is more concerned about fundraising than block-walking.

Many people will say that Democrats are tarnishing the Republicans’ voting records, but is that really the case? Republicans deserve their poor voting records in many cases as they have created a new business tax and increased spending at both the local and state level. But, if these elected officials are voting their districts, can they really be blamed?

The Democrats in Texas are employing the same strategies that knocked them out of the majority party over the past 30 years. The Democrats are running one polished candidate that adheres to their platform against a field of Republicans who represent a factionalized GOP base. The Democrats are also recruiting young workers in the same fashion that the Republicans recruited in the 1970’s. By focusing on the down-ballot races and at grassroots efforts, Democrats are planning to take back power in the same way that the Republicans did in the 1990’s.

The 2008 Republican Primary is loaded with young candidates who are running to move the Party back to the platform and competing with candidates who strive to increase the role and power of government. This will be a bellwether election as to which direction the Republican Party in Texas will move to. If the winning candidates support expanding the role of government, spending increases, and tax increases, then the conservative movement needs to rethink its positions and marketing strategies. Maybe Republicans in the Texas Legislature are better off in the minority party so they can complain about issues louder instead of leading the conservative cause.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"What Happened to Republicans?"

I believe the '06 midterm elections were a shallow, limp Democratic Party victory. But it was a very jolting Republican defeat.

And they deserved it.

The Republicans, that is.

In other words, wake up! Higher taxes? Bigger government? A very, very, very unsecure border?

Did I say very unsecure border?

But oh, we're gettin' a real fancy fence, aint we?!

Remember: the East Germans built the wall to keep the East Germans in- not to keep the West Germans out. Think about it.

The fence is bull$hit. And bull$hit talks. The fence is representative of the spine that our leaders lack.

Really. Mexico? We're afraid of Mexico? A freakin'fence!!!?

I count myself among the many who purposely- and not without some regret- voted Independent or Libertarian in the '06 midterms because of a volcano of frustration with the "talk your talk and then walk you walk" lack of accountacy and spinal fortitude of the Republicans we've been so successful at electing the last dozen or so years.

Yes. I voted "against" them.

And hell no. I didn't vote democrat. Never will. And please come shoot me with my (still) legal firearms if I ever do.

Any Republican who doesn't understand how pivotal the 2008 elections will be to our party is a clueless twit with too many pleats in his holier-than-thou pants. May your country club greens always be pissed on and your meals always be undercooked and spat upon by the dirty, ignorant illegals you so despise.

We sent you into office. We gave you the power. We gave you the majority and you squandered it you arrogant fucks. You bent over for the socialist libs and went bi-metrosexual on us. Face cream and all.

(nice hair gel, Rick.)

Thanks for doing nothing you promised. You've turned the Republican Party into the same pathetic mess the Democrats are still flopping around in. Good job guys and gals. Or is that politically incorrect to say "gals."

And I actually laughed when you lost in '06.

And then felt like vomiting when the Libs gloated and the media got that "we're in control of the masses again" look in their eyes and voices.

They think they won.

They didn't.

We lost.

I remember years ago many a Democrat sighing that their party left them, they didn't leave their party. A la Reagan revolution days...

Well, the Republican party has "left" me. (pun intended)

Perry: Really? An HPV vaccine for my 14 year-old daughter?

Bush: A Trillion dollar war but we can't afford to drill for oil here?

Really?

McCain? Front runner?!

REALLY??!!

What did happen to the Republicans?

And what happened to us, the voters, the supposed "people" Who decide Who makes the decisions for us?

I voted Independent and Libertarian. And I will again. No more the "lesser of two evils" for me. I'll vote Libertarian again (not Republican and sure as hell not Democrat) and watch the Clintons and the rest of the "progressives" throw us into full-blown Western European Socialism and heave my guts up the whole time.

Oh hell no. We don't have a chance. Get used to Nurse Ratched as your Commander in Chief. And 60% taxes. And big brother getting real, real big.

Too bad. The Republicans got so busy trying to appease the Christian right and making billion dollar "brother-in-law" deals they
they lost themselves and voters like me in droves.

God Bless America.

Anonymous said...

"McCain? Front runner?!"

ONLY YOU CAN STOP THAT - BY VOTING AGAINST HIM IN THE PRIMARY!

"I voted Independent and Libertarian. And I will again. No more the "lesser of two evils" for me. I'll vote Libertarian again (not Republican and sure as hell not Democrat) and watch the Clintons and the rest of the "progressives" throw us into full-blown Western European Socialism and heave my guts up the whole time."

Why? You seem to have a spiteful view that you dont mind America getting worse. Is voting for you a way to get your emotional jollies, or a way to do what's best for yourself and the country?

Anonymous said...

anonymous said "Why? You seem to have a spiteful view that you dont mind America getting worse. Is voting for you a way to get your emotional jollies, or a way to do what's best for yourself and the country?"

If you support McCain then you,sir,don't mind America getting worse. McCain will let the libs push the global warming scam on us, higher taxes, benefits for the lazy, and more government control of our lives.

He is not a conservative. And he has not a chance in hell of beating Comrade Clinton.

I do not vote to get my "emotional jollies." Like I stated so clear, I'm not a democrat.

I voted for Reagan, Bush 1, Bush 2, Perry, and the rest of them.

Except for Reagan, the rest have let us down. (I say "us". Real conservative Republicans. Not McCainiacs.)

Look at his record. He's a suckup to the libs. Anything to get on TV and get them on his side.

I do mind America getting worse. As I said... "and watch the Clintons and the rest of the "progressives" throw us into full-blown Western European Socialism and heave my guts up the whole time."

If you're actually stupid and uninformed enough to believe that a spastic, spineless idiot like McCain can win you won't mind a Clinton regime. I mean, what would be the difference?

Anonymous said...

By the way....

Nice to get some opinions on this blog. As much as we may disagree...