WP: Let's Just say it: The Republicans are the problem

Y4M · April 2012

Heather R:
KateAggie:

Oh, hooray!! It's Republicans are Racist day. Only old white Republicans...let me check my notes...I know I have it here somewhere...yup. It's Monday.

Come on, KA. No one is saying that the Republican party is a racist institution.

How do you interpret Groovin's statement, then?

groovingirl:
Sisugal:
If the Republicans are so far out of the mainstream, why did they win 2010 elections in a landslide?
Because thanks to scary black muslin man, a good chunk of the country (read old white people) have moved to the edges of the mainstream.

Heather R · April 2012

Y4M:
Heather R:
KateAggie:

Oh, hooray!! It's Republicans are Racist day. Only old white Republicans...let me check my notes...I know I have it here somewhere...yup. It's Monday.

Come on, KA. No one is saying that the Republican party is a racist institution.

How do you interpret Groovin's statement, then?
groovingirl:
Sisugal:
If the Republicans are so far out of the mainstream, why did they win 2010 elections in a landslide?
Because thanks to scary black muslin man, a good chunk of the country (read old white people) have moved to the edges of the mainstream.

I am reading that as "racist, old, white people who believe Obama is a skeery Muslim Kenyan have moved out of the mainstream." I am not reading it as "Republicans, by definition, are any combination of racist, old, and white."

KateAggie · April 2012

Heather R:
Y4M:
Heather R:
KateAggie:

Oh, hooray!! It's Republicans are Racist day. Only old white Republicans...let me check my notes...I know I have it here somewhere...yup. It's Monday.

Come on, KA. No one is saying that the Republican party is a racist institution.

How do you interpret Groovin's statement, then?
groovingirl:
Sisugal:
If the Republicans are so far out of the mainstream, why did they win 2010 elections in a landslide?
Because thanks to scary black muslin man, a good chunk of the country (read old white people) have moved to the edges of the mainstream.

I am reading that as "racist, old, white people who believe Obama is a skeery Muslim Kenyan have moved out of the mainstream." I am not reading it as "Republicans, by definition, are any combination of racist, old, and white."

Yup, it must just be me reading it wrong. It's probably tied in to my martyrdom. I'll let the old, white Republicans know they can breathe a sigh of relief.

Gosh, though, what are the Republicans going to do now that they can only win elections if the racists come out to vote? I mean, it can't possibly be that enough people support the Republicans, or that enough people feel far more comfortable when Congress leans right when the President leans left and vice versa. What a conundrom.

Seriously, though, please tell me how groovin's statement leads to productive conversation? Or is that too martyr-ish to ask?

Heather R · April 2012

KateAggie:
Heather R:
Y4M:
Heather R:
KateAggie:

Oh, hooray!! It's Republicans are Racist day. Only old white Republicans...let me check my notes...I know I have it here somewhere...yup. It's Monday.

Come on, KA. No one is saying that the Republican party is a racist institution.

How do you interpret Groovin's statement, then?
groovingirl:
Sisugal:
If the Republicans are so far out of the mainstream, why did they win 2010 elections in a landslide?
Because thanks to scary black muslin man, a good chunk of the country (read old white people) have moved to the edges of the mainstream.

I am reading that as "racist, old, white people who believe Obama is a skeery Muslim Kenyan have moved out of the mainstream." I am not reading it as "Republicans, by definition, are any combination of racist, old, and white."
Yup, it must just be me reading it wrong. It's probably tied in to my martyrdom. I'll let the old, white Republicans know they can breathe a sigh of relief.
Gosh, though, what are the Republicans going to do now that they can only win elections if the racists come out to vote? I mean, it can't possibly be that enough people support the Republicans, or that enough people feel far more comfortable when Congress leans right when the President leans left and vice versa. What a conundrom.
Seriously, though, please tell me how groovin's statement leads to productive conversation? Or is that too martyr-ish to ask?

I don't think gg's statement is interesting enough to warrant discussion, which is probably why it didn't, as you say, produce any. On the other hand, nor does "Republicans always get called racist!"

Heather R · April 2012

Bah, quotes.

KateAggie · April 2012

And my response to gg was extremely sarcastic. If I can't be sarcastic towards someone making stupid generalizations here, I won't make it to the election.

Dylanite · April 2012

God I love election season.

Sou Desafinado · April 2012

3.27.04_Helper:
kcpokergal:
brideymcbriderson:
cee-jay:

At the end, the writer gives recommendations to the media on reportage. I feel like that is key to the discussion so I'll post here:

WP article pg 4

...

Our advice to the press: Don?t seek professional safety through the even-handed, unfiltered presentation of opposing views. Which politician is telling the truth? Who is taking hostages, at what risks and to what ends?

Also, stop lending legitimacy to Senate filibusters by treating a 60-vote hurdle as routine. The framers certainly didn?t intend it to be. Report individual senators? abusive use of holds and identify every time the minority party uses a filibuster to kill a bill or nomination with majority support.

Look ahead to the likely consequences of voters? choices in the November elections. How would the candidates govern? What could they accomplish? What differences can people expect from a unified Republican or Democratic government, or one divided between the parties?

I think these are great recommendations. Start giving us actual facts and specific information.

There's too much A v. B and not enough reality v. PR. If party A puts out an economic plan, rather than a screen full of talking heads yelling at each other, we need actual analysis that tells us what the real impact will be. Instead of letting A and B debate what the impact will be, figure out using actual facts and then make A defend that plan (and B defend its alternative plan).

I think there are two main problems with this:

1. Many problems are too complex for almost anyone to understand unless they have a PhD in statistics or economics or whatever.

2. No one knows what the effects of most suggestions are--too many variables and it's not like you can re-do events the other way to see how it would have worked.

I think this is why the Republicans have been doing all the woman-hating--they don't have any better understanding of how to fix the economy so they're trying to fight about something that people have a clear position on.

It would be nice if the media broke it down and did some hard hitting explanations of what the possible outcomes could be vs just playing politician sound bites.

It would be nice if various newspapers/media came out and said this is what the Ryan plan is going to do, not just a sound bite about how it is going to destroy medicare because I assume it probably does some good too but that is lost when we let the political consultants control the conversation. Journalists should go back to being journalists. Not everyone can be on the op-ed page.

Sigh. *googles and sees all the stories doing exactly what poster mentions*

msmerymac · April 2012

Y'all really need to read Winner-Take-All Politics, especially the section about the media and the education of the American public (how few people know that Reps are elected every 2 years and Senators every 6 years, and that in 2000, shortly after Bush v. Gore, only 11% of adults knew Rehnquist was the Chieft Justice of the SCOTUS), and the section about the way the filibuster evolved, and how it's easier to use now. 70% of bills in the past decade have been filibustered.

3.27.04_Helper · April 2012

msmerymac:
Y'all really need to read Winner-Take-All Politics, especially the section about the media and the education of the American public (how few people know that Reps are elected every 2 years and Senators every 6 years, and that in 2000, shortly after Bush v. Gore, only 11% of adults knew Rehnquist was the Chieft Justice of the SCOTUS), and the section about the way the filibuster evolved, and how it's easier to use now. 70% of bills in the past decade have been filibustered.

I'm so glad Volenti suggested I read it.

AnnieBlah · May 2012

msmerymac:
70% of bills in the past decade have been filibustered.

Nuh-uh! It is the Rs fault over the past 3 years!!!!Eleventy!! I have charts to prove it, dangit!

Stick out tongue

WP: Let's Just say it: The Republicans are the problem

Re: WP: Let's Just say it: The Republicans are the problem

Choose Another Board

Search Boards

WP: Let's Just say it: The Republicans are the problem

Re: WP: Let&#039;s Just say it: The Republicans are the problem

Choose Another Board

Search Boards

Re: WP: Let's Just say it: The Republicans are the problem