Why Is the Republican Field So Extreme? (Read 2137 times)

C-R


     Obama, the reconciler, .

     

    Ummm Jeff you do know he's married and has kids so you really don't have a shot. But who knows.


    "He conquers who endures" - Persius
    "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

    http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

    DoppleBock


      I disagree - It is a sneaky way to get to universal health care.  If the bill is not changed before 2014 - Every company will stop offering healthcare and turn their employees over to the government.  We are a smallish and very conservative company and it would save us 17-20 million per year.

       

      Well, since this thread was bound to spiral off-topic anyways...

       

      The issue here was the plan did absolutely nothing to rein in the main drivers of healthcare costs.  Nada.  It simply shifted around who is paying the bills and, in the not-so-long-term, that won't solve the problem and there still won't be money for it.  I fail to see how expensive programs that fail to address the core issues of the problem deserve credit.  We could say at least the Tea Party was trying to address the deficit issue by forcing a default.  They don't deserve credit for that either.  Rearranging deck chairs, so to speak.

       

      Realize that this is not a US issue.  Other countries struggle with this much more than most Americans realize as well.

      Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

       

       

        I think the founders' fear of political parties was deeper than factions....more to the level of the danger they posed from diverting from the needs of the people, to the needs of the parties.

         

         +1

        Life Goals:

        #1: Do what I can do

        #2: Enjoy life

         

         


        Ostrich runner

          I guess to me Obama seems like a moderate Republican. That he's been polarizing to the degree he has surprises me. I think any of the other Democratic front runners in the last election would have been farther to the left.

          http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum


          Feeling the growl again

            I disagree - It is a sneaky way to get to universal health care.  If the bill is not changed before 2014 - Every company will stop offering healthcare and turn their employees over to the government.  We are a smallish and very conservative company and it would save us 17-20 million per year.

             

            You are absolutely correct.  Ah, but what would the outcome be?  The gov't doesn't just pick up everyone.....they will mandate you buy it yourself.  That is my point.  In the end, we get screwed worse.  And no progress towards reducing the base cost has been made.  Why do you think they delayed the full implementation of the law for so many years??

             

            And if that doesn't work, they'll start taxing employer-provided healthcare, to achieve the same result.

            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

             

            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

             


            Why is it sideways?

              I guess to me Obama seems like a moderate Republican. That he's been polarizing to the degree he has surprises me. I think any of the other Democratic front runners in the last election would have been farther to the left.

               

              Yep.

              LedLincoln


              not bad for mile 25

                I hate to say it, but the most polarizing thing about Obama is the color of his skin.  In general, he's been relatively moderate, thus upsetting the extremes both left and right.


                Prince of Fatness

                  I'm not a Republican but I thought the following op-ed piece was well said.  (The annoying adds weren't there when I read it in the paper.)  It has to do with a Senate race here in MA, but he touches on the problem with partisan extremism on both sides and how it has rendered our government non-functional:

                   

                  A Republican voter seeks answers from Brown

                   

                  "Yet the last three years have been a difficult time to be a Republican. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell candidly stated that it was his goal to make Barack Obama a one-term president. House Speaker John Boehner and the Tea Party freshmen have been even more fervent in this goal. But the patriotic duty of all office-holders is to make the government succeed for the American people, not to wreck it so that they might win the next election. Nothing exemplified these Republicans’ attitude more than their explicit threat to see the United States default rather than allow any rise in taxes. While the Democrats played a similar game to ruin the presidency of George H.W. Bush, they at least had the grace not to be so frank about it."

                   

                  I was doing good and not posting in this thread but the "inherited the mess" thing made me post the George Washington comment.  Sorry about that.

                   

                  I'm going to try to stay out of this thread, but I would like to thank Mikey for that link.  Good read.  And what Mikey wrote that I have boldfaced is what really has me concerned that our government is beyond repair.  It's real easy to be cynical these days.

                  Not at it at all. 

                  DoppleBock


                    exactly right - It will be the end of employer paid health care - We will all have to pay for our own healthcare - Except employees of the government, welfare and medicare - They will still have their insurance paid through taxes.

                     

                    Once the government is in control of healthcare it should be able to bring the costs down - But will likely fuck it up.  Either way we will see a large decline in health care quality over the next decade.  Pretty soon we will all be going to Mexico to get our healthcare.

                     

                    You are absolutely correct.  Ah, but what would the outcome be?  The gov't doesn't just pick up everyone.....they will mandate you buy it yourself.  That is my point.  In the end, we get screwed worse.  And no progress towards reducing the base cost has been made.  Why do you think they delayed the full implementation of the law for so many years??

                     

                    And if that doesn't work, they'll start taxing employer-provided healthcare, to achieve the same result.

                    Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                     

                     


                    Feeling the growl again

                      I hate to say it, but the most polarizing thing about Obama is the color of his skin.

                       

                      Dude.  WTF.  That's as far as I'm even going to entertain that.

                       

                      MTA:  No, I will say one thing.  It's incredibly insulting to see you assuming that rather than being able to look at actions and issues, the only reason one can disagree with his actions is due to his skin color.  I guess I have no issues entering into a biracial marriage but I can't stand a president of another race.  Yeah.  That's it.

                      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                       

                      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                       


                      Feeling the growl again

                         

                         

                        Once the government is in control of healthcare it should be able to bring the costs down - But will likely fuck it up.  

                         

                         

                        Heh.  When has the gov't ever been the efficient means to accomplish anything?  It has no motivation for efficiency and every excuse for waste.  So yeah, I agree, they'll likely fuck it up.

                         

                        There is too much waste and perverse incentives in the system.  Until those are addresses (which noone is), costs will not come down.

                        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                         

                        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                         

                        C-R


                          I hate to say it, but the most polarizing thing about Obama is the color of his skin. 

                           

                          Wow. Simply wow. Last I looked it was policy discussions. This isn't so much from left field as it's from the upper deck.


                          "He conquers who endures" - Persius
                          "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

                          http://ncstake.blogspot.com/


                          Happy Camper

                            I hate to say it, but the most polarizing thing about Obama is the color of his skin.  In general, he's been relatively moderate, thus upsetting the extremes both left and right.

                             

                            I'll call BS on this regarding the color of his skin.  Voters felt it wasn't working last election and voted to do something different.  Skin color did not keep BHO from winning and the demagoguing on it should stop.

                            Determination: The feeling you get right before you try something incredibly stupid.

                            Hannibal Granite


                              You hate Pailn, I get it.  What do you think she should do with Trig?  Hide him in the basement?  You don't think she has an increased capacity for empathy after giving birth, rearing and  not backing away from the challenge?  Success leads to wealth.  That happens all the time in Wasilla, AK.  The birth place of fame and fortune and special advantages.  As far as damage from the "lamestream media" would you care to live through the wit and humor of Bill Maher when he's yucking it up on TV about you and your children? 

                               

                              Who  said that Bachman should be President?  I'm just not ready to vilify her.  Some voters in Minnesota made her Congresswoman just like they and some court cases made Al Franken a Senator.  If she should be President is what the primaries and election is about. 

                              Hate is a strong word, I have no respect for her, but that is a completely different thing.  A person can have a child or children without using them as props, she used him as a prop and that is disgusting.  No I don't think she has an increased capacity for empathy, I think she is an extreme narcisist (sp?)  and everything is about her.  No I wouldn't want to live with people constantly mocking me either, but I didn't make the choice to be a politician, she did and that is part of the game.  She wants to live by her rules and say whatever she wants and doesn't ever want to ever be called out when she makes a mistake.  Someone asking what newspapers you read isn't a "gotcha" question just because you don't have a good answer and sound like confused teenager.   

                              As for the vilification of Bachman, you are the one who said that, how has she been vilified?  Replaying her words as she has said them is not vilification.  Showing how the things she has said or done are contradictory or just flat out wrong are also not vilification.   

                              "You NEED to do this" - Shara

                              xor


                                Dude.  WTF.  That's as far as I'm even going to entertain that.

                                 

                                MTA:  No, I will say one thing.  It's incredibly insulting to see you assuming that rather than being able to look at actions and issues, the only reason one can disagree with his actions is due to his skin color.  I guess I have no issues entering into a biracial marriage but I can't stand a president of another race.  Yeah.  That's it.

                                 

                                He didn't write that.  He wrote that it was the "most polarizing" aspect... which could mean it is very very polarizing.  Or not very much at all given Led's view that Obama is moderate on a great many things.

                                 

                                This is why politics discussions suck.

                                 

                                BTW, as a person of color I will say this:  Hmmm.  I dunno what is and what is not.  But he's the first black president and it is worth at least offering it up without getting shouted down as "UNPOSSIBLE!  NO! NO!"

                                 

                                Doesn't mean I think that's why everything is effed up.  I don't.