In the last few months, Democrats have won three special elections in districts that were considered reliably Republican. Most Capitol Hill analysts believe that the results are a bad sign for Republicans as they face the voters this fall when Democrats will likely add to their majorities in both houses of Congress.
The most recent Republican loss occurred in Mississippi last week in the district formerly represented by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, who was picked by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott.
Several weeks ago, Republicans lost the special election in Louisiana’s 6th congressional district to replace long time GOP congressman Richard Baker. Democrat Donald Cazayoux won the seat defeating staunch conservative Woody Jenkins.
With an unpopular President, an unpopular war in Iraq, surging gasoline prices and increasing food costs; it is no surprise that the Republican Party is having a hard time at the polls. President Bush has done tremendous harm to the Republican Party brand, but so have the Republicans in congress who squandered their majority by supporting more government spending and additional entitlements.
The Republicans have offered nothing other than a more moderate version of the Democratic Party. The bold vision of Ronald Reagan to reduce government and increase personal freedom has been abandoned.
In their special election defeats, the GOP attacked their Democratic Party opponents as liberals and tried to connect them to Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. However, this type of guilt by association did not work. Voters are looking for solutions to the problems of today. If Republicans can’t offer solutions, voters will opt for the party out of power, the Democrats.
The challenge for the GOP and John McCain is to outline a bold plan for the future. Attack politics will not prevail this fall. The battle must be about our foreign and domestic policies. Republicans must also remember why they were elected in the first place. Was it to pursue a more moderate version of the Democratic Party or a bold brand of conservatism? Clearly, voters thought they were electing conservatives to Congress when Republicans gained control of Capitol Hill. The GOP lost control because they disappointed their base and forgot their core values. In this fall’s election, it is time for the GOP to reclaim the mantle of conservatism and take the fight to the Democrats in a bold manner, not on personality politics, but on significant policy differences.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man... Written by ..............Proverbs 27:20......................
on 5/22/2008
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Perhaps the major problem is that much like the posters below, everyone is busy looking at the past and pissing and moaning about it.... without any real suggestions on how to take care of present problems that will have a positive effect on the future.... And why....? Who knows..... Perhaps what we have in this state, and this nation, is the a case of the selfish being led by the selfish.... And when a solution is brought to their attention, they quickly buzz off to some other mindless subject....... Sort of like retarded children in a candy store that don't know what they need............ Written by
on 5/22/2008
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Just as it's a mistake for a white person to looks at blacks and only see criminals, it also is wrong (as in ... "incorrect") to look at those who believe in free markets and limited government and fail to see the secular and racially tolerant portion but instead only see the racist and bible-thumping element. Just as it is true that black criminals may get more press exposure than decent law abiding black men and women do so also the fringe elements of the right will get more press exposure than the more cerebral elements will; this is particularly true if the intention of the press is to portray all believers in smaller government in a poor light. I suppose the press could slant their "news" coverage to portray all "greenies" as potential Unabombers, however this would not make this assertion true. What I’m saying is that just as the left would be incorrectly defined as “Communists” so too the right is not defined by “Tali-Baptists.” They are both there all right – on the fringe – but actually do not have anywhere near the influence within their own side of the political divide as the opposite side attributes to them. Written by kpf
on 5/22/2008
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Sid, "Talibaptist" is not a synonym for "religious person" - it is a label for those who want to make the United States a theocracy. Believe it or not, these folk exist, and to my mind, they're no different from the Taliban, aside from the fact that they're not Muslims. You know who America's Taliban are? Visit the webpage of the Louisiana Family Forum: http://www.lafamilyforum.org/ Or visit the website of Retired Judge Darrell White, quite possibly the stupidest person to ever draw breath: http://www.judgewhite.com/origins/index.html These folks are far more of a threat to our way of life than ralphie's bogeyman "socialism" ever would be. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/21/2008
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If Obama is elected, you'll get to find out quickly what a Gore victory would have produced. He'll send us down that slippery socialist slope much faster than Gore would have been able to, thanks to his own weaknesses and an emboldened democratic majority in Congress. I know that slope looks like a fast track to nirvana to you, but I don't think it's what the majority of Americans believe in. But I have a better election year question to ask than the old "Are you better off" query. The real catchphrase of the 2012 elections will be: "Does Tee Dub get have his country back?" Written by ralphie
on 5/21/2008
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Amen lagirlfriday, "... limited government, a return to the constitution and our country's founding principles, little or no taxes, and a sound economy ...elimination of the IRS, secure borders, and complete freedom in education and healthcare." This is the (hopefully) lasting legacy of the (largely ignored) Ron Paul candidacy. Although the right largely ignores us and the left classifies us as members of the right, there are an ever-growing number of citizens who distrust our elected officials (why? read the papers on ANY given day) and want these people’s power LIMITED by our Constitution. The "movement" is not about Ron Paul at all nor is it limited to disgruntled Republicans; it's about the citizens of this country taking back our government. I may not be the “sharpest pencil in the box”, but it is quite apparent to me that "change" will not take place as long as our two "opposition" parties remain in power posing as polar opposites when they are in fact both beholden to the same big moneyed interests. The “change” they offer is a deception, their only goal being to hold power as each party poses as an “alternative” to the other. The "Big Tent" philosophy that grew the Democratic Party in the late sixties serves as an example of how this movement can grow. The key to the success of this movement is to keep the focus on Constitutional principles, remain secular and tolerant of racial and sexual orientation differences. Divisions within the Democratic Party over Obama vs. Clinton and Republican dissent can fuel this movement provided the movement embraces all that share the core “Constitutional governance” principle and avoids issues that would circumvent unity of purpose. Written by kpf
on 5/21/2008
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I guess former President Carter would only be a loony Talibaptist nutbag since he is not a right winger? Written by Sid
on 5/21/2008
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Kerry (and even ralphie, I have to admit) have a good point - so I should take a step back - what I should have said is that had there been a fair recount of all ballots statewide, then Gore would have won Florida. This is not what Gore wanted, which was stupid and unfair on his part. And, as Kerry notes, this of course includes some of those g.d. "hanging chads" which one could argue should not be counted. So perhaps I was too strong with my language, ralphie. Let's put it this way - had there been a fair ballot system in place, and had all the votes across the state, including Bush stronghold counties been counted, then Gore would have been elected president. This says nothing about purging the rolls, which is another issue altogether. Now ralphie, before I conduct an in-depth study of this issue, I would prefer that you do an in-depth study of what a stellar job Bush has done as President, and how we as a nation are stronger in 2008 than we were in 2000. Please highlight all of his achievements, from "My Pet Goat" to "pretzelgate" to "I'm the Decider" to "Heckuva job, Brownie" - my, we are fortunate to have had this intellectual giant as our president these last eight years. I shiver in horror as to what might have been, had Gore been (rightfully) inaugurated President. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/21/2008
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There is an often overlooked wave of backbone swelling in the Republican party ranks. Constitutional conservatives who want to truly see small limited government, a return to the constitution and our country's founding principles, little or no taxes, and a sound economy are rising up within the ranks of the GOP to take a stand against Democrats and Republicans who only pretend to be conservative. In North Louisiana, specifically the 4th district, there is such a strong and constitutional Republican running for Congress. Dr. John Fleming is committed to the constitution, small government, an elimination of the IRS, secure borders, and complete freedom in education and healthcare. I especially like his stance on our second amendment right to keep and bear arms. He is the first I've seen in quite sometime who openly recognizes that the second amendment is there to protect America from tyranny. As a doctor also, he understand the healthcare system and the importance of keeping health insurance within a free market. This is the best congressional candidate I've seen in Louisiana in quite awhile! Check out his website...its pretty amazing...you can watch videos there of Dr. John Fleming explain clearly and exactly where he stands on the issues.
www.flemingforcongress.com
John Fleming for Congress is the only choice in Louisiana's Fourth District for those of us who want to see the constitution followed and the oath congressmen take to defend it upheld. Written by lagirlfriday
on 5/21/2008
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Tee, I commission you to do an in-depth study on the Bush-Gore election. The scope will include your "indisputable" ha ha ha recount claim. Let's also take the analysis back to the beginning of the process and get the facts on voter fraud and vote-buying as well. Not that we could blame the poor downtrodden republican-abused minorities for selling a vote when they get a chance. What other means have we heartless, profiteering, capitalist republicans left them to scrape out a dollar here and there. Sorry, no funding for your research, but that shouldn't stop a dedicated zealot like yourself. But please, no preliminary reports, just keep everything under tight wraps until the comprehensive report is completed and published. Then I'll review and get back to you first chance I get. Written by ralphie
on 5/21/2008
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Tee Dub my friend, the lawyer (a Democrat) the Democratic Registrar of Voters in Broward county had on hand to oversee the recount there - when they decided to change the way the votes would be counted (hanging chads) - strongly cautioned them to NOT DO THIS - to "not do this" due to FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS that stated that the MEANS OF COUNTING VOTES must be in place BEFORE the election is held (B_E_F_O_R_E, understand, "before" not DURING the count, BEFORE!). He strongly suggested that the method of counting NOT BE CHANGED due to this Federal Election law stipulation and that if the means of counting were changed the vote tally would be challenged and overturned. This dude was quite prescient - or did he simply understand the law? The Democratic majority Florida Supreme Court ruled on this FEDERAL election and was overturned by the FEDERAl Supreme Court. Yes this court was majority Republican but if that makes them unrelaible then why doesn't the fact that the Florida Supreme Court was majority Democrats make them just as dishonest? Written by kpf
on 5/21/2008
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And one more thing - as I am constantly telling my European friends - I most certainly am NOT a yankee. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/21/2008
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Mais the line on Carter was addressed to ralphie, not Sid. My bad. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/21/2008
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Sid, a fair recount of the Florida ballots would have given Gore the Presidency. THAT IS AN INDISPUTABLE FACT. The Supreme Court that halted it included people who were appointed by Chimpy McFlightsuit's father. At the very least, they should have recused themselves from the decision. Had this all transpired in some non-industrialized foreign country, of which some of you are woefully ignorant (yes, I mean you, ralphie), then you'd all be clamoring about how "those guys" can't get their acts together. Also, Sid, Carter is quite religious, but he's about the farthest thing from a Talibaptist there is. So your lame line about anyone who is religious is a rightwing nutjob doesn't hold water, Ace. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/21/2008
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Has anybody noticed that Congress has a lower approval rating than President Bush? But no we can't mention that because that would point the finger at the liberal democrats that are in charge. The federal government have a responsibility to maintain highways and generally the states over see that function...looks to me like the states don't have their priorities straight. But let's blame Bush for every wrong including hang nails and dandruff. It's amazing that if a person is religious and conservative he is automatically a fascist, loony rightwing Talibaptist nutbag!(I guess I am a TaliCatholist!) And wake up guys, the Supreme Court did not give the election to Bush, it corrected an unconstitutional act by the FL supreme court. Besides, the votes were counted and re-counted and the outcome was the same. Gore lost, get over it. Also, why isn't anything said about Gore and Kerry fighting to have the votes of the military stationed overseas discounted? Republicans + Democrats = 25# of Old Roy dog food. The propaganda machine that has hounded Bush since he took office would make Nazi Germany proud. Written by Sid
on 5/21/2008
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kpf - Although I dread the thought of a democrat for president on top of democratic control of congress, you are absolutely right about the backlash that result in a Republican swing in the future. Remember what led to the Reagan years, that bumbling naive do-gooder Jimmy Carter. I'll bet Iran will be too smart this time to hold American hostages during a presidential election. Written by ralphie
on 5/21/2008
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I agree completely Jeff; more wasteful spending is not an alternative to the Democratic Party. Mr., Mrs. or Miss "no name" who wrote the "has brought this problem on" post - that was a great summary of the major problems in this country today. If you're lame or old you need government to provide for you, if you're mentally and physically able then the solution to your problems and needs can be seen in the mirror, not in some government program. I'm one of those voters who are dissatisfied with the Republicans but I seriously doubt that there will be a long term shift to Democratic Party dominance, they will mess things up enough to disgust voters just like it has happened in the past; then it will be the Republicans turn to come in office and do the same. Written by kpf
on 5/21/2008
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That wonderful Constitution included the Supreme Court, didn't it? You left out "a country that counts hanging chads," if you're still hyperventilating over that issue. Written by
on 5/21/2008
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Wow, you're a real yankee doodle dandy, Tee Dub. Were you born on the Fourth of July? I can hear Obama's campaign ads for Louisiana already: "Vote for me, Barack Obama, and I'll give Tee Dub his country back!" -- I can almost hear the jubilant rat-tat-tat of AK-47's firing into the air throughout the middle east, as they prepare to respect and embrace us. ---And it doesn't matter what you claim as your opinions on tort reform, because if you vote for democrats, you are supporting further abuse of the legal system. Written by ralphie
on 5/21/2008
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ralphie, don't put words in my mouth. Here is the reality - anywhere else in the Western World, the Democrats would be considered a center-right party. In contrast, the Republicans would be just one or two Woody Jenkinses shy of being fascists. What I am calling for is considered perfectly reasonable, acceptable, even mandatory, in many parts of the Western World. There are even Conservative Party MPs in the UK who would agree with the vast majority of my political views. What's out of sync is this country, particularly here in the Deep South, where the loony Rightwing Talibaptist nutbags hold the most sway. Were they just in the South, then they wouldn't be that big a problem - problem is, we (via the Supreme Court) turned around and made one of them President, and everything that microcephalic dolt has touched over the last eight years has turned to merde. So please don't lecture me about tort reform, etc. - you haven't a clue about how I feel about those issues, because I've never discussed them here. What I have discussed is the fact that I want a responsive government that looks out for its citizens, that protects the weakest among us from the strongest, and which doesn't go to war for petty or erroneous reasons. I want a country that people around the world embrace and respect, not fear. I want a country that brings back the freedoms enshrined in its wonderful Constitution, and one that doesn't spy on its citizens. THAT'S what I want. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/20/2008
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Tee Dub, You call conservatives extremists, but no opinions are more extreme than yours. Of course, government needs to build bridges. But government also needs to reform tort laws so that that drunk drivers who hit bridge rails while talking on their cell phones can't successfully sue the state for negligence and win exorbitant awards. Republicans are supposed to address this scam (if they are true to conservative philosophy). But democrats push candidates like John Edwards for national office. In Louisiana, democrats form law partnerships, sabotage the state's legal defenses in the legislature, sue the state, pressure the Office of Risk Management to settle, then introduce legislation to pay the ridiculous award. But in the mind of Tee Dub, that is social justice and one convenient way to redistribute the wealth. Written by ralphie
on 5/20/2008
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1000 people with 1000 original thoughts could fix the problems we are faced with... So tell me, how can a person have original thoughts if all it knows is what it was taught in a school?????? Or told to it by others????? As a result of knowing only what they were taught in school????? What a bunch of closed loop morons………………………….. Sadly Clairvoyant, your statement along the lines of what worked in 1994 isn’t applicable today is, well, sad but true, rather academic of you….. There is no substitute for hard work, determination, coupled with bold approaches to the same age old time tested problems we are currently faced with….. You think social decay is something new or something? And last I heard, matches are just as effective at lighting a fire today as they were back in the early 1900’s. Because we didn’t start the fire………………………………………………………….. Written by
on 5/20/2008
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The pursued economic theory that a home will double in value in 10 years is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that drugs are common place on our streets is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that a couple of folks have their panties up in a bunch over a child that can only read Clifford the Big Red Dog at age 5 instead of the age 4 and decides to spend 100's of millions of dollars to cause this $5.95 book to be comprehendible is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that we have not invested in Rail, and shipping (our merchant marine has negligible tonnage) is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that we have not fully invested heavily in a diversified energy program is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that unregulated and unnecessary immigration has been allowed for decades is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that insurance industries and safety regulators has had a large hand in causing automobiles to cost as much today as a 3 bedroom home in 1962 could be bought for is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The fact that it takes a wife and a husband both working to make ends meet is one of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. The list can go on and on and on….. But sadly, the fact that people like the three posters below expect government to solve their problems is yet another of the basic flaws that has brought this problem on. Because there is no sense in fetching water pails after the barn burned down….. Yes, there are lots of reasons these things are happening, and there are lots of ways to turn it around. It is up to each and every person to figure out what it can do for its self, for its family, for its neighbors, and ultimately for our nation to improve things as a whole, if that is indeed what is desired…. So keep on with a lack of focus, and of vision, of determination, of work principle, keep feeding your faces as you sit placated in front of the boob toob, (The computer seems to be a newer and improved version of that)… But then again, it is probably useless, and so China is coming to show us a new way…………………………………….. Written by
on 5/20/2008
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Yes, Tee Dub has a point. You're looking at the present situation in a vacuum and assuming because something worked in 1994, it will work in 2008. I think the country has fundamentally changed or at the very least, is in the process of changing. Republicans have so tarnished what it means to be a conservative that people aren't buying it at all. (and before you say "Republicans aren't acting conservative", I will say that for better or worse, when you drop conservative 20 times in every speech and that's all you have to say about yourself, then people naturally associate record deficits, runaway spending, broken government, failed foreign policy, domestic spying, etc. with conservatism) Furthermore, the Gingrich Revolution was a backlash at the majority party which had some notable failures. Democrats haven't been in office long enough, and they haven't had full control of the government, to warrant such voter antipathy. What Republicans need is to recognize the real problems that real people face. They don't have to be Democrats-lite, but they have to at least show a little empathy and promise to work towards real solutions. They just aren't doing that now. The same old conservative talking points just aren't going to cut it. Written by clairvoyant
on 5/20/2008
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Jeff, you're fighting yesterday's battle. People are finally catching on to the fact that they want their government to DO SOMETHING. Government can work, and it should work, for the people. Conservatives and their shills in the media have been parroting the line that government can't work, and people are sick of it. We need government. Government is not, as Reagan once quipped, "the enemy." If that's all the GOP has to offer - cutting taxes and stripping government services away "to starve the beast" until there's no infrastructure left in this country, and bridges are falling down everywhere, then of course people are going to reject their message. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 5/20/2008
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The present administration has destroyed the republican party and the conservative movement as well. With unprecedented national antipathy toward the administration because of Iraq, economic problems, high gas prices, immigration out of control nearly seven years Post 9/11, spending out of control, record deficits when the budget was in the black when this administration took office, it is little wonder that the republican party faces another bloodbath this November. Most political pundits predict a loss of anywhere from 15 to 30 house seats and a loss of somewhere between four and eight senate seats, thus giving them a near filibuster-proof majority. Had the president not become the most unpopular president for the longest amount of time in American history, republicans would have remained the majority party for decades, perhaps for generations. Now the opposite is true--democrats will be the majority party for years to come. Even with a seriously flawed candidate at the top of the ticket, democrats are better than a 50/50 shot to win the White House this year. Fortunately for the republicans, they nominated the only candidate who has any chance whatsoever to win independents and moderate democrats, but that is not a given because McCain is tied to the overwhelmingly unpopular war--the same issue that gave democrats a landslide victory in '06. With enemies like George W. Bush, democrats don't need any friends to keep on winning special elections and slaughtering the republicans yet again this Novemeber. "Heckuva job, George"! Written by Randall
on 5/20/2008
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In the last few months, Democrats have won three special elections in districts that were considered reliably Republican. Most Capitol Hill analysts believe that the results are a bad sign for Republicans as they face the voters this fall when Democrats will likely add to their majorities in both houses of Congress. 
