Gary Bauer Lets Cat Out of Bag-Republicans Lie to Base On Econ Policy

A schism between social conservatives and fiscal ones would be interesting. I know people say the democrats have the big tented circus, but the Republican party is just as crazy.

I do think there are more fiscal conservatives than this guy realizes. If the current GOP, falls apart- I'd bet that a new conservative party would come out of the ashes, with blue dog democrats forming a party with fiscal conservatives. While social conservatives wouldn't be courted like they are now, they'd probably still vote conservative- so long as Democrats support abortion and gay marriage.

 

I think it's more than interesting: it's inevitable. The current form of the GOP is in real danger, I think more than most realize. It's viewed as outdated and backwards-thinking. Even some prominent voices within the party are hinting in that direction. Hitching the wagon to the old "family values" horse doesn't cut it any more. They're going to have to embrace some ideas that were taboo not too long ago, and it's going to cost 'em voters. The question is: what will come from it? Is this the beginning of the formation of a third party? The GOP becomes the fiscally conservative version of the Democratic party and the social conservatives splinter off to form the Do-Gooder Party?

 

I think our political system is structured in a way to essentially force a 2-party system. That's how we had fiscal and social conservatives shoe-horned together, and a Big Tent Democratic party. So, one, I wonder if they really can split. And, two, if they did split, what sort of new alliances could be formed to make a new 2-party system? A real 3-party system isn't sustainable, imo, with our winner-take-all electoral system.

 

Who gets left in the dust with a GOP split? I don't think either group, as demographics currently stand, could last on their own. I mean, how many fiscally conservatives Democrats still exist? And who would the Bible Belt vote for? That's why I'm not totally convinced a split is inevitable.

 

Who is Gary Bauer? Never heard of him.

 

He's absolutely right. The GOP doesn't care about social issues. They are nothing more than talking points designed to get out the base. All the GOP cares about is the 1%. As much as I oppose the religious wing of the GOP, I will admit that it isn't abortion or gay marriage that is hurting the Republican party as much as their economic agenda which clearly puts the needs of the 1% over the 99%.

 

Rosy-cheeked freak who got out-Jesus'd by W in 2000.