One of the most significant shifts that our last presidential election highlighted was a migration of non-hardcore republicans over into what is looking to be a more centrist democratic party. The polarization and aggression of the Bush/Cheney administration may have proven to be a savvy political strategy 8 years ago, but now it seems like americans might be saying that scared and angry is no way to go thru life:
…thus the Republicans, arguably, are in something of a death spiral. The more conservative, partisan, and strident their message becomes, the more they alienate non-base Republicans. But the more they alienate non-base Republicans, the fewer of them are left to worry about appeasing. Thus, their message becomes continually more appealing to the base — but more conservative, partisan, and strident to the rest of us. And the process loops back upon itself.
I remember hearing the same thing about the Democrat Party when W won his first term; I remember hearing the same thing about the Republican Party when Clinton won his first term. I remember hearing the same thing about the Democrat Party when Reagan beat Carter, and so on. The truth is that both the Democrat & Republican branches of our National Spendocrat Party are both strong and unhealthy.
Posted by Fearless Lite | 26. Feb, 2009, 10:19 am