So the tea party is wounded and Chris Christie is the face of (R)

[Justin]

Ditto! I'm blaming it on the media playing their games, and the embarrassingly low turnout in the last few elections by registered R voters. Not to mention all the people that want free stuff.

Guess what? The media is always going to stump for the guy with a (D) behind his name. It's just part of the game. Democrats get +5 to positive media portrayal.

This means that the Republicans had better make damned sure they run candidates who can overcome the media handicap, rather than playing right into it, and furthermore, they need to run candidates that, rather than doubling down on the social conservative bull, actually speak to issues that matter and work to bring in female and libertarian voters.

[Gman]

There's enough that is fundamentally broken, that social issues don't need to be a priority. Get the government out of the people's way so we can recover economically and stop giving away our future.

[Singlestack]

The democrats definitely get the "big tent" idea right in all the ways we get it wrong.

If by big tent you mean attracting moderates and independents, I don't think I agree. The Dems platform is very far-left, and there is little tolerance for pro-life views or non-muslim religions. Massive entitlement growth is job 1. The Dems have built a winning coalition based on racial division, entitlement growth, free contraceptives (the "war on women"), and the revolving money door with labor unions. Aided by a sycophantic media and the "culture of personality", that has been a winning hand. Couple that to the establishment RNC pushing squishy and RINO candidates and many conservatives staying home in the big elections, and here we are. Now the establishment RNC is trashing the tea party since they see the tea party as the threat that will potentially replace them and their power. I'm not surprised. If tea party and conservative candidates gain more seats in congress in the next few elections, it will transform the RNC and the establishment will lose their power and control. That is how to take control. I don't think a 3rd party can win a national election at this time.

[Gman]

I don't think a 3rd party can win a national election at this time.

...and I thought I was Master of the Obvious.

[Justin]

If by big tent you mean attracting moderates and independents, I don't think I agree.

The moderates and independents they pick up are the ones the GOP scares off. From where I sit, the DNC does a great job of building a big tent that appeals to a large number of sub-groups with wildly varying interests. Look at the groups that the DNC has managed to build into a coalition:

- Unions
- The LGBT crowd
- The Feminist movement
- Radical environmentalists
- Trial lawyers
- The heads of various old media companies
- The African-American civil rights movement
- Those in favor of amnesty for illegal immigrants

And that's just off the top of my head. Looking at the interests of those groups, there are a number of them that are clearly antagonistic to each other, but it sure doesn't stop them from supporting the party, nor does it stop the party from giving them what they want, at least some of the time.

[Great-Kazoo]

The moderates and independents they pick up are the ones the GOP scares off. From where I sit, the DNC does a great job of building a big tent that appeals to a large number of sub-groups with wildly varying interests. Look at the groups that the DNC has managed to build into a coalition:

- Unions
- The LGBT crowd
- The Feminist movement
- Radical environmentalists
- Trial lawyers
- The heads of various old media companies
- The African-American civil rights movement
- Those in favor of amnesty for illegal immigrants

And that's just off the top of my head. Looking at the interests of those groups, there are a number of them that are clearly antagonistic to each other, but it sure doesn't stop them from supporting the party, nor does it stop the party from giving them what they want, at least some of the time.

While I agree somewhat, regarding groups the D`s attract. Everyone you listed has their hand out on the .gov teat. Not one of them could maintain their "membership" without support / funding from the gov.
The best example is AA civil rights. While noble and correct in its origins, it has become a self policing org who really doesn't care. UNLESS it can rally the troops against some crafted Racist accusations.
Zimmerman trial is a classic example. A Hispanic defends himself, it then becomes a media / administration / Jesse Jackson circus.
The repercussions of it went unreported by the media (random attacks) against whites, by groups of blacks. While Zimmerman was worldwide, nary a peep, when that woman was attacked, baby killed.
That is the big tent the D`s pander to. I have no use or want to be associated with those groups.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

What I mean by Dem's "big tent" are that those groups you listed have some serious fundamental differences and yet find themselves working together AGAINST the GOP. The libertarians should own the LGBTs. The Feminists. The conservatives should appeal to the religious side of your more traditional African American families. Big business should love either libertarians or conservatives but have found life easier to work for special deals than to compete.

Just look at the debates on these forum threads. We divide amongst ourselves constantly. While that is fair enough (and appropriate often enough), when it comes time to vote, we can't get our act together. We still debate Maes and Tancredo. We have Mitch McConnell actively working against Rand Paul (or Paul Cruz). You NEVER, EVER see Dems do this when it matters. They all get in lock-step, and agree to debate it once won amongst themselves, although that latter step never happens.

[Great-Kazoo]

What I mean by Dem's "big tent" are that those groups you listed have some serious fundamental differences and yet find themselves working together AGAINST the GOP. The libertarians should own the LGBTs. The Feminists. The conservatives should appeal to the religious side of your more traditional African American families. Big business should love either libertarians or conservatives but have found life easier to work for special deals than to compete.

Just look at the debates on these forum threads. We divide amongst ourselves constantly. While that is fair enough (and appropriate often enough), when it comes time to vote, we can't get our act together. We still debate Maes and Tancredo. We have Mitch McConnell actively working against Rand Paul (or Paul Cruz). You NEVER, EVER see Dems do this when it matters. They all get in lock-step, and agree to debate it once won amongst themselves, although that latter step never happens.

Socialist do that, lock step thing, it's programmed in their brain. What ever it takes for the greater good, comrade.
Once again the elections are there for the R's to lose.

[Zundfolge]

Socialist do that, lock step thing, it's programmed in their brain. What ever it takes for the greater good, comrade.
Once again the elections are there for the R's to lose.

This is the essence of the problem.

Leftists/Progressives/Liberals/Democrats divide the world into groups and engage in massive groupthink ... conservatives and libertarians are individualists that don't really want to have anything to do with government ... or each other for that matter (I believe the imagery used to describe us has been "herding cats").

So the left will ALWAYS be predisposed to centralize and grow power in government while the "right" will be predisposed to ignoring the left until its almost too late (or maybe not even almost).


At any rate, the challenge for conservatives and libertarians is to build a coalition of the center-right to right WITHOUT abandoning their principals and becoming "Democrat-Lite". If this BS that moderate Republicans are the best way to win were true we'd all be bitching about whatever stupid crap President McCain has done in his second term (or at least what stupid crap President Romney is doing now).


I'm inclined to agree with Bill Whittle that we should dump the name Tea Party and replace it with "The Rebel Alliance".

[davsel]

While I agree somewhat, regarding groups the D`s attract. Everyone you listed has their hand out on the .gov teat. Not one of them could maintain their "membership" without support / funding from the gov.
...

Exactly!

It is much easier to win an election when you offer to buy the votes.
The more groups you hand out to, the more groups will vote for you.
The next group will be ILLEGAL F'N border hoppers.

Now that the takers officially outnumber the makers, the game is over. Prepare accordingly.