The GOP Iowa Caucus is here! I personally cannot wait for this to be over. Mitt Romney will win the nomination by February and the GOP can stop holding their nose about Mitt and finally rally behind him. I live in a Red State, have plenty of Republican friends & family, and frequently visit conservative websites just for a little self torture.
There is a stark difference between Republicans & Democrats. The Republicans will defend their guy to the the death while Democrats are often the first to criticize themselves.
Exhibit A
Here are 3 quotes from a Conservatives/Republicans:
You don't restore America by doubling down on the National debt like Obama has. Obama stands heads above Rove in being the worst thing for this country. I beg to differ, Obama tells lies that are so convincing, he makes YOU think he's NOT lying.
I agree Obama will be re-elected but it will be because of massive fraud that occurs(votes suddenly turning up in a car trunk) whenever a democrat is involved in a razor thin election along with the ‘mushy middle’ believing the propaganda the lefty media spews(blacks will riot if Obama loses).
Making the economy worse is exactly what they want. They are out to “fundamentally remake America”. To do that they have to “introduce greater uncertainty into the market”.
I hope the voters remember this in November, and in years–even decades–to come. We have to get rid of not only the politicians who want to destroy this country, but also the bureaucrats who support their plans.
If we do not remain strong economically, militarily, politically, and religiously, we are doomed. As soon as we are weak enough, or perceived to be weak enough, the attacks will come. Not only from the islamo-fascists, but from the other two-bit dictators such as Huge-o Chavez and (Ras)Putin, and the drug czars, and the eco-nuts, and any one else who envies our prosperity, or hates our freedoms
These two quotes make my stomach churn YET they are often the talking points of conservatives, the tea party, the House Majority Leader/Speaker of the House, etc.
You see, the GOP has cheerleaders. We can throw facts at them every which way but they still stick to their guns (literally). Once again, living in Arizona has given me a different perspective on the GOP. I see how their branding and messaging works on family and friends. It is frightening to me but it has helped them further their cause.
On our side of things we bicker amongst ourselves about the actions of Democratic leaders and are often the first to throw in the towel.
The democratic party does not have the same effectiveness in messaging because often times the message falls on defiant ears.
Exhibit B
Here are 3 quotes from liberals/progressives:
I dont care if Obama is re-elected. He has failed as a president and, in reality, the republicans have been governing the last 2 years by controlling congress. I will vote and support democrats for congress and senate. That's what really matters.Re-gaining control of congress. Whether Obama is re-elected is totally irrelevant in my opinion. He is a right-wing democrat, like Joe Lieberman. Not that different from moderate republicans.
But Obama is a jackass and it's going to make me sick when I vote for him. I'm not donating any money. He's getting enough from Wall Street. The Dems should be very thankful that I'm even going to vote.
Obama has not only capitulated to Republican intransigence again and again but has too often adopted the Republican framing of issues ceding not just political tactical space but pushing the ideological arguments into enemy territory.
You will be hard pressed to find an anti-Bush person on Republican websites. Despite his very obvious shortcomings as President. Nonetheless, they support their cause by any means necessary. The average American hears the word liberal and thinks that it is a bad thing. So when they hear things such as "free health care", or "social safety net" they immediately think that the terms resonate with something bad; which is not true! Cons. think Obama is a socialist, Marxist, anti-American and CONTINUE to force this down the throats of their supporters. It was this language that spurred the Tea Party, it was this energy that prompted the GOP to take the House.
What are we going to do to make sure that we aren't shooting ourselves in the foot? How can we set standards that won't create an atmosphere of apathy? These are questions that I would like answers to. In the meantime, I will support my disabled congresswoman in the hopes that she will have a democratic successor, fight for the election of a Democratic Senator, and a second term for our President.