Doies anyone know how to contact Bill Weld these days…?
Email this postSpread the Word:
Month: November, 2008
I’ll be among the first to say it’s important, as the Progressive Republican movement grows, that we not directly antagonize and/or alienate the socially conservative wing. Despite our disagreements on the direction the Party has taken, we are all still Republicans, committed to reducing the size and cost of government, while maintaining a strong national defense.
It’s clear, though that many on the social conservative side do not agree with that. Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, an announced candidate for leadership of the RNC has felt it necessary to distance himself from the Republican Leadership Council, The RLC is an organization much like ours. It supports fiscally conservative Republicans with a diverse set of social values. The RLC is led by former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and former Missiouri Senator John Danforth.
You read that correctly. Christine Todd Whitman and John Danforth. Not Jeremiah Wright. Not Bill Ayers. Heck, not even Bill Clinton. The former REPUBLICAN Governor of New Jersey and the man who pretty much shepherded Clarence Thomas through the Supreme Court nomination process. It’s now necessary for a person to distance himself from these longtime bastions of the GOP in order to rise in the Party’s ranks?
What rational person can see the benefit of allowing the Party to continue this way? It’s time for Progressive Republicans to stand and with one loud voice say ENOUGH. If loyal Republicans like Whitman and Danforth don’t pass the orthodoxy test, what hope do we ever have of becoming the majority party again?
Spread the Word:
(Originally posted by Dennis Sanders on NeoMugWump)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The GOP’s “God Problem”
I believe there is an old story about a prominent liberal Democrat who upon hearing that President Nixon won re-election, expressed shock. How could that be, she thought, she didn’t know anyone who voted for the Republican.
The story has been used to show how Democrats can end up living in a little bubble where the only reality that exists is that which is around them. They were never curious to look at the wider culture and admit that there were people who might have other views and who were in essence being ignored.
In some ways, the same can be said about some in the GOP these days. In the wake of a devastating loss, no one wants to admit that the GOP has a problem. Like the family that doesn’t want to admit that uncle so-and-so is an out and out drunk that needs help, the GOP doesn’t want to accept the reality that it has a problem that needs to be address if it is to remain a viable political party.
That problem is the “God problem.” It’s the problem of allowing religious zealots to control the party that has driven what could be good conservatives away.
In today’s Washington Post, Kathleen Parker (a conservative writer that has been on a tear recently since she called for then VP candidate Sarah Palin to step down) writes a blistering attack on the GOP for not owning up to it’s “God Problem:”
Simply put: Armband religion is killing the Republican Party. And, the truth — as long as we’re setting ourselves free — is that if one were to eavesdrop on private conversations among the party intelligentsia, one would hear precisely that.
The choir has become absurdly off-key, and many Republicans know it.
So it has been for the Grand Old Party since the 1980s or so, as it has become increasingly beholden to an element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners.
Which is to say, the GOP has surrendered its high ground to its lowest brows. In the process, the party has alienated its non-base constituents, including other people of faith (those who prefer a more private approach to worship), as well as secularists and conservative-leaning Democrats who otherwise might be tempted to cross the aisle.
She calls for the GOP to bring religion back to being a matter of the heart instead of on the front lines of what it means to be conservative. Why? It’s all in the numbers:
Religious conservatives become defensive at any suggestion that they’ve had something to do with the GOP’s erosion. And, though the recent Democratic sweep can be attributed in large part to a referendum on Bush and the failing economy, three long-term trends identified by Emory University’s Alan Abramowitz have been devastating to the Republican Party: increasing racial diversity, declining marriage rates and changes in religious beliefs.
Suffice it to say, the Republican Party is largely comprised of white, married Christians. Anyone watching the two conventions last summer can’t have missed the stark differences: One party was brimming with energy, youth and diversity; the other felt like an annual Depends sales meeting.
Parker’s poison pen is in a similar vein to an op-ed written by former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman who says that among the myriad of reasons for John McCain’s loss, chief among them was the social conservatism of Palin:
Following the conventional wisdom of the past two presidential elections, McCain tried mightily to assuage the Republican Party’s social-fundamentalist wing. His selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose social views are entirely aligned with that wing, as his running mate was clearly meant to demonstrate his commitment to that bloc. Yet while his choice did comfort those voters, it made many others uncomfortable.
Palin has many attractive qualities as a candidate. Being prepared to become president at a moment’s notice was not obviously among them this year. Her selection cost the ticket support among those moderate voters who saw it as a cynical sop to social fundamentalists, reinforcing the impression that they control the party, with the party’s consent.
In the wake of the Democrats’ landslide victory, and despite all evidence to the contrary, many in the GOP are arguing that John McCain was defeated because the social fundamentalists wouldn’t support him. They seem to be suffering from a political strain of Stockholm syndrome. They are identifying with the interests of their political captors and ignoring the views of the larger electorate. This has cost the Republican Party the votes of millions of people who don’t find a willingness to acquiesce to hostage-takers a positive trait in potential leaders.
Unless the Republican Party ends its self-imposed captivity to social fundamentalists, it will spend a long time in the political wilderness. On Nov. 4, the American people very clearly rejected the politics of demonization and division. It’s long past time for the GOP to do the same.
Of course, both women have been rebuffed by conservative bloggers. Erika Anderson over at Culture 11 said the column was like “swallowing soap.” Anderson then issues what seems to be the standard line from the Religious Right: we are victims.
The Christian religion is an important part of American culture and cannot be chopped off because people like Parker and Christine Todd Whitman aren’t concerned with those issues.
What is interesting here is how Anderson seems say that only th Religious Right constitutes American Christianity. Nevermind the millions of Christians who don’t associate with the far right, but are who would still consider themselves conservative. For Anderson, saying anything bad about Christian conservatives is being anti-religious and masking what is the true problem that ails the GOP. Whatever that is.
I think the problem with whiners like Andersen as well as Jonah Goldberg, is that they live in a conservative echo chamber that doesn’t allow them to see what is going on outside of Washington. Having worked for several years in Log Cabin Republicans and being a Republican in the liberal bastion that is the Twin Cities, I can say that things are different around here. I know of people who would be loyal Republicans but refuse to get involved because of the party’s stance on issues like gay rights and same sex marriage. Goldberg can complain about how bigoted Parker is, but he ignores how bigoted the Religious Right has been to gays and lesbians, which has had a big effect on the GOP.
What many conservatives have failed to see is how the social conservatives have really turned off potential converts. Try going to a district convention where the talk is always about things like same-sex marriage. Political parties in America are built on coalitions, but the social conservatives just don’t play well with others.
Frankly I don’t see how being against gay marriage or gay rights in general, being pro-life, or being against stem cell research became the heart of what makes one a conservative these days. What about the emphasis on small or limited government or being fiscally prudent or being strong on national defense?
Is the heavy reliance on social conservatism the only reason the GOP failed this year? Of course not. There are many reasons why the GOP lost. But when you have a bunch people talking about how two men are going to destroy American society as we know it, who think the only way to deal with illegal immigration is to deport 12 million people instead trying to find ways to make them legal and to also stem the tide of illegal immigration and who are more concerned with what happened in 1970 than in what is happening today, you have a party that is not in tune with the times and is not willing to reach out to people who may not agree with the whole agenda, but still could be vital parts of a conservative coalition.
Maybe a few years in the political wilderness will amount to an “intervention.”
Spread the Word:
I’ve not seen anything that quite sums up the philopshy of the Progressive Republican better than this video:
http://www.isil.org/resources/introduction.swf
It’s a little long but well, well worth it.
Spread the Word:
(This post was written by a talented, young Progressive Republican named Martin Rybicki)
The party is now in shambles due to massive losses in congress and of course the presidency. Â In the coming years there will be a look inwards to see what we should become as a party. Â David Brooks, a New York Times conservative columnist, stated that right now there is a general division within the party and among Americans of what the party should be about.
In one corner will stand the Traditionalists, and in the other will be the reformers. Traditionalists are the members of the party who stand for the way the party is now, and the way it has been especially since the ‘90’s.  These include the social conservatives or social traditionalists which I use to discern between the true conservatives, (true) conservatives in the mold of Goldwater and Reagan, and neo-conservatism.  This is at least what they aim for, although the combination of these three sometimes conflicting ideologies themselves presents problems as is noted in the social conservative and true conservative combination.  Due to their entrenched place in the Republican Party which they now pretty much own, and their large donor base and network throughout the country and the loss of what they consider weakling republicans in the congress, they will no doubt be in control for the next few years at least.
In the other corner stand the Reformers.  These are the ones who think the party has been going down the wrong path for quite some time and that the Bush years was a culmination of a failed GOP policy that the traditionalists’ side supports.  Reformers believe that in order to give the GOP a future at all for new generations, it must change.  Now it is in this change where there will be a huge divergence of ideology.  Within the reform camp there will be what one can call the Progressives and the Conservatives.
Conservatives will be in the form of Goldwater and Reagan of believing government is bad and should be reduced as much as possible and advocate laissez-faire ideas of markets.  Although this is (supposedly) also within the traditionalist side, it differs obviously from them in that the reform conservatives advocate a return to what they see as “true†conservatism that Barry Goldwater advocated and that Reagan generally embodied in his presidency.  These reformers believed the loss of the party happened when neoconservatives, who believed in unilateral foreign policy and action, and social conservatives, hijacked the conservative brand and turned it into something that it was not, a tool for legislating evangelical morality and to push an agenda of foreign policy that excludes the world.  A return to what they believe is “true conservatism†will, in their opinion, bring the Republican Party back to its core beliefs.
Then there is the opposing view within the reformer canopy, the Progressive reformer. Â This type of republicanism is also known by many names including moderate/centrist/pragmatic republicanism. Â Its belief better explained in general within this website. Â Two well known and popular 20th century progressive republicans were Teddy Roosevelt and Eisenhower. Â In fact, Eisenhower devoted much of his time during his second term trying to establish a progressive wing of the party. Â The decision to do so within the republican party and to not create a 3rd party of centrism is chronicled within history and can be read in more detail here
To the progressive Republican, the loss of the party starts way before the rise of social conservatism in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  It started when Barry Goldwater rose to prominence within the Republican Party, advocating and successfully creating a conservative resurgence within the party.  This coupled with the “southern strategy†that some, including this author, believes to have led to the complete loss of Lincolnian ideals and the Republican Party’s stand for civil rights.  The loss of our party started way back in the 1960’s and continued decades later, only gaining strength with the injection of social conservatism that took the party even further away from what it was originally about.  Due to the entrenched conservatism, even among some in the reform side, it will be a very difficult but not impossible goal to create (or bring back) a Progressive wing of the party and to make it the new bastion of the Republican Party.
As we speak, current leaders are meeting to determine the course of the party. Â Most of these are traditionalists, who believe the way the party has been forming over the years is acceptable. Â There are many others who disagree and find the state of the party unacceptable. Â Although reformers must unite, one must realize that our own push for reform must be taken separately as well in order to achieve what President Eisenhower failed to do. His goal of creating a party, while promoting business and preventing Iron Cage bureaucracy, that should not stand for being the megaphone and lapdog of big business and corporations. Â To create a party that does not believe our nation should be a Theocracy. Â To create a party that is of the people, by the people and especially for the people.
Lessons to be learned from Ike’s quest for Progressive Republicanism…
Spread the Word:
Someone asked me recently “why am I so stuck on the progressive label?†I wouldn’t say I’m stuck on anything, but it does raise a valid question: Why are we “progressive?â€Â
It’s simple. Progressives believe in the advancement of society. We believe it’s essential that America move ever forward to fulfill the dreams of our founders and the great men and women who followed. We believe it’s essential that every American be able to exercise their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We believe that it’s essential that our air, water and soil be kept clean. We believe we should encourage science and technology are key to achieving our goals. Progressives believe in ever looking to tomorrow for solutions to the problems of today.
We don’t think Democrats have cornered the market on the future.
Spread the Word:
I certainly hope not. I hope the Party can really sit down, perform a detailed causal analysis, then make adjustments where necessary. Major adjustments to be sure, but adjustments nonetheless.
This author is less optimistic about the possibility of a bloodless revolution than I am:
Who lost conservatism? The first instinct among shell-shocked and infuriated partisans will be to blame anybody but their own faction for this historical repudiation. Look to the talk-radio mob to set upon conservative elites who failed to stay loyally on side, especially in the matter of Sarah Palin’s candidacy. This will do nobody any good and will delay the necessary repentance, rethinking and rebuilding.
I challenge each and every person reading this blog give in to the better angels of your natures. Reach out to your fellow Republicans who chose to vote for the Democratic candidates this year. Reach out to them and find out what brought them to that decision. Then, I challenge to act on what you learn.
Take this information to the Republican groups of which you’re a member. Have this dialog in all the offices, churches, restaurants and townhalls where Republican committees meet. Tell them where the PArty has done wrong, and what it’s done right.
The Democrats have not cornered the market on “Change.”
Spread the Word:
Smarter Government – We believe the core mission of the Republican Party for now and ever more should be reducing the size and cost of the government. We should be at the forefront of efforts to leverage technology to reduce the human and financial resources necessary to manage our government. We want to objectively measure the effectiveness of all government programs and wipe out those who do not meet the needs of the American people and direct resources to those that do.
Personal Responsibility – Progressive Republicans take seriously the inalienable rights described in the Declaration of Independence as “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.â€Â We take seriously the idea that these rights apply to all adult Americans and that every American who exercises these rights is responsible for any resultant consequences. We oppose any legislation which interferes with the exercise of these rights in any fashion which does not negatively impact national security or prevent others from exercising the same rights.
Sustainable Environment – Progressive Republicans, like our predecessor President Theodore Roosevelt, believe it is up to each of us to preserve our precious natural resources. We encourage policies which encourage and facilitate efforts by our nation’s businesses to act in a more environmentally safe manner. We also encourage investment by the government and by private donors into alternate renewable sources of energy such as nuclear, wind and solar. We also find it important to make use of existing sources of fuel by safely drilling/mining anywhere oil or coal or national gas can be found.
“Community Values†– We believe the best of America can be found in its small towns, big cities and communities of every size in between. We want to take a page from organizations like he Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and aggressively provide assistance to community-level organizations with a proven history of results without regard for faith or ethnicity.
We believe it’s important to encourage community relationships on every level and will work to encourage them, but recognize that it is not the role of government to create them. That job should be left to individuals within the communities themselves.
Immigration Policy - We understand that immigration has always been the lifeblood of the United States. That’s why Progressive Republicans want to make the legal immigration process as easy and humane as possible. We want to offer English language classes to all immigrants so that we may help them integrate with mainstream American society.
International Affairs - We believe that it’s important for America (and Americans) to be engaged openly with the rest of the world and that we should be actively championing the cause of human rights and democracy all around the globe. We believe, however, that we should do it humbly, without bravado, and only with force of arms when lives are immediately at stake.
Education – We believe science and philosophy/religion should be kept separate in our classrooms. We have no problem with teaching creationism as part of a religion course, but it should not be considered an alternative to actual science.
Health Care – Progressive Republicans want Americans to have the ability to readily purchase comprehensive health insurance, no matter their income or pre-existing condition. We believe all treatment decisions should be between a patient, a doctor and his or her family. Neither elected nor appointed government officials should have no input.
Science and Technology – We believe America’s future depends on harnessing the innovative spirit that has driven powered the engine of our progress for over two centuries. We believe that it is in our best interest to protect that spirit from governmental interference. The Progressive Republican position is that government should provide the environment in which our finest minds can unleash their potential. Government should not be a roadblock to the future.
Multi-culturalism- America has never been, nor should it ever be, a homogeneous society. Progressive Republicans respect and celebrate the differences in the various American communities. Similarly, we extol and honor the commonalities between all of us. We also believe it is up to all of us to condemn any cultural practice which is not conducive with our joined American culture.
Crime and Punishment – Progressive Republicans believe we should deal as harshly as possible with violent criminals. However, we also believe that not a single American is surplus to our needs. Every effort should be made rehabilitate and educate non-violent offenders so that they may become the productive Americans they always should have been.
Spread the Word:
The autopsy begins…
Sarah Palin was a problem, for sure, but she, like President Bush, was just a symptom of the overall malaise which has overwhelmed the Republican Party.
Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle (NSFW) have both joked about the phrase “keepin’ it real.” “Keepin it real,” in theory, is a reminder for people that, no matter how successful they get, they should always remember their roots.  A person who gets a college education, for example, and still volunteers in his community would bea prime example of one who “keeps it real.” In practice, however, the phrase is often used as an excuse to shun self-improvment and continue to practice the less savory activities of the community. Or, as Rock put it, “Yeah, you’re keepin’ it real. Real dumb.”
Republicans have engaged in our own version of “keepin’ it real.” We’d rather elect a person who shares our “values” and interests (note I did not say political ideology) than a person who appears overly competent. Interviews with people who got behind Sarah Palin showed that they did so because she shared their religious values, she enjoyed hunting, she sounded like someone with whom they could easily have a conversation, not because she seemed like an intellectual heavyweight who was fully engaged in the issues. They liked her in their gut. Not in their heads.
Senator McCain counted on that. He made the tactical choice to select a running mate who would appeal to all “gut voters” instead of the “head” voters. In my opinion, it was the most cynical choice he could have made. He operated under the assumption that people would rather have a team they liked liked and related to, then a team that projected competence. America knew, however, that when you choose with your gut, instead of your head, you und up with someone who doesn’t realize Africa is a continent, not a country.
Americans are a lot smarter than the Party bossess seem to give us credit for. Let’s keep that in mind as we move into the next election cycle.
Spread the Word:
If we take away one lesson from this lesson, it’s the one McCain taught us last night. In victory we must be magnanimous, and in defeat humble.
Now, let’s not let this happen again. 
Spread the Word:
The winner of this election doesn’t matter. Not to the future of the Republican Party. Win or lose (though, at this point, it looks to be the latter rather than the former) the GOP as we’ve known it is dying. The “Center” part of the “Center-Right” coalition that has made up the Party since its inception is being driven off by ideologues of the “Right” persuasion.
If the Party of Lincoln is to have a future, the Stalinesque purges must end. The Big Tent must be lifted to include every American who believes in smaller, more efficient government.
The goal of this site is to provide one possible solution to the problems the GOP is facing/will be facing over the next few years. Possible solutions. This blog does not pretend to have all the answers. My ambition for the site is really that it be part of the long overdue internal dialogue within the Republican Party that is sure to begin late tonight/tomorrow morning.c
Spread the Word:
The Conversation
