What has happened to my Republican Party?

Question

Its more than obvious that Republicans are followers, we’ve followed President Bush and as loyal as the republican party is, it seems that was their downfall this time around. We must not be strict followers, I am a republican but even I know that Donald Rumsfeld was full of it most of the time! He danced around questions more than Bill Clinton did around the definition of sex. I have a lot of respect for Bill though, I would trust that man over anyone in the George Bush white house. And I am a Republican! I just hope we can get our act together in two years, I don’t know about you but I wonder where have all the Good Republicans gone, the ones who listen to the people and not just the President? The ones who use bipartisanship, and not their own judgement? Democrats cant do it alone that much is certain, we have to work together.

Answer 1

Boy it does my heart good to hear you say that. I am a democrat (and I will ignore your last sentence), but I would love to see John McCain run for president - and with a more balanced congress, full of politicians who are listening to the people. Unless you think the country is ready for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton? Maybe McCain could choose one of them as a running mate...

I can't tell you how many times I have written to my representatives (largely Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum) to express my views and I get a letter back from them saying something like "I got your letter, here's why I am going to do the opposite of what you want". I could even live with that if it said "I got your letter, but most people in the state want this" but no - it is just his opinion and he thinks he has the experience to make the call.

Granted he has more experience, but more and more people are learning about the issues or have a personal stake in the outcome. We need to have people representing the population, not just doing what they want regardless of what the marjority wants. If only we could use the internet somehow to do statewide polls or something so folks could more easily participate. Do you think they would? My township had 70% voter turn out - I didn't hear what the national percentage was, did you?

Peace!

Answer 2

While I respect your sentiment Bush has done more to divide this country than anyone ever could have imagined. I never thought that I would see a day in the United States of America where so many people would abandon the ideals that this nation was founded on. What was he or any of them thinking? Taking away civil liberties... human rights and due process... I never thought I would see the day that we would debate whether torturing a human being was a good idea!!!!! Sorry to say but I have had respect for Republicans of the past Ronald Reagan even daddy Bush was an okay man but George W. has caused bitter hatred here and around the world and these wounds will not easily heal.

Answer 3

It's tricky to manage the balance between the boost in integrity from following your own path and the power you get in co-operating. I think it was just a matter of Republicans being more concerned with power than integrity over the last few years. Plus, I'm sorry, but Bush has made some seriously bad decisions.

Answer 4

It really seems the party has lost it's way-no longer the party of small government, states rights, while fiscal conservatism now means swollen budgets, huge deficits...they once had more in common with Libertarians supporting Constitutional rights. I think there are some "good" Republicans" that are stopping & thinking-Pat Buchanan, Joe Scarborough...but it's not clear if anyone is listening. It seems the new party mainly encourages rabid anti-anyone-else behavior that results in hatemongering but no solutions.

Answer 5

Everything changes to it`s surroundings. It`s called EVOLUTION . As world events change also will our government. I predict that within the next 20 years parties will gradually dissapear and we will vote on individuals and how they believe. There are too many topics in the world now for all republicans to think one way and all Democrates to think another. As we speak ( look at the last elections) their thoughts & beliefs are begining to intertwine. Canditates are not agreeing with their own parties on issues. There are to many labels : Republicans , Democrates, Liberals ,Conservatives , Moderates . and when it comes right down to it all these are only words and really have no meaning they are just Labels.

Answer 6

I agree, the repubs, have fallen apart in many aspects. I don't like Rumsfield, and i had respect for bill, but not anymore. I don't think bill would be a good leader, he never was. I like the fact Bush is doing what he thinks is right with Iraq, I disagree with him, in almost all the other aspects however

Answer 7

We have to work together, putting aside petty differences, remembering that no one party has all the answers and by an intellugence compromise, attain all that we can.

The true evils are arrogance and smugness, not republicans and democrats

Answer 8

The GOP, as used to be even conceded on the Republican National Convention simply a little while in the past, has it sounds as if misplaced its approach. Republicans are meant to be the champions of laissez-faire capitalism and minimum govt intervention. Simply positioned, each Bush and McCain have failed to illustrate the primacy of those values. Bush used to be too speedy with the cause finger in Iraq, and McCain has been too speedy to check out to out-liberal Obama along with his laundry record of "bailout" measures. Can the GOP return to its glory days? I consider so, however first, it have to emerge as transparent to the American public that the welfare state chokes the achievers in society, prompting them to take their suggestions, their organizations and their bucks international. It have to emerge as transparent that American international coverage must repair its former reverence for minimalism, looking for to open international countries to our beliefs via demonstrating what capitalism has performed for us, now not via occupying them with our troops. One of the previous answerers talked about Ron Paul, and Dr. Paul surely has it correct. However, we're presently in a section wherein the country is regularly fitting extra liberal. This section isn't new, as one might observe via watching on the politics of the New Deal. Eventually, the conservative values of meritocracy, financial area and decentralized govt will go back to the fore, however conservatives will more likely to need to look forward to this to arise. One simply hopes the liberals do not do an excessive amount of harm even as they are dependable for the following 4 years. This would be painful.

Answer 9

You make a lot of unwarrented assumptions of what Democrats can and can't do. Dictator Dumbya is a MISERABLE ABYSMAL crook and failure, and there is a mountainous mess to attempt to clean up. "Good Republican" is an oxymoron. Down with Dictator Dumbya!!!

Answer 10

Your kind of thinking will bring honor to the republican party again if there are enough left that will not forsake you because you question the party.