The thing is, the republicans are the only folks that really have issues to discuss. Unless you're Joe Liebermann you have to be pretty much lock-step with the David Spade party (ref. his commercials as the "no" man). Dems don't seem to be for anything, just against things.In the GOP there is a healthy debate between the small government conservatives and the compassionate conservatives. It's a good thing, but the left is in such need of schadenfreude that any difference of opinion in their enemies is "the death of the coalition"

Mitch:

1996.

You're welcome.

Love,

Jeff.

Bzzzt. Sorry, but nice try.

In '96, the conservative wing of the party was stuck behind Pat Buchanan and accordingly marginalized. The moderates controlled the party - like it mattered, with Bill Clinton in full post-'94 triangulation mode, trying to act Republican and all.

How marginalized were conservatives in the party post George I? Well, I actually left the party back then, and spent four years as a Libertarian.

It was a lousy time to be a socially conservative Republican.

“Question: How many times has the GOP's holding the line on social issues actually harmed it at the polls?”

If your point is that (thankfully) only a small percentage of people vote based on a particular social issue and generally on the more contentious ones (e.g. abortion) it tends to cut in the GOP’s favor, I agree that it’s probably not that big of a deal.

Heck, even though I think Congress and the POTUS were wrong to intervene in what’s purely a State issue and the courts correctly applied Florida law and this is a case of refusing a life-prolonging procedure rather than euthanasia, I could endure it. The problem is though that Medicare and Medicaid spending are bankrupting both the federal and State governments and getting worse. Congress and the President made Medicare worse by adding an $849 prescription drug benefit and the Senate has stalled on even minor trimming back of Medicaid.

My fear is that enough people in our base will be pleased that Congress and the President stood up for the “culture of life” by trying to save Teri Shiavo, that they’re going to get another pass for doing NOTHING on what they’re actually supposed to be doing.

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