Feb21 |
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Why Michael Smerconish should remain Republican
I’d say it a little differently. Something like: Where political parties once existed to create coalitions and win elections, they now exist just to win elections. The Democrats can’t actually execute their ideological vision, and the Republicans are only effective at pursuing the guns-and-bombs portion of their platform — the whole “party of fiscal restraint” mantra having long since been discredited. But Smerconish is right that both the parties have become more ideologically homogeneous. And he clearly sees this as a problem. Which is why his solution — to register as an independent — doesn’t make any sense. It’s actually going to make the problem worse. Smerconish:
Here’s the thing: Fall is way, way too late to temper the extremes of both parties. Because independent voters can’t vote in the primary elections, that leaves only the most ideologically committed voters left to select their party’s nominee. Independent voters only have the extreme options to pick from at that point. In 2004, Arlen Specter narrowly won the GOP nomination over Pat Toomey — but in the following years, a huge chunk of the party’s moderates fled for independent and Democratic pastures. Specter left the GOP, leaving this year’s nomination by default to Toomey, a much more ideologically rigid conservative. Michael Smerconish’s problem is that the parties are too ideologically narrow. But by leaving the Republican Party, he accelerates that process. He might not feel entirely comfortable in the GOP these days, but he’d have more of a shot at solving the problems he describes by staying. |
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Uncategorized, democrats, media, michael smerconish, philadelphia, philadelphia inquirer, republicans
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Philly’s Michael Smerconish is making a splash this morning with 
How is this news? Michael “Hollywood” Smerconish has been in the bed with the liberals on MSNBC for too long. Good riddance to the liberal turncoat.
Pat Toomey for Senate!
This is the same reasoning I proposed to my pop when he shifted from Kennedy Democrat (the actual Kennedy; not Teddy) to GOP in about the Ford administration.
Now look at the Democratic Party. The only reason they “can’t” execute ideological vision is because their ideological vision is, at best, European. And not even good European, but that ugly EU thing. At best.
This is because the saner voices have abandoned the party to the strident ones.
The same can be said of the GOP, but I can count on you to limn that out for us.
What I can’t understand is why you won’t say the same about the Dems (assuming you aren’t one of the Strident Ones), but are only going to say they “can’t,” as if impotence was the only problem.
This post brought to you by the hep new Indy film Captcha: “edges 13″
“Here’s the thing: Fall is way, way too late to temper the extremes of both parties. ”
I like that part.
“dropout Ga !”
Mikey says of Obama:
“I think President Obama is earnest, smart, and much more centrist than his tea party caricature suggests.”
Smerconish is a putz. They are attempting to Rahm healthcare down our throats and hope to use reconciliation to do it. Good luck with that!
Meanwhile, Smerconish’s heart beats wildly for O, I’ll bet he gets a tingle up his leg too!
I guess this makes Smerconish a swing-voter now. Ann says this
of swing voters:
“The swing voters — I like to refer to them as the idiot voters because they don’t have set philosophical principles. You’re either a liberal or you’re a conservative if you have an IQ above a toaster.”
Mikey? Bill O’Reilly wanna-be without nearly the intellect or debate skills. I quit listening to Smerconish over a year ago.
Well, certainly, somebody who approvingly quotes Ann Coulter is in excellent position to appraise the intellect of other commentators…
Nice comeback Joel. Let me guess, you’re a swing-voter?
I read Michael’s reasoning and listened to him this morning defend his decision. He did finally answer the question I have been asking him for years: What does he like about the Republican party? He is obviously for big government since he voted for Obama. Hi parting from the GOP is based on social issues(abortion, gay marriage). I perosnally he is trying to keep the door open with the President for future interviews, and also establish his liberal cred with MSNBC, where he hopes to have a show someday. I frankly am tired of his bashing of Christians, which he calls the extreme right, and the Republican party in general. Independents appears to be swinging against the Dems, so not sure he will be happy with the result. I aree with Joel that he is basically a quitter, like his buddy Arlen
I think Ann Coulter is certainly an intelligent writer. That said, I feel free to disagree with her assessment of we, the swing voters. We prefer to be misunderestimated, though, so she is free to proceed in her assumptions. ;o/
weirdly appropo Captcha: “and unseens”
#4 – No, Swing Voters, if anything have a better philosophical world-view than the strict partiers since swing voters are capable of understanding both ideologies, and thus, don’t have to settle with either party. The party-only crowd have only a narrow view of the opposition and an inflated view of their ideaology, and thus, the problem.
I don’t think Smerconish is capable of understanding one side over the other – hence why he gave up his seat at the GOP. Maybe he’d realize that the right is 100% correct about Obama, and that Smerconish is totally out there for still being on his side this late in his term.
This guy will say anything/do anything to get noticed and thought of as a player on the national stage. He’s a phoney. He says stuff so people will notice him, That’s it; although not so phoney when he reveals himself and discusses his two favorite topics which are “Middle School teacher/student scandals” and “Tom Ridge for President” Really, he’s embarrassing.
First time I’ve ever seen someone quote Ann Coulter thinking that strengthens their argument (as opposed to confirming it to be extremist)!
Joel makes a good point re allowing the far right to take control of the party. My wife also recently left the GOP for much the same reasons Michael stated,.. and especially her disgust at the continual filibustering which is clearly a party-before-country self-serving move. The primary issue was a concern, but she didn’t feel that should dominate her decision.
Lexapro online….
Lexapro online….