GOP-Civil War begins, quietly ...(?)

[katty]

EXCERPT/more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/gops-circular-firing-squa_n_141505.html

But if there's a real crisis in the House right now for the Republican Party, it's the gradually diminishing voice of moderation. Virginia's Tom Davis famously criticized his cohorts earlier this year, saying that "the Republican brand is in the trash can...if we were dog food, they would take us off the shelf." This morning, Davis can take comfort in the fact that he read the political landscape correctly. Unfortunately for the GOP, he'll also be retiring -- one more non-shrill voice who won't be participating in the process. This morning, Davis took a shot at the Club For Growth, an anti-tax zealotry outfit who've taken great pains to increase the fringe faction in the GOP side: "We call it the Club for Democratic Growth," Davis told WAMU Public Radio today.

And the fact is, the GOP appears set to double down on a rightward tilt, putting the moderates

that Davis leaves behind in increasing isolation. Boehner, in his letter, makes this pretty clear:

America remains a center-right country. Democrats should not make the mistake of viewing Tuesday's results as a repudiation of conservatism or a validation of big government. Neither should we. Instead of throwing in the towel, as our opponents demand, we must redouble our efforts to develop forward-looking solutions to the challenges Americans face - solutions rooted in the enduring principles of reform that define us as a party. We need to focus on winning the issues, one by one, and presenting principled, superior alternatives that reflect the center-right priorities of the American people, rather than the self-serving priorities of Washington.
Center-right cheerleading? GOP versions of "forward-looking" solutions? A paean to somebody's idea of "reform"? And one last shot at "Washington?" It seems to me that these are the ingredients of the casserole of bad thinking that America just summarily rejected at the polls. Rather than naively asserting a center-rightness that doesn't exist -- after all, it can now be definitively said that widely-supported ideas such as Iraq withdrawal and universal health care are mainstream positions -- the GOP needs to find the new center, and blaze the sort of path suggested by authors Reihan Salaam and Ross Douthat in Grand New Party, which imagines a less zombie-like Republican party that seeks to win with a working-class coalition.

[AlCzervik]

1. disgusting Puke Adam Putnam is stepping down from house leadership so i fully expect

a full on war in the gop side of the house and i hope i have a good seat to watch it.

[katty]

2. yup, let them go at each other

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Opie is stepping down????? I hadn't heard that.

[AlCzervik]

7. yup, i read it earlier today on political wire and i guess Blunt is also stepping down.

here ya go, from the hill
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/putnam-steps-down-as-conference-chairman-2008-11-05.html

[secondwind]

3. thanks for posting.............it serves as a grim reminder that we can never

let these FUCKS run our government ever again!

[malaise]

5. Has Boehner looked at the mandate?

If I were Boehner, I'd stock up on tissues -he'll be crying a lot in the House.

[katty]

9. apparently, he could not bear to look last night-denial continues

[snappyturtle]

6. Sounds like the line in the sand has been drawn! Personally, I think

it's time to tell the republicans to sit down and shut up unless they can contribute something useful to the conversation.

[tanyev]

8. Yes, further right, further right! That's the only way to succeed!

(Pay no attention to that cliff over there.)