Why Are The Most Powerful Republicans Un-Elected?

[Median Democrat]

I just noticed this as stories are coming out about the future of the Republican party. In the Democratic Party, we usually discuss party officials, elected officials or candidates like Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, or Harry Reid. Heck, even gadflies like Dennis Kucinich hold elective office. The closest you get to a non-elected individual having influence over the Democratic Party is perhaps Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, but even they generally shy away from actively pushing a particular agenda compared to their right wing breatheren.

However, the Republicans are entirely different matter. You have James Dobson, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, Tom Delay, and Newt Gingrich more or less calling the shots. You have pundits like William Kristol actively involved in the choice of Sarah Palin as a VP candidate. You have Rush Limbaugh actively calling the shots for members of Congress who refer to themselves as the Ditto-head caucas. Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow do not have near the influence over the Democratic Party that right wing pundits have over the GOP. You have off-the-books propagandists like Floyd Brown soliciting money for attack ads and smears.

In other words, the GOP is run by a bunch of folks who are utterly unaccountable to the electorate. Unlike politicians who must at least report contributions, these free lance pundits and peddlers of influence have no such limitations.

[Turbineguy]

1. Because true power

is where you do not have to degrade yourself to the great unwashed for mere votes.

[byronius]

2. Wow. Great point. Never realized that.

[Canuckistanian]

3. James Carville

'nuff said.

[Median Democrat]

5. Carville? He Doesn't Strike Me As A Kingmaker

In other words, Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, James Dobson, and Rush Limbaugh strike me as being much more influential among Republicans than Carville is among Democrats. Carville's influence always struck me as derivative of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Hillary is still a Senator.

[Canuckistanian]

6. That's a good point

Carville certainly has his following among the Beltway crowd - but you're right.

That doesn't translate into Democrats. And he sure got blindsided with Obama.

[opihimoimoi]

4. OMG...very astute observation.....

:toast:

[Median Democrat]

7. Article On GOP Governors - GOP Has A Disconnect

The GOP appears to have this huge disconnect between the pundits and activists who have tremendous influence such as Grover Norquist, Rush Limbaugh, William Kristol, and James Dobson, and the folks who actually govern. The GOP governors are fighting for control of the GOP, which is amazing that they are fighting for control with the idealogues who are heavily influenced by the non-electeds.

My take is that the GOP is extremely undemocratic with its elected officials seeking to curry favor with a small group of unelected GOP kingmakers who have no experience governing. James Dobson? Rush Limbaugh? WTF do they know about governing? The GOP tried to make Obama's experience an issue, but the real issue should be why Grover Norquist has so much influence with the GOP on tax policy when he has not governed or held elected office. The irony is that the GOP makes fun of Obama's experience as a community organizer, yet the entire GOP is effectively controlled by folks who do not have any real responsibility such as Limbaugh, Norquist and Dobson.

This is why I think the GOP has really lost its credibility. At one time, I found some of their libertarian views enticing, since even Democrats want government to respect privacy, yet the views of the GOP are no longer pragmatic and based on experience.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/168809

[opihimoimoi]

8. Their actions reveal their "soul"....philosophy....they have fucked themselves into the Silence of

the Lambs.....

[AndrewP]

9. Good point

This is very true.

I think one of the differences is that Right winger types are such simpletons that it is easier to shepard them around, where liberals tend to be educated. Getting them in line is like trying to herd cats.

Just a theory. :)