The GOP may not give the base everything they want but they don't disrespect them.

[Hello_Kitty]

They don't call them stupid and they don't brag that they have nowhere else to go.

[FLAprogressive]

1. like it or not it's the truth....

[roguevalley]

25. actually, they do but they don't telegraph it and their base is stupider

than us. Given that they had six years to repeal roe v wade and they didn't because it keeps the one issue voters coming back year after year and because it raises money, they don't repeal it.

[NJmaverick]

2. When did any Democrat say "They don't call them stupid "???

[Hello_Kitty]

7. What??

If you're asking who called the base stupid, 'twas Rahm.

[mdmc]

3. The right would stay home or go third party if treated the way

the dlc treats us..

[anonymous171]

4. Correct. They live in constant fear of their base.

Can you imagine a republican backstabbing the conservatives in his party for political points and getting away with it?

[LostInAnomie]

5. Republicans rarely sit out elections in protest.

[Hello_Kitty]

9. Because their party establishment doesn't disrespect them.

Doesn't call them stupid or mock them for wanting ponies. Doesn't tell them their pet issues are trivial.

[anonymous171]

11. Remember Perot? They may not sit out, but they are not absolutely loyal to the GOP either.

[YOY]

6. They don't call them "fringe" even when they are the epitome of "fringe".

We on the other hand call left of center "EXTREME!!!"

[Myrina]

8. ... until they're at their exclusive 'have and have more' dinners ...

... where they make fun of their low information base and how easily they can be manipulated by Terra.

[RedCloud]

10. when W stole the show, he immediately placated the fundies et alia. What liberals did he employ?

[Hello_Kitty]

13. Yup. He acted like he got 70% of the vote and had a clear mandate

To shove regressive and corporatist policies down the country's throat. With no 60 vote majority, I might add.

[Bucky]

12. Right. They fuck the base on balancing the budget, but toss them SCOTUS as consolation

Voting Republican is like a Ponzi scheme sometimes. You only get rich if you're high up enough on the pyramid.

[Hello_Kitty]

15. Can you imagine if Republican pols treated abortion the way Dems treat things like single payer?

Didn't even let the anti-choicers have a seat at the table?

[JVS]

23. The Republican base is far from united on the idea of a balanced budget.

Even among the economically based republicans (as opposed to the Jesus wants me to vote republican faction, or the blowing up brown people is awesome republicans) there is disagreement about deficits. Some view a balanced budget as costing too much in taxes, or view a deficit as a legitimate expense (for other people to worry about) when they view how it supports their stake in oil supplies.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. Sure they do.

They treat them terribly and feed off the sweat of their brows. Then they tell them how lucky they are to have such fine Republicans as them on their sides. Oh, yeah. They're lucky alright.

How's the overturning of Roe vs. Wade been working out for them?

How's that whole small government thing been working out for them?

How's that whole reduction of taxes on the majority been working out for them?

The thing is; no matter how poorly they treat their base they will NEVER leave them. NEVER not turnout to vote a Democrat out of office, or keep them from obtaining one. And NEVER vote for a Democrat just to teach their own party a lesson.

The Republican base doesn't think independently, which means they will follow their party no matter how poorly they treat them. It's like a bastardization of "My Country, Right or Wrong."

[Hello_Kitty]

16. How well has mocking the liberal base and calling us stupid worked? eom

[Hello_Kitty]

17. Also, the Republican base isn't as obedient as you think.

When politicians fail their litmus tests, they get primaried.

[Skidmore]

18. Well, hell, I just think I'll go out and become an R.

That'll workout just fine and dandy.

Keerist.

[Hello_Kitty]

20. So Dems disrespecting the base has worked out real well then.

Is that your argument?

[mrcheerful]

19. They do to call their base stupid and worse, its just the con base are stupid enough to believe the

spin that the cons use to over come what they said about their base. Nixon did, Reagan did and so did the last idiot they voted into the white house. Come on the con base believe that the guy that was trying to pick up men at the air port bathroom was just reaching for toilet paper and the evil liberals tried to frame him. Independents as a rule, are just as dumb as the con base, these are the folks that ignore everything political then vote for the person they know the least about thinking that because they have heard nothing about the person that means they are a good politician.

[anonymous171]

21. They never say it to their faces though. nt

[Hello_Kitty]

22. They insult them behind their backs but they don't sneer at them right to their faces

They don't go to CPAC and tell them they are "fucking stupid" for criticizing the official GOP position on something.

Case in point: The corporate elite Republicans support immigration because they like their cheap workers. The Republican base is hugely anti-immigrant. Yet, with the exception of McCain's stupid comment about $50 an hour lettuce picking, you do not hear prominent Republicans lashing out at the base for being xenophobic. Shit, even McCain is talking about strong borders now since he's got a primary challenger.

[NJmaverick]

24. You are citing The Politico’s Jonathan Martin?

Not a very reputable source