Has the DLC pushed the Republicans further to the right?

[yurbud]

Could one consequence of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and the DLCers in Congress and statehouses co-opting many Republican positions be that it pushes Republicans further right?

While the GOP can, in the short term, call policies like Romneycare socialism when Democrats adopt it, that only works in the present.

Going forward, they could not easily advocate policies that are ONLY as far to the right as the Democrats did in the recent past--they move to put daylight between them and their opponents by moving even further to the right.

Whether or not this is a good is unclear.

In one sense it is good because it is leading the GOP to become a greater and greater caricature of itself, and thus losing public support except among its core voter base of frightened aging white racists.

The downside is even as they decline, the GOP could still regain power at times, like when the Democrats do a lackluster job when given the reins of power and the shriveling core of the GOP is inflamed by the sight of a less than white president.

The other downside is we are left with a Democratic Party that is about as progressive as the GOP was in the 70s.

Do you think this analysis is accurate?

[MineralMan]

1. Other: I don't know, but I hear tell that the DLC is everywhere.

Some say that they're dictating even what is posted on internet discussion forums. All I know is that nobody has contacted me, yet.

[yurbud]

10. so the DLC is not a real group that Bill Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, Evan Bayh, and a bunch

of other prominent conservative Democrats belonged too and laid out their ideology pretty clearly on their website?

[LoZoccolo]

2. I can't really dig it up but there's a quote from Al From

where he states that the strategy was to get away from trying to satisfy the demands of identity politics groups which were forcing the candidates to make promises which made it difficult to get elected.

[Fumesucker]

4. And start satisfying the demands of the corporate world..

Which brings in cubic fucktons of campaign cash, the mother's milk of politics.

[old mark]

3. Rec. Other...from what I have seen of the DLC, I don't believe they are smart

enough to be doing any of that stuff...they will be lucky to keep the GOP from taking over the world in November...


mark

[yurbud]

9. that is a separate question--whether they are doing it with that level of strategery

I think their planning only goes as far as getting into the pocket of bankers and Wall Street and curling up for a nice cozy nap.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

5. Net result is that you have two right wing parties

The lunatic teabagging Republican party, and the corporatist conservative "Democratic" party.

Since I am known for speaking in parables, here's a brief one for you.....

An eagle cannot fly with two right wings.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. I had to vote 'other' because both #4 and #5 are just different aspects of

'accurate, but bad', and I agree with both.

And for the 'yes' to #3 people - do you REALLY want a 1-party state?

[zipplewrath]

7. Too much room in the party

The nut job GOP has pushed alot of people into the democratic party. But since you're not allowed to openly debate amongst yourself, that means the debate is between the nutjobs, and anyone in the democratic party that wants to speak.

A revitalized GOP with true centrist/moderates would be a good thing for the democratic party.

[HopeHoops]

8. The GOP isn't "conservative". I'm a conservative. They're fuckwads.

I believe in traditional values and other "conservative" views, but by today's standards I'm a fucking liberal from HELL! On the plus side, all three of my daughters (15, 17, and 19) are still virgins (to the best of my knowledge) and are considered quite conservative by their peers. Still, they are environmentalists, vegetarians, and in all ways what would register as "liberal" on a political spectrum scale. Things have gotten weird.

The GOP caters to idiots and fuckheads.

[greendog]

11. Same way a boat trailer pushes the SUV towards the lake.

Got your skis and suntan lotion? Pass me another beer.