Serious Question for our Progressive Friends

After Obama's re-election almost two weeks ago, there was naturally a lot of celebrating and high-fiving, as one might expect. But a few people in this forum went much further than that, openly and gleefully reveling in the hope that the Republican Party would virtually self-destruct and cease to be capable of providing more than token opposition.

If that's what you think you'd like to see, I suggest that you take just a moment and ponder the likely consequences.

During the weeks leading up to the election, when it was fairly clear that Obama was probably going to win, such thoughts crossed my mind a time or too. Then yesterday, I saw more or less the same set of sentiments articulated by The Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...445_story.html

Here's a key excerpt:

Don’t get me wrong: I want progressive candidates to win those elections. But parties without meaningful competition become flabby, lazy, unresponsive. Democratic candidates shouldn’t win by default, and neither should progressive ideas. A smart, creative, reality-based conservative movement is ultimately good for the liberal cause — and good for the country.

Step out of the echo chamber, Republicans. There’s a big country out there, and it’s trying to tell you something. For the sake of party and nation, try listening.

(end of excerpt)

Robinson is an unabashed liberal and I disagree with him on many things, but I think he's spot on here.

To go a bit further, I think most of us agree that the Republican Party needs a serious reformation. In my mind, the first thing it ought to do is get rid of the fusion with "social policy" zealots (read: single-issue voters obsessed with things like abortion and gay marriage), and articulate an agenda with broader appeal to younger and middle class folks who understand the need for a sustainable long-term plan involving some modicum of fiscal probity.

And that's just for starters. What's urgently needed is some new blood and a comprehensive plan for a whole new ball game.

My key point is that if you want to see the opposition party stomped into abject irrelevance, you'd better be careful what you wish for!

For a glimpse of what might happen in that event, just take a look at California. Supporters of public-sector unions and other expensive-to-placate special interests have gained a supermajority in the state legislature, and the impending fiscal train wreck has been coming into focus for all to see.

Would you like for entire nation to become like California writ large, but with far fewer percentage points of the population living in nice places like Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, or Napa Valley? If so, just wait and see what happens when you try to present the bill for such a progressive agenda to middle class Americans, as eventually you must.

Just a few points to ponder. Thoughts, anyone?

Seems like there was already one unresponsive, flabby party in the race this time out. However, most of the teawipes that post on here want to double down on their current afficted condition. Now, who would want to get in their way? LOL?!? The article you posted is absolutely correct and a lot would be better, or at least a little more clear, if there was to actually be a thoughtful and vigorous debate of the issues. But, with the advent of "fair and balanced 'news' coverage" by Fox News, about all that has been added to the preceeding mix is the shrillness of O'Reilly, Hannity and Colter. With friends like those, who needs enemies?

We will not realize the consequenses of this election untill a few years down the line.

The "progressives" are all standing up and saying, "yeh, we won, the American Voters believe in us".

OK, that is fine. What are you going to do now? Mitt Romney is taking heat for saying that President Obama won the election by giving away gifts. He's telling the truth. We are a Country that wants something for nothing.

The fact remains that somebody still has to pay for it all. Untill that basic fact is addressed, nothing will change.

I didn't read the article but your point makes sense to me. Hopefully this election is a call to arms for all parties (independents included).

The up and coming politicians seem to be a inspired group on all sides. If anything I believe the bar for what people require of their elected officials will be raised.

Just my $. 02

We will not realize the consequenses of this election untill a few years down the line.

The "progressives" are all standing up and saying, "yeh, we won, the American Voters believe in us".

OK, that is fine. What are you going to do now? Mitt Romney is taking heat for saying that President Obama won the election by giving away gifts. He's telling the truth. We are a Country that wants something for nothing.

The fact remains that somebody still has to pay for it all. Untill that basic fact is addressed, nothing will change. Originally Posted by Jackie S

Newt came unwound on Willard for that didnt he?

Newt came unwound on Willard for that didnt he? Originally Posted by CJ7

Yes, along with every other Republican who is licking his wounds.
Ole Willard should have learned by now that the very last thing any polititian should do is actually tell the voting public the truth.

Blaming this loss on people voting for government give aways is stupid. We lost because we did not convince the public that we had a better vision. That is the only reason we lost. I don't think Romney thought he had to sell his vision that much. He thought all he had to do was point out Obama's horrible record. He was wrong.

Until the republican party represents all Americans instead of a select few it will keep on loosing.
You have to adapt and overcome-gunny Highway in Heartbreak ridge.

Did Gunny Highway tell that to his chair?

OReilly nailed it tonight. We are becoming a giant "nanny state", sucking on the tit of the ever giving Federal Government.

But somebody still has to pay for it all. Once you have killed the golden goose, there won't be any more golden eggs.

So instead of just rallying around a candidate and a party, someone tell me just what can we look foreward to with a far left liberal administration and how will their views and decisions benefit America over a GOP administration if we were to ever have one?

do you have any ideas, ACP? Suggestions? Thoughts?

So instead of just rallying around a candidate and a party, someone tell me just what can we look foreward to with a far left liberal administration and how will their views and decisions benefit America over a GOP administration if we were to ever have one? Originally Posted by acp5762

That's a good question. I'd like one of our liberal friends take a stab at a serious answer.

Its too bad we can't hold on to this and several other threads for four years. We would know what assholes are responsible for how bad things got since 2012. This idiotic celebrating reminds me of when the Kansas City Chiefs signed Joe Montana some years ago. What celebrating, what bragging, what an "in your face" attitude and then...yep, Montana should have returned the year before. How embarassing.

do you have any ideas, ACP? Suggestions? Thoughts? Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

No, thats why Iam asking. What seems to be lingering over head though is War.