EastofEden on February 10, 2013 at 12:19 PM

because to the GOPE it isn’t about REP vs dem. Its about elites vs the masses.

unseen on February 10, 2013 at 12:23 PM

Um…yeah…of all the things Rush says that are right, this is one I have doubts about. And maybe I’m wrong about this.

I grant there’s a D.C.- NYC axis of Republican “elites.” Boehner, McConnell, Graham, Kristol, Gigot, Hayes…unfortunately, Peggy Noonan…

I don’t think they’ve ever adjusted to the new liberal “strategy,” first manifested in Kennedy’s calumny about Bork. Much less have they adjusted to the Carville-Begala “war room” model of all-attack-all-the-time. And they are “speechless” about the malevolent turn it has now taken, and many of them even deny it’s malevolent.

But I’m not convinced that’s because they are more worried about the masses than liberals. When, for example, Kristol (I think he was one) wrongly counsels Romney to release his returns in response to Reid’s slander, I don’t think he advocated that response because he thought it was the best way to remain as part of the elite. I think WK thought it was strategically better.

I have no doubt that Kristol, Boehner, et. al., think the current administration is a disaster; I think they are conservative. But I think they (mistakenly) believe there’s a better approach, namely, let’s see if we can find common ground or let’s not lower ourselves to their level, or worse: the media isn’t going to let our message out anyway.

Unfortunately the Republican elites/establishment are the U.S. military fighting World War II in the jungles of Vietnam. They are a cassette player in an iPad/iPhone world.

The “elites” haven’t learned the lesson that no matter what’s said, you always turn it back on the liberals. E.g., they haven’t learned the best way to respond Reid’s lies is for Kristol, Lowry, McConnell, Hayes, Boehner – all of them – to say loudly and often, “Harry Reid’s a liar; he’s only doing this to cover his own incompetence and failure to pass a budget.”

And when the elite media comes calling for proof that Reid is a liar, as they will, the appropriate response is: “Ask Harry Reid to prove he isn’t; and then ask him why he hasn’t passed a budget.”

Our elites think they need beyond-a-reasonable-doubt proof for something everyone knows is a lie. I’ve yet to hear any of them say that fool in the WH either lied about Obamacare or he’s incompetently ignorant. They are fighting a smart phone political battle with a pay phone / princess phone strategy.

I still think the likes of McConnell and McCarthy and Boehner are conservative, or at the very least, center-right. If they have concerns about the “masses,” it’s because they have concerns about the best way to get to a center-right government. McConnell probably thought he had a better chance of getting there with Castle instead of O’Donnell. And I don’t think that necessarily would have been because of McConnell thinking he needed to control the masses; it might have been what a lot of genuine conservatives saw – the likely (and eventual) disaster that was O’Donnell.

I think the “elites” have never adjusted to the hatred in and the ferocity of the constant “Republicans are xenophobic, homophobic, sexist racists” refrain. When Boehner sat there speechless when told that the deficit would be taken care of by Obamacare, I don’t think it was because he was worried about the battle between the elites and the masses. I think it was because the either blatant mendacity or stultifying ignorance really did leave Boehner speechless.

More is the pity for us.

Just sayin…..

tommy71 on February 10, 2013 at 12:38

true but when one group as an expectation or even an inate need desire thought process etc that makes them think they and only they are entitled to rule the other groups there really can’t be peace between them.

But my own sense of things

But David…your not a Republican or a Conservative so how the hell can you sense what is going on. It is like a German guy living in Germany who thinks he is Russian.

EastofEden on February 10, 2013 at 12:19 PM

because to the GOPE it isn’t about REP vs dem. Its about elites vs the masses.

Of course the establishment will win. They will win by default, when 85% of their base walks away. Then all that remains will be the ‘gills of the party.

nobar on February 10, 2013 at 10:18 AM

yeap which is what happened from FDR until Reagan. And from bush until Obama. The GOPE would rather be a minority party than have to share power with the TEA party/Reaganites. Of course after Reagan they tried to hide who they were and pretend to be believers in Reagan but since bush the 2nd they just can’t bring themselves to lie any longer. They hate the tea party small government masses like hitler hated the jews.

Instead of worrying about picking candidates in Republican primaries, spend that time and money going after Democrats.

We kept hearing about “he pulls a knife, you pull a …” But Democrats hammer Republicans 365 days a year, every year. Yet Republicans (that is, elected Republicans) think they are only supposed to fight every two years for a few weeks in October.

Ann said that if media were honest, Dems would never win elections. True.

That media reality, however, is no excuse for Republican leaders to abdicate their responsibility.

And like Malone asked Ness, one of the first questions for any Republican primary candidate ought to be, “What are you prepared to do?”

libfreeordie on February 10, 2013 at 10:55 AM

thanks for explaining how much of an idiot you are.

If/when the TP voters accept that the establishment has little interest in their issues, has little respect for their concerns and is only interested in their money & their votes, the TP voters may decide that it makes little if any difference whose in office – the Dems or the GOP. And if the GOP isn’t likely to be my advocate I have no motivation to bother at all.

katiejane on February 10, 2013 at 10:52 AM

pretty much explains what happened on Nov 6th 2012. Of course the GOPe can’t or won’t except that conclusion.

ABO was fighting? How come he’s the WH right now? And spare me “they stayed home because Romney was uninspiring” BS. Where the hell is the fighting then???

Can.I.be.in.the.anal on February 10, 2013 at 11:36 AM

because people like Brooks Rove and Mitt said the tea party was not wanted nor needed. thus another 4 years of Obama. the GOPE would rather lose without the Tea party than win with them and have to share the spoils of victory.