American Public About to Send a Message to the Republicans?

[adios]

If you believe the polls and I do for the most part, the Republicans are going to lose the House and maybe the Senate too. The conventional wisdom is that the Iraq war is the biggest factor. I have no doubts that the Iraq war is a big factor in this election but I'm always skeptical of the conventional wisdom. I'm wondering if the issues of personal freedom and privacy rights aren't close to being just as significant. I'm fairly certain they are.

[bobman0330]

I think there's something to this. The war makes Democrats really enraged, but I think they've consistently failed to make a really effective push for Republican votes on the matter. From personal experience, the real issue for moderate Republicans is the complete shittiness of the GOP establishment, particularly in Congress. No real legislative agenda, massive spending, constant scandals. I think it even goes beyond the narrow issues of privacy and freedom.

[Skoob]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm wondering if the issues of personal freedom and privacy rights aren't close to being just as significant. I'm fairly certain they are.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you're right on. I used to vote primarily republican but have totally switched for these reasons.

Back in the days of the reconstruction following the civil war, it was the southern democrats who enacted all of the Jim Crow laws. Most southern states who seceeded were almost exclusively electing democrats. Lincoln, a republican, was all about civil liberties.

It seems as though the two parties have flipped 180 degrees in this regard. I wonder how that even happened.

[cdutilb]

[ QUOTE ]
Lincoln, a republican, was all about civil liberties.


[/ QUOTE ]

I recommend investing in a history book.

[John21]

[ QUOTE ]
I think there's something to this. The war makes Democrats really enraged, but I think they've consistently failed to make a really effective push for Republican votes on the matter. From personal experience, the real issue for moderate Republicans is the complete shittiness of the GOP establishment, particularly in Congress. No real legislative agenda, massive spending, constant scandals. I think it even goes beyond the narrow issues of privacy and freedom.

[/ QUOTE ]

As a moderate Republican, I agree with several of your points. To be perfectly honest, the right-wing faction scares me more than Hillary. But I don't have any hopes that the Democrats can fix a thing.

My thinking now is that the ideal balance would be a fairly lameduck president and a split house. I figure our economy can outpace the siphoning off of billions, but maybe not the tens of billions, that a single party in control of congress and the presidency can seem to muster.

[Freerollin`]

I used to vote Republican for the most part. I will not anytime in the near future for the following non-inclusive (and not ordered in any partiuclar way) reasons:

1) Iraq: I wasn't for it in the first place, it's been a catastrophe, and we need to begin a phased withdrawal, not "stay the course." Add into this mix the total incompetent approach to this war.
2) Financial irresponsibility: effectively setting money on fire.
3) Total disregard for civil rights/privacy rights: 'Nuff said.
4) The hijacking of the GOP by dangerous religous fanatics: Whenever I mention this in conversation, people look at me like I'm anti-Christian. I'm actually a church-going Christian, but I don't think much of the "Christianity" practiced by people like Dobson, Falwell, Robertson, etc.
5)The Unlawful Internet Gambling Act.

[jay1313]

I agree with you on all of your points and I was a mostly Republican voter for most of my life as well. What interests me is the polling. I have come to the conclusion that the average 2+2er, online poker player, tends to be conservative in fiscal issues and a libertarian in social issues. I also think these people exist in large numbers and are poorly represented when it comes to polling information. Although the UIGEA is not mentioned by a lot of my friends who tend to feel the way I do, the encroachment of the government into personal freedom has them worried more then just about anything else.

What is interesting is that if the Democrats do take control of congress next week how many polls will actually reflect this concern or will just have Iraq, the economy or some other broad category of reasons why the Republicans lost.

The other worry is that the Democrats will start crowing about how the victory is due to Americans embracing their philosophies instead of recognizing that the vote was as much a revolt against Republicans rather then an endorsement of their programs.

Next Tuesday will be an interesting day to watch.

Whatever happens, we need to keep the fight of personal freedom going.

[hmkpoker]

A lot of people are thankfully going anti-republican, but the democrats aren't really any different. History has shown that they're capable of pointless warmongery and wasteful spending too. People seem to be hoping for gridlock, that the federal congress simply gets rendered impotent and useless. That's well and good, but I wish people would start moving in the other direction: supporting the removal of the federal government.

[oconee]

Well, I am sending them my message for the little it's worth. Voting Libertarian after many years of Rep voting. I'm one of those fiscal conservative, libertarian social issues people mentioned earlier. At this point can't stomach either of the two majors. Been thinking this way for a while, online gambling ban put me over the edge. Them telling me what I can't do in my own living room with my own money is too much.

[canis582]

The media keeps trying to make this about Iraq. Websites like this are the only place to find out what people really think.

People have decided that they don't want the religious right in control anymore imo. No more legislating morality.