If Republicans pride themselves on free thought and independence...

[AshG]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

 

[Volaholic320]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

Like abortion right?

 

[NorthDallas40]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

Why are all the Democrats retiring en masse if their stance is proper and in step with what the people want?

 

[Volaholic320]

Why are all the Democrats retiring en masse if their stance is proper and in step with what the people want?

That's why aoc is getting the more "moderate" dems out to replace with more marxist dems? Ashg you need to do more research before posting from your tail.

 

[ClearwaterVol]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

This is a problem that permeates politics these days and marginalizes the middle. Most people from either party if they sat down and truly talked would find that they agreed on the vast majority of issues and could find common ground on even more. The problem is that outliers in both parties have ingrained this mentality of you are either with us or you are, not just wrong, but EVIL in the people. We need adults having adult conversations, but the power grab is all that many of these people care about.

 

[hog88]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

If you think really hard you’d realize that this is nothing new. The R establishment purged the Tea Party and any other upstart faction trying to change the party from within. Now it’s happening to them. The difference is you and people like CW wasn’t whining, complaining or lamenting the earlier purges.

 

[tnmarktx]

Why, then, the party purge of anyone who does not fall lockstep into the party groupthink? Wouldn't the nature of individual liberty extend to its own elevated members?

If anything, the republican party is trying to purge those that have been in lockstep group think with the uniparty. I wouldn't think anyone would have a problem with having an opposition to the uniparty. That's how you get good government.

 

[lawgator1]

Like abortion right?

Of course. There are many, many shades of gray on that issue. Conditions of pregnancy, timing, etc. Seems hard to believe that anyone would have an absolutist position on that issue.

Why are all the Democrats retiring en masse if their stance is proper and in step with what the people want?

1) Seems likely that the GOP is going to have success in 2022 so why stick around if no power? 2) I think its an exaggeration to say they are retiring "en masse." 3) Irrelevant, doesn't mean they are right or wrong on a given issue and you know that.

That's why aoc is getting the more "moderate" dems out to replace with more marxist dems? Ashg you need to do more research before posting from your tail.

The party should do a better job of curbing the enthusiasm of aoc, I agree with you.

 

[AshG]

That's why aoc is getting the more "moderate" dems out to replace with more marxist dems? Ashg you need to do more research before posting from your tail.

If I had wanted to talk about the DNC now I would have. I'm attempting targeted discussion, not long distance shotgunning.

 

[Volaholic320]

If I had wanted to talk about the DNC now I would have. I'm attempting targeted discussion, not long distance shotgunning.

Lol, yes you definitely targeted to fit your own preconceived outcome.

 

[AshG]

Lol, yes you definitely targeted to fit your own preconceived outcome.

No, I plan on having a discussion later to discuss DNC issues. Combining all platform realignment discussion into one thread just creates confusing clutter.

 

[utvolpj]

If I had wanted to talk about the DNC now I would have. I'm attempting targeted discussion, not long distance shotgunning.

Happyracistjoegolferholic knows nothing else. It's just what he's done for years

 

[NorthDallas40]

1) Seems likely that the GOP is going to have success in 2022 so why stick around if no power? 2) I think its an exaggeration to say they are retiring "en masse." 3) Irrelevant, doesn't mean they are right or wrong on a given issue and you know that.
.

so take your ball and go home huh? You keep threatening to do that yet here you are

 

[PEPPERJAX]

This is a problem that permeates politics these days and marginalizes the middle. Most people from either party if they sat down and truly talked would find that they agreed on the vast majority of issues and could find common ground on even more. The problem is that outliers in both parties have ingrained this mentality of you are either with us or you are, not just wrong, but EVIL in the people. We need adults having adult conversations, but the power grab is all that many of these people care about.

Spot on take.

 

[utvolpj]

If you think really hard you’d realize that this is nothing new. The R establishment purged the Tea Party and any other upstart faction trying to change the party from within. Now it’s happening to them. The difference is you and people like CW wasn’t whining, complaining or lamenting the earlier purges.

I would say they pretend then absorb those movements rather than purge. They turn them into something completely different while maintaining the name for appearance. Anything with the words liberty or freedom in it gets the same treatment

 

[ClearwaterVol]

If you think really hard you’d realize that this is nothing new. The R establishment purged the Tea Party and any other upstart faction trying to change the party from within. Now it’s happening to them. The difference is you and people like CW wasn’t whining, complaining or lamenting the earlier purges.

My take on this one is a little different. The upstart Trump faction has extinguished or absorbed the GOP.

And FWIW, I have been "lamenting" the marginalization of the middle for many years. The process has just accelerated in recent years.

 

[RockyTop85]

This is a problem that permeates politics these days and marginalizes the middle. Most people from either party if they sat down and truly talked would find that they agreed on the vast majority of issues and could find common ground on even more. The problem is that outliers in both parties have ingrained this mentality of you are either with us or you are, not just wrong, but EVIL in the people. We need adults having adult conversations, but the power grab is all that many of these people care about.

Maybe the “evil” thing is what causes the inconsistency.

It’s hard to believe that they’d find common ground when you look at issues like criminal procedure reform, for example.

At baseline, the left tends to say it’s unfair to defendants who are disproportionately minorities.

At baseline the right tends to think it’s working as intended and may need to be more harsh.

Put Rittenhouse/Stone/Flynn/Chauvin on trial and immediately the positions reverse.

 

[Ttucke11]

Maybe the “evil” thing is what causes the inconsistency.

It’s hard to believe that they’d find common ground when you look at issues like criminal procedure reform, for example.

At baseline, the left tends to say it’s unfair to defendants who are disproportionately minorities.

At baseline the right tends to think it’s working as intended and may need to be more harsh.

Put Rittenhouse/Stone/Flynn/Chauvin on trial and immediately the positions reverse.

Spot on.

 

[ClearwaterVol]

Maybe the “evil” thing is what causes the inconsistency.

It’s hard to believe that they’d find common ground when you look at issues like criminal procedure reform, for example.

At baseline, the left tends to say it’s unfair to defendants who are disproportionately minorities.

At baseline the right tends to think it’s working as intended and may need to be more harsh.

Put Rittenhouse/Stone/Flynn/Chauvin on trial and immediately the positions reverse.

I think it is still because we are being influenced by outliers. There are many many issues that could be solved with serious discussion. People have to be willing to put down the party hackery and have the cajones to vote their conscience as opposed to toting water for the party. I love it when lawmakers step out of the party line.

We have to acknowledge that there can be differences of opinion. People can look at the same issue and reach different conclusions on how to solve it. Neither side has all the answers, in fact, I'd wager each side's official position is more often wrong than correct.

 

[hndog609]

This is a problem that permeates politics these days and marginalizes the middle. Most people from either party if they sat down and truly talked would find that they agreed on the vast majority of issues and could find common ground on even more. The problem is that outliers in both parties have ingrained this mentality of you are either with us or you are, not just wrong, but EVIL in the people. We need adults having adult conversations, but the power grab is all that many of these people care about.

I agree with this take. I would also like throw out it's been my observation that the "outliers" on one side have been tolerated (if not outright coddled) much more so than the other. This doesn't detract from anything you state but one of the things the "adults" need to do is treat the outliers the same.

 

[ClearwaterVol]

I agree with this take. I would also like throw out it's been my observation that the "outliers" on one side have been tolerated (if not outright coddled) much more so than the other. This doesn't detract from anything you state but one of the things the "adults" need to do is treat the outliers the same.

The outliers on both sides are the loudest and getting the most airplay. And they've both been tolerated and coddled for years.

 

[hndog609]

The outliers on both sides are the loudest and getting the most airplay. And they've both been tolerated and coddled for years.

If your implication here is if the outliers are treated equally by the vast majority of media and government I strongly disagree. I agree that they should if that matters to you.

 

[hog88]

My take on this one is a little different. The upstart Trump faction has extinguished or absorbed the GOP.

And FWIW, I have been "lamenting" the marginalization of the middle for many years. The process has just accelerated in recent years.

Quit fooling yourself, there isn’t a middle in DC. There is the establishment takers and then there are the fringes on both sides.

 

[hog88]

Maybe the “evil” thing is what causes the inconsistency.

It’s hard to believe that they’d find common ground when you look at issues like criminal procedure reform, for example.

At baseline, the left tends to say it’s unfair to defendants who are disproportionately minorities.

At baseline the right tends to think it’s working as intended and may need to be more harsh.

Put Rittenhouse/Stone/Flynn/Chauvin on trial and immediately the positions reverse.

I disagree. I think our CJ system is completely broken and needs to be scrapped and rebuilt. Race has little to do with justice, it’s money that makes the difference.

 

[DonjoVol]

And why do certain people on here continue to claim their "centrists" when clearly they are not?