Are Republican Party policies the root cause of nearly all of our problems?

[MaxQue]

There is no conservatism anymore. It doesn't exist in government.  It's hard-left vs center-left.

I suggest you leave the Republican Party, left-leaning Repubs have decided our presidential nominees for quite some time now, and are not doing a good job.

Left-wing political correctness is what is hurting the country.

You suggest he leaves the party, are you kidding me? Please tell me how crap like this will help our party.

As that poster has been banned, you won't get an answer.

[pbrower2a]

I'm not giving Republicans full culpability for the California drought.

[RFayette]

The results of this poll officially debunks the myth that Atlas is a left-wing forum.

The Atlas Republican Party demands that you be stripped of your avatar at once with a dishonorable discharge.

Yup.  Depart from us, ye of little conservatism.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The results of this poll officially debunks the myth that Atlas is a left-wing forum.

What did you expect? Many liberals blame their own party as well for signing off on the march to the right on economic policy, regulation etc and so it is hard to blame the Republicans alone when their own Party in its desperate lust for power has been complicit.

Most Republicans whilst not approving of everything they do, believe in the party's beliefs enough to think that some aspect of Democratic policies, be it teacher's unions on education and public sector unions on state and local level budget insolvency, or foreign policy or whatever, has contributed a greater amount to the current problems.

Many others blame both parties hence why they aren't members of either party.

[PJ]

I stubbed my toe on a chair today. That chair was a product of capitalism, produced in sweatshops by toiling underpaid workers. However, my dining room table was built by a cooperative where workers have good benefits, and I have never stubbed my toe on it. This is obviously the fault of Republicans.

[hopper]

I do think the Republicans mantra about signing "Grover Norquist Tax Pledges" has to stop I mean you never raise any taxes on anybody. That just doesn't make sense at all.

I also think the GOP has to stop thinking any tax cut is a good tax cut. In my opinion the whole GOP policy on tax cuts has been there since Bush H.W. broke his "No New Tax Pledge" in 1990 and the party has been scared as heck to raise taxes on anybody ever since then. Its not 1992 or 1994 anymore. I was actually happy to see the Republicans to let some of the Bush Tax Cuts expire after Obamas re-election victory in 2012. Its a step in the right direction. Just let all of the Bush Tax Cuts expire and raise taxes across the board if Obama wants to do entitlement reform.

[hopper]

The prez, Obama was willing to work with the 114th GOP Congress on the Bowles and Simpson plan. But the GOP went back on their word, concerning closing tax loopholes.

Then, there is immigration, raising cap on social Security and min wage.

Bowles/Simpson is a proposal that dates back to the 111th or 112th Congress.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

It would have been neater if the Democrats had backed into the pie a tax hike in 2010 taking effect in 2015 or 2016, but they were reading off a book of "what we did in 1993, lets not do that". They failed to pass healthcare, so Obama/Pelosi/Reid got it done whatever the cost. In 1993 they passed Gun control, so The trifecta allowd guns on national parks if I am not mistaken. In 1993 they raised taxes, so Obama left the Bush tax cuts in place when he had the votes to end them.

All of this was designed to avoid a repeat of 1994. Of course it didn't work. However, had he raised taxes, the fallout in some areas would have been worse, especially those suburbs where the Democrats have gained the most at the expense of Republicans.

This needs to be considered as to why the Republicans can keep up the tax mantra and that is a large portion of the Democrats' coalition now are people who will not be happy if that tax rate goes above a certain percent.

[hopper]

I think American voters can distinguish between the activists of both parties.

Activist tea party has lead the democratic winning coalition of presidential and senate victories as of late.

Last time I looked the Republicans have a majority in the US Senate but you guys will probably get your majority back next cycle.

[hopper]

I think evidence shows that tax cuts are not some magic bullet like the blowhard talking heads suggest. An endless stream of wealth to be returned to the private sector that was being occupied by the government and its wasteful spending.

You do have diminishing returns and once your tax rates are already low, cutting them again is not going to yield much results. Cutting them from 90% to 70% or from 70% to 28% is a different story obviously.

Well Bill Clinton only got the top rate up to 39% in 1993. Clinton could have pushed push the rate further up if he wanted to back then.