Opinion of the Obama-era Republican Party

[All Along The Watchtower]

?

[TDAS04]

Obviously awful.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

won't survive after 2012
regional party
old whites are dying
muh lãhtinos!
lol republican tears drink up XD
"I think the future holds the Democrats being the party of the center while a SDP rises on the left. The GOP will reach libertarian levels by 2028."

[Santander]

Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are my heroes.

[The_Doctor]

Honestly, still a "dying majority party" resistant to the new demographic and economic realities, and stubbornly clinging to the old ways. That's evidenced by a 2.1% popular vote loss and massive deficits in the big urban blue states. Old white people are certainly dying and that's one reason the popular vote went to the Democrats. They are also a regional party (South, Midwest) which is why they're having popular vote and mandate problems.

I think the obstruction of Obama was a serious error that led to increased polarization - a kind of polarization that will rebound to the Democratic Party's benefits, when the dam bursts.  

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Honestly, still a "dying majority party" resistant to the new demographic and economic realities, and stubbornly clinging to the old ways. That's evidenced by a 2.1% popular vote loss and massive deficits in the big urban blue states. Old white people are certainly dying and that's one reason the popular vote went to the Democrats. They are also a regional party (South, Midwest) which is why they're having popular vote and mandate problems.

I think the obstruction of Obama was a serious error that led to increased polarization - a kind of polarization that will rebound to the Democratic Party's benefits, when the dam bursts.  

You're being intellectually dishonest here. You make no note of how Trump of all people over performed Romney with Hispanic and Black voters by 2% and 3% respectively. Imagine what a non-asshole Trumpist will be able to do.

[Higgs]

Comically evil. Not that the Bush-era GOP wasn't downright sinister, but articulating just how horrifying the current Republican Party is is a challenge in of itself. 

You are so unbelievably hackish. The things you post makes me think all you do all day is watch Democratic attack ads. I can't even imagine living like this, so polarized and so convinced that the other side is evil. How about trying to understand those you disagree with, rather than write them off as evil?

[Goldwater]

Honestly, still a "dying majority party" resistant to the new demographic and economic realities, and stubbornly clinging to the old ways. That's evidenced by a 2.1% popular vote loss and massive deficits in the big urban blue states. Old white people are certainly dying and that's one reason the popular vote went to the Democrats. They are also a regional party (South, Midwest) which is why they're having popular vote and mandate problems.

I think the obstruction of Obama was a serious error that led to increased polarization - a kind of polarization that will rebound to the Democratic Party's benefits, when the dam bursts.  

You're being intellectually dishonest here. You make no note of how Trump of all people over performed Romney with Hispanic and Black voters by 2% and 3% respectively. Imagine what a non-asshole Trumpist will be able to do.

That would never happen, since Trump's entire appeal is being an asshole.

[MT Treasurer]

Much, much better than the Bush-era Republican Party, though that's not saying much, really. Mixed.

[The_Doctor]

Honestly, still a "dying majority party" resistant to the new demographic and economic realities, and stubbornly clinging to the old ways. That's evidenced by a 2.1% popular vote loss and massive deficits in the big urban blue states. Old white people are certainly dying and that's one reason the popular vote went to the Democrats. They are also a regional party (South, Midwest) which is why they're having popular vote and mandate problems.

I think the obstruction of Obama was a serious error that led to increased polarization - a kind of polarization that will rebound to the Democratic Party's benefits, when the dam bursts.  

You're being intellectually dishonest here. You make no note of how Trump of all people over performed Romney with Hispanic and Black voters by 2% and 3% respectively. Imagine what a non-asshole Trumpist will be able to do.

No not really. Allow me to demonstrate. I realize that the "cuckservatives" and the "LIEB-RULS" are people inferior to your God-like wisdom but let's review facts.

90% of Republicans voted for Trump. Republicans made up 33% of the electorate. Independents (31%) voted 46-42% for Trump.

At best - say you increase your numbers to 61% of the white vote and 36% of the Latino vote in 2020, you're looking at what, with Pence, let's just say hypothetically, 52% of the vote. This is not a landslide.

There is no "non-asshole Trumpian" way to reach 55%. Do the math. "Deport the Mexicans, limit immigration, blue lives matter," and the racial dog whistling plus the emphasis on the old economy inherently turns off two key groups of the emerging majority - minorities and urban millenials (really, urban voters).

Your man drew an inside straight in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, to win the White House. He had the right message for the region. Good for him. But again, "non-Trumpian asshole" doesn't break the dam. All he and the GOP did was to increase polarization and to win the 2016 election with a popular vote loss.

Also, what "non-asshole Trump"? Your man blazed a path to the GOP nomination for all future Trumpian voters to run to the right, rile up the voters, and to say the most outrageous things to win the nomination. You know as well as I do that this pattern will be repeated.

[The_Doctor]

Comically evil. Not that the Bush-era GOP wasn't downright sinister, but articulating just how horrifying the current Republican Party is is a challenge in of itself. 

You are so unbelievably hackish. The things you post makes me think all you do all day is watch Democratic attack ads. I can't even imagine living like this, so polarized and so convinced that the other side is evil. How about trying to understand those you disagree with, rather than write them off as evil?

Man says this while sig line says "President Trump. Get used to saying it."

[RINO Tom]

Honestly, still a "dying majority party" resistant to the new demographic and economic realities, and stubbornly clinging to the old ways. That's evidenced by a 2.1% popular vote loss and massive deficits in the big urban blue states. Old white people are certainly dying and that's one reason the popular vote went to the Democrats. They are also a regional party (South, Midwest) which is why they're having popular vote and mandate problems.

I think the obstruction of Obama was a serious error that led to increased polarization - a kind of polarization that will rebound to the Democratic Party's benefits, when the dam bursts.  

You're being intellectually dishonest here. You make no note of how Trump of all people over performed Romney with Hispanic and Black voters by 2% and 3% respectively. Imagine what a non-asshole Trumpist will be able to do.

That would never happen, since Trump's entire appeal is being an asshole.

Ding, ding, ding, ding!  Thinking a coherent heir to "Trumpism" (it's in the name, people, idol worship pure and simple) will emerge is as delusional as thinking ... well, that any one faction will dominate a party.

[Mr. Smith]

Cartoonishly evil, but that's been true since Gingrich flipped the House in '94 anyway.

[Illiniwek]

Absolutely terrible. Romney, McCain weren't too bad, Boehner wasn't terrible, but when I think of Obama-era Republican, the first person who comes to mind is McConnell, who is an obstructionist party-before-country a**hole.

[Comrade Funk]

Started the devolution into becoming a party for Alex Jones nuts.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

No not really. Allow me to demonstrate. I realize that the "cuckservatives" and the "LIEB-RULS" are people inferior to your God-like wisdom but let's review facts.

You shouldn't waste time trying to put words in my mouth, but I am getting a vibe of strong butt hurt here. The fact that even you have to get bogged down in this snarky, holier-than-thou attitude really says something about the Clinton's supporters in the white male demographic. And it doesn't really speak well. Sad!

90% of Republicans voted for Trump. Republicans made up 33% of the electorate. Independents (31%) voted 46-42% for Trump.

It's considerably ironic that the Democratic Party's share of the vote actually fell one percent from 2012, and that Trump outperformed Romney among Democratic voters by two percent. That was done in spite of the most concerted campaign of media misinformation in the history of the United States. It was a clear sign that the American people were so disgusted with the status quo and the current direction of the Obama era Democratic Party, which they elected in a landslide eight years earlier, that they would consider a candidate who was in any other circumstances dead on arrival. Of course, Trump is just the personification of the movement. It took Teddy Roosevelt to catapult the Progressive era into action. Without him, Wilson, FDR, and Truman would have never been possible. Trump is the loud and proud launching of a realignment.

At best - say you increase your numbers to 61% of the white vote and 36% of the Latino vote in 2020, you're looking at what, with Pence, let's just say hypothetically, 52% of the vote. This is not a landslide.

Uh, you mean with President Trump right? And who said anything about landslides? According to Bill Clinton's definition, a landslide is 370 Electoral Votes. From 1972 until 2016, the only landslides occurred in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, and 2008. In other words, landslides aren't extremely frequent and are even less so in this hyper polarized age where both Presidential nominees won ~90% of their party's members. 52% to me is a solid win and a reliable mandate, which Obama clearly received in 2008 and undoubtedly retained when he routed Mitt Romney in a less glitzy win.

There is no "non-asshole Trumpian" way to reach 55%. Do the math. "Deport the Mexicans, limit immigration, blue lives matter," and the racial dog whistling plus the emphasis on the old economy inherently turns off two key groups of the emerging majority - minorities and urban millenials (really, urban voters).

You failed to explain why Trump's aggressive immigration proposals resulted in an uptick in support among Hispanic voters in comparison to Romney, even when the share of the Hispanic vote went up from 10% to 11%.

It's interesting to note that Trump, despite his rhetoric, still outperformed Romney among minority voters. You have yet to offer any explanation for that. I suspect you don't have one, probably because most white Clinton voters tend to be affluent and sheltered behind the walls of gated subdivisions, far away from the realities that black America faces. I can tell you ("because I was on the ground"-remember when everyone sneered at me for using that phrase) that in Tallahassee, where I live in a relatively diverse area that is largely black, that there was absolutely no election activity. Where I grew up in my majority black/Haitian corner of Boynton Beach, I saw thousands of Obama signs in 2008 and 2012. There were none this year, either down here or up there. There was no genuine excitement for Clinton. Most of my black friends (all of whom are between 18-22) voted overwhelmingly for Bernie. The only black voters they claimed to know who were excited about Hillary were their aunts or mothers.

It's also worth noting that Donald Trump, a man who is at least ten fold wealthier than Mitt Romney, lost low income voters 53-41 to Clinton. Romney lost those voters 63-35 to Obama just four years ago. Why is it that an obnoxious billionaire was able to run his numbers up against Hillary Clinton? Could it be the fact that low income voters are aware of the fact that Clinton didn't care about them at all? Could it be that the Democratic Party has become a party of elitist snobs who think a mediocre two term Presidency with a halfway decent, if not increasingly dull orator has suddenly made them the "natural party of government?" Could it be that the roles have become reversed, with the Democratic Party becoming the party of rich old whites (who throw scraps down from the table from time to time) as the GOP is becoming a more inclusive, populist party that works for, rather than against, the American people?

Your man drew an inside straight in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, to win the White House. He had the right message for the region. Good for him. But again, "non-Trumpian asshole" doesn't break the dam. All he and the GOP did was to increase polarization and to win the 2016 election with a popular vote loss.

I don't hear any arguments here. All I'm reading is whining about polarization (rich coming from someone who backed the woman who has permanently etched the word "deplorable" into the political lexicon), and Hillary-splaining for why your candidate failed to carry three reliably Democratic states. Perhaps because the voters there realized that she was at best taking them for granted, and worse, waiting to sell them down the river just like she did WV, which rewarded her husband twice with their electoral votes.

Also, you should know that the popular vote doesn't have any official baring. You used to be a libertarian-ish constitutional conservative until you decided that you were suddenly a liberal, New Deal style Democrat. I don't see how that attack carries any legitimacy. Clinton played by the rules that were established in 1789. Deal with it.

Also, what "non-asshole Trump"? Your man blazed a path to the GOP nomination for all future Trumpian voters to run to the right, rile up the voters, and to say the most outrageous things to win the nomination. You know as well as I do that this pattern will be repeated.

I thought the party was dying! I thought the Trump base would disappear and that the party would become the party of Rubio and Haley again? Make your mind up.

A movement starts with a man. Without Ayn Rand going to war with William Buckley, modern American libertarianism wouldn't be as powerful. Without Ronald Reagan, there'd be no Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney or whatever soulless, bland, brain dead conformist bitch you hold up to be the "true" heart and soul of the GOP.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

As for my opinion, I'm down with the ideology but I wish it had more of an intellectual backbone. Years of movement conservatism playing up people's fears has a consequence. Now the Rubio/Cruz folks are scratching their heads.

[Deblano]

Are you talking about the Obama-era GOP that did primary challenges on all Republican incumbents/potentials that were even remotely moderate, bringing the party further to the right as GOPers like Arlen Specter jumped ship to the Democrats or retired?

HP.

[Bojack Horseman]

Horrible, horrible party being run by absolutely despicable human beings. Their pols are either rabid thugs (North Carolina legislature), commit negligent homicide (Rick Snyder), are egomaniacs (Ted Cruz), or run on policies and a public sentiment that are a page out of Nazi Germany (Donald Trump).

[The_Doctor]

As for my opinion, I'm down with the ideology but I wish it had more of an intellectual backbone. Years of movement conservatism playing up people's fears has a consequence. Now the Rubio/Cruz folks are scratching their heads.

Before I respond -

1) I am neither white and…
2) I wrote in George W. Bush / Dick Cheney
3) I'm a Democrat aligned against the white nationalism represented by Trump. But I am not a liberal and assuming I am one when I clearly spelled out elsewhere my ideology is moronic.

But by all means assume I'm a Clinton supporter and some lily white millennial.

Epic fail.

[Maxwell]

Horrifying. Great political strategy, but horrifying.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

A fantastically horrific abomination that has metamorphised several times, each stage as repellent as the last.

[Figueira]

A fantastically horrific abomination that has metamorphised several times, each stage as repellent as the last.

[Higgs]

Comically evil. Not that the Bush-era GOP wasn't downright sinister, but articulating just how horrifying the current Republican Party is is a challenge in of itself. 

You are so unbelievably hackish. The things you post makes me think all you do all day is watch Democratic attack ads. I can't even imagine living like this, so polarized and so convinced that the other side is evil. How about trying to understand those you disagree with, rather than write them off as evil?

Man says this while sig line says "President Trump. Get used to saying it."

Lol that doesn't mean I think ill of those on the other side of the aisle, it means we had the election and need to move on.

[Higgs]

You are so unbelievably hackish.

I am? I didn't even support Hillary Clinton, for Christ's sake. You, on the other hand, were more than willing to vote fascism in to the White House so that you could get an extra Supreme Court Justice. Don't be dumb here, fam.

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I don't watch political ads (normal, Californian, etc.)

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lmfao. I've never once suggested that all Republican voters (or even most) are evil for voting Republican. The party leadership, however, is absolutely villainous; from enabling voter-suppression, to scapegoating disadvantaged groups, to going out of their way to make things ever-so-worse for the poor and struggling, the GOP of the 2010s is easily deserving of the "evil" label.

To be fair, you clearly have zero problem with demonizing Muslim-Americans, Mexican immigrants, and other groups the Republicans are happy to throw under the bus, so you won't take any of this seriously.

Give me a f**king break, man. There's no need to get so damn salty at my posts.

You say you're not a hack, and then tell me I voted for fascism, nice.

And as for the second bolded part, you say we aren't evil but basically call us fascists.

All parties gerrymander/do whatever they can to stay in power. None of that's right and I would certainly support something like a national bill dealing with the gerrymandering issue, but that doesn't make an entire party evil. Again, they all do it.

I have never demonized Muslim-Americans or Mexican-Americans, and I would never support a candidate who would demonize my fellow Americans. You proved my point exactly. You truly just don't understand the other side if you think we're voting to disparage people.