The end of the Republican Party?

[War on Want]

Yeah, after 1856, the party system has matured. One thing you could think about are changing coalitions. What if the fiscal conservatives are ignored in the GOP? Well, 30 years from now, you could have a libertarian democratic party and a communalist republican party, rather than a liberal/conservative divide.

I doubt it; the Democrats hold economic progressive/socialist ideas too strongly to possibly become a true 'libertarian' party, at least not in the next century or so. The vast majority of the "liberals" would not consider voting for a communalist party, because of opposition to religious values. Together, they are likely to continue to hold a left-of-center economic viewpoint. They might manage to intimidate true libertarians into voting for them (by comparing themselves to the Republicans), but they'd never be accepted as the 'mainstream'.

However, the Republicans going authoritarian seems quite possible, ditching economic conservativism and taking up 'Godly' values to hold the South and Midwest in line. It isn't the only possible path for them, but it certainly is an option. 

The end result, unless a viable libertarian or right-libertarian third party becomes a major force, will be no less than the economic ruin of the nation, as capitalism is continuously blamed for the nation's problems, and the political establishment uses business as a boogeyman to get voters to hand control over for them (even though big business will do just well, thank you. Small business, on the other hand, will be practically dead). I can easily see this resulting in a nearly-collapsed United States falling to either religious fascism or pseudo-communism, perhaps even some truly evil combination of the two.

I am now confused? Since when have Democrats became Communists, and when have Republicans become Fascists? I may hate the Republicans, but they are fighting for what they see as Christian values. While these values certainly are Authoritarian, they are not Fascists.

[opebo]

I'll add my dissent to the 'end of the Republican Party'.  It would be nice if it would go away, but obviously it won't as there are only two of them and it has so much money behind it.

Anyway what's the difference?  The interesting thing is that both parties are so right wing, and thus the endless cycling back and forth between them changes so little.

Ummm.... 2007 was nothing like the country of 1977 and that country had litle resembalance to the country in 1947 and that country had little resemblance to the country of 1917 and that country looked nothing like the country did in 1857.

Really?  They're all capitalist countries completely controlled by a small owning elite, with various influences from the religious/nationalist types.

[12th Doctor]

Why is it such a popular sport now to claim that it is the end of one party or the other when there is a new majority?  If politics worked that way, neither party would have lasted nearly as long as they have.  It doesn't happen, bottom line.

[they don't love you like i love you]

No, but it is amusing how not too long ago you were claiming we had entered a new era of Republican domination.

[tarheel-leftist85]

Once Republicans ditch the populist act, they'll be competitive.  then bedroom Democrats will have nothing on their platform.  You know, those extremist Christians, they're like, so totally, like square.  Luckily we have "moderates" who tow the agenda for corporate America to "come clean up this negative dirty extremist politics" on both sides.  Truly and refreshingly bipartisan.

[Governor PiT]

I could see if the DEMs win in 08 the republicans fall apart with many libertarians and Paleo-cons joining the LP and CP and before 2012 I could see Schwarzenagger, Bloomberg, and Lieberman getting together and forming a new Centrist Party.

[Person Man]

I could see if the DEMs win in 08 the republicans fall apart with many libertarians and Paleo-cons joining the LP and CP and before 2012 I could see Schwarzenagger, Bloomberg, and Lieberman getting together and forming a new Centrist Party.

I don't know about that. I definitely think that in western cities(San Fran, Seattle, Denver, Boulder, Las Vegas,) and in New England, you know, the bluest parts of the country, might see the defunct Republicans being replaced by the libertarian party and the populist to paleo-conservative Constitution Party. On the other hand, if the DEMs lose, they may be replaced in swing and conservative states by the Libertarian Party for the bedroom democrats and the Green Party for enviromentalists and unions.

[opebo]

Once Republicans ditch the populist act, they'll be competitive.  then bedroom Democrats will have nothing on their platform.  You know, those extremist Christians, they're like, so totally, like square.  Luckily we have "moderates" who tow the agenda for corporate America to "come clean up this negative dirty extremist politics" on both sides.  Truly and refreshingly bipartisan.

This post makes no sense, Tarheel - the only reason the Republicans ARE competitive (in fact to the point of winning most of the time) is because of the 'populist act'.

[Person Man]

I think what he is trying to say is that it is getting old and being pushed to far to keep social moderates from becoming "bedroom democrats".

[tarheel-leftist85]

i find it amazing that american politics have moved from the kitchen table to the bedroom.  thank you, ronald reagan.  social justice is inextricably tied to economic justice. when candidates for political office realize this, they can beat any opponent they have, excepting the deep south and militia west.

[Person Man]

There's not much of a "militia west" out side of the great plains and the Beehive Empire of Utah and Idaho....I guess Wyoming and Montana are the "militia west" at this point, The Dakotas,  Kansas and Nebraska are too, if you consider them "west".

[Andy Hine]

The end of the Republican Party?  Ridiculous.

I am sure the same thing was said of the Republican Party in 1932, 1936, 1964.

I am sure the same thing was said of the Democratic Party in 1972, 1984.

These things go in cycles. 

The tide goes out, the tide comes in. 

OK Bill O'Reilly.

[erſatz-york]

If the GOP were ever to dissolve I think you would see a return of the Southern Democrat as a new party rather than moderates vs. ultra liberals.  You might also see an uptick in people who identify themselves as Libertarians as moderate former members of the GOP look for a new political affiliation.  I actually think that a collapse of the GOP would actually cause the creation of a 3 party system with a far left party, a socially conservative and economically liberal party, and a socially liberal economically conservative party.

However, I doubt the GOP will ever really dissolve.  They will just have to find some way to adapt to the new political and demographic realities of the country as we move forward in time.  Right now there is a battle going on between social conservatives and economic conservatives for control of the party.  This intraparty strife is being exasperated by the immigration debate and it very well could result in the GOP losing half of it's base voters depending on the Democratic response and the available 3rd party options.

I also keep in mind that the Republicans lost alot of influnice in the 1930s and also had changing demographics against them,I think we are seeing somewhat of the same thing in 2008,Then with the demographic changes the Republicans may lose the who entire Southwest over the next 15 years or so. So in order to counter this electoral change the Republicans need to become more competitive in states that became realibly blue after 1992 i.e. Illinois,New Jersey, and some other states. I think the South excluding Virginia and Florida will remain solidly Republican so in order to survive polically the Republican Party must embark on a Rust Belt strategy or something like that.

Wow.

[Kempros]

Peoples predictions hold really no value to what actually happens in the reality of the time.

I remember hearing predictions and reading news articles in Sept. 2014 that predicted the end of the Rep party in result of the upcoming election.

Read this all over again with greater magnitude in 2015/16.

You all know what happened.