Is the GOP moving too far right?

[raggage]

As above.

I think the rise to prominence of the most conservative senators in recent times (Lott, Santorum) is an excellent example. I think it is alienating the popular moderates in the party (namely McCain, formerly Jeffords).

[Keystone Phil]

As above.

 I think it is alienating the popular moderates in the party (namely McCain, formerly Jeffords).

How is the GOP alienating moderates? Giuliani, Schwarzenegger, McCain...those are three moderates I can name off the top of my head that have major speaking roles at the upcoming Republican convention.

[David S]

They are moving too far left on spending and too far right on issues like gay marriage.

[Josh/Devilman88]

I say we are moving to far left.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

David - On that I would certainly agree!

They are moving too far left on spending and too far right on issues like gay marriage.

[John Dibble]

They are moving too far left on spending and too far right on issues like gay marriage.

Bingo.

[Brambila]

Socially and economically, the GOP is moving left- even gay marriage.

[dazzleman]

I wouldn't call it left or right.

The character of the Republican party is that it is the more traditional of the two parties.  The GOP represents people who are not, and do not want to be, on the "cutting edge" of social change, people who are generally happier with things the way they are, and wary of making major changes.

This is a perfectly legitimate stance.  As far as gay marriage goes, the GOP is not "moving" to the right.  It is maintaining the position that it has always had, and that was not even an issue until very recently - that marriage is between a man and a woman.  It's not as if they're trying to take from people a "right" they already have.  Even the Democrats will not officially go on record as supporting gay marriage - any mention of it was forbidden at their convention.

It is the left that is aggressively pursuing a divisive social agenda.  Gay marriage would not be an issue if not brought up by people on the left.  I think it will probably eventually be accepted, but gay marriage is really part of a much larger issue with respect to family values, definition of family, gender roles and the proper upbringing of children.

People on the left have little regard for these issues.  They think of things only in terms of personal freedom, and where their anti-family ideas have had the most impact (the black community), the result has been devastating.

So I think people who care about the type of society that we live in, beyond the latest fad, are very right to have reservations about a social agenda being pushed by leftists, considering how far down the road to hell these people have already taken us.

[Lunar]

Socially, yes.  The GOP used to be more of a libertarian party rather than a moral watchdog one.

[Brambila]

Socially? I think they're all moving left. It's harder to find a republican who is pro-life and save-sex marriage/gay rights anymore. I think Democrats are moving further to the left, and so it seems like republicans are conservative socially.

[David S]

Gay marriage is but one example of the GOP being too far to the right on social issues. Medical marihuana is another. Ban on partial birth abortion even if the mother's life is at risk is another.

[Posterity]

Too far right (authoritarian) on social matters and too far left on fiscal matters.

[Josh/Devilman88]

It is too left... we let the libs walk all over us, and we take there views on things, and change it a bit to make it "look consv".

[minionofmidas]

Not moving right enough by far - it's still electable in the US, if nowhere else!

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The Republican Party of today is America's first fascist major party.

[raggage]

The Republican Party of today is America's first fascist major party.

I think thats too harsh. But given, some GOP senators, namely Santorum & Inhofe are moving towards that area of the political sphere with their gay-bashing antics.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I think thats too harsh.

Trust me, it's not too harsh.

I've put up with their antics in Campbell County for many years now, and the party has become fascist, quite frankly. This wasn't always so.

I've had my fill of it, and I think the government has cause to take swift action against the party. Unfortunately, the party controls the government almost thoroughly now, so that ain't likely to happen.

A party like this would probably be banned in some democracies such as Germany just because of its hateful incitements.

[The Duke]

The Republican Party of today is America's first fascist major party.

I think thats too harsh. But given, some GOP senators, namely Santorum & Inhofe are moving towards that area of the political sphere with their gay-bashing antics.

Exploiting the fears of blue collar whites is not even close to the same thing as facism.

[raggage]

The Republican Party of today is America's first fascist major party.

I think thats too harsh. But given, some GOP senators, namely Santorum & Inhofe are moving towards that area of the political sphere with their gay-bashing antics.

Exploiting the fears of blue collar whites is not even close to the same thing as facism.

Exploiting the fears....... Care to explain what you mean.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Exploiting the fears of blue collar whites is not even close to the same thing as facism.

I think it's fascism. The Republicans are exploiting prejudices.

And the Repub-a-dubs are wrong if they think blue-collar whites support them.

[Lunar]

Nothing to see here, move along.

[John Dibble]

I swear, people throw around the word facism too much. Go live in North Korea for a year, then you'll see real facism.

[Lunar]

Or better yet, use my pumpkin image.  He actually believes the US is like North Korea though.  You saw him call Gingrich a Nazi.

[The Duke]

A party like this would probably be banned in some democracies such as Germany just because of its hateful incitements.

I just got the irony.

Germany has the answer to fixing facism!  They know how to ban political parties they don't agree with!

[Bandit3 the Worker]

You can't ban a party from a democracy!

Wrong. Germany (and possibly Canada too) has banned Far Right parties.