Are a lot of Republicans secretly (or not secretly) fiscally centrist to liberal?

[RR1997]

Do the Republicans even care about economic issues anymore?

It seems like the only thing that the GOP cares about is keeping the filthy brown people out of this country.

They seem to willingly support economically-moderate candidates if they're severely socially conservative and anti-immigration. I've noticed that very few economic questions have been asked during tonight's debate so far, and a lot of left-wing economic policies have received cheers from the audience.

It seems like all Republicans secretly support minimum-wage increases, tax increases on the wealthy, universal health care, etc. It seems like the only reason why GOPers are actually GOPers is because they want the brown and yellow people out of this country. I believe that most GOPers have actually supported left-wing economic policies their entire lives, but are just coming out of the closet this election season because of Donald Trump.


Edit: I've changed the question.

I voted yes.

Discuss.

[Yelnoc]

If you don't hate brown people, you're in the wrong party.

[Cubby]

Questioning any part of the current economic order is seen as "socialist", so unfortunately its not safe for a Republican who wants to get elected to show any concern for the working poor.

John Kasich tried to empathize with them and suggested that, among other things, maybe Obamacare isn't the worst thing in the World and look how he's been doing lately.

Could you imagine the reaction if one of the candidates suggested raising the minimum wage, Republicans would faint from the shock and then attack him as a foreign agent.

The whole GOP at this point is closer to Joe McCarthy than Reagan.

[Simfan34]

When the opposition isn't talking about the economy, the implication is that the economy is doing well.

[GLPman]

No.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

I say yes actually. I'm a strong fiscal/economic conservative who mostly agrees with the WSJ editorial page, but I find a lot of the supposed "conservatives" I talk to are moderate to liberal on those issues.

[Bigby]

No. Don't be Ted Cruz.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Yes. The fiscal conservatism comes from resentment of the welfare class. I remember a PPP poll in which 53% of whites in MS opposed raising the minimum wage. They can't really feel that way. It's just hard working vs lazy benefits recipient mentality.

[Bismarck]

Most republicans are fiscal conservatives.

[Maxwell]

I think a lot of people don't have very well informed opinions on most of these issues enough to say whether or not they are fiscally conservative or liberal.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Yes, and Sanders was speaking to them at Liberty U.

[Bismarck]

I think a lot of people don't have very well informed opinions on most of these issues enough to say whether or not they are fiscally conservative or liberal.

This in both parties on like 90% of issues

[100% pro-life no matter what]

No, but I think many Republicans care more about social issues.

If you look at my signature, I am far-right on both groups of issues, but slightly moreso on economic ones.  However, I disagree with that, as social issues are of a much greater concern for me right now.

[Mr. Smith]

Only if you consider privatization and cutting as the only solutions as fiscally conservative does this work.

Only Bernie Sanders is actually fiscally liberal.

[Clark Kent]

Santorum, maybe Huckabee, probably Dump if you count him.

[Leinad]

Yep.

See, this is the Republican party's economic plan:
- Lower taxes.
- Raise military spending.
- Balance the budget.
- (Optional) deport 11-freaking-million people.
- (Optional) save social security.

Anyone who knows math knows this means you need to make some major cuts. But they rarely talk about cutting anything.

And I doubt most of them would make those cuts, anyway. The party's idol, Reagan, doubled the national debt.

They're not fiscally conservative in the way Ron Paul and Gary Johnson are. Maybe they're fiscally conservative compared to everyone worldwide, but that's like saying I'm tall compared to a class of kindergarteners. It's not enough--they're in favor of a reckless amount of government intervention in the economy. Not to mention a moderately theocratic social view and a borderline insane foreign policy.

[Slander and/or Libel]

I think the GOP establishment has made the mistake for the last 40 years of assuming their base is in fiscal conservative lockstep because they've been so good at giving them basically no other option in their candidates. I think it very likely that there's more receptiveness toward a breakaway candidate who's more fiscally moderate or liberal, as long as he/she hates brown people.

[Mehmentum]

Yes.  A minimum wage increase won overwhelmingly in Arkansas in 2014, the same year that two Democrats were landslided against.

Remember that Republicans absorbed the Dixiecrats.  While they did a good job of completely suppressing any populist impulses that these voters had, its finally come back to haunt them.  Trump opened Pandora's box and a wave of racist-populist fury has been unleashed.  What's more, several candidates have caught on.

Christie is talking about the middle class being plowed over.  Carson and Santorum are both advocating raising the minimum wage, and this was a debate in which economics was barely covered. 

[Torie]

To me, the word "fiscal" has to do with financial management, and the government operating in a manner that works well economically for the country. So it is about managing deficits, and having a tax system that does not unduly impair, and facilitates economic growth. It is a different question from how much redistribution should be done. I think the bulk of Pubs a fiscally conservative in the way I described it, but also favor a considerable amount of redistribution, provided it does not become fiscally imprudent. A big chunk of the Pub voters rely on redistribution these days, particularly as its overall SES profile declines. And there is a growing protectionist sentiment in the Pub party, which is yet a third category, but related to the other two. Some of the immigration tension at bottom has to do with the downward pressure it is putting on wages for low skilled jobs.

[Mr. Morden]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/09/trump-vs-everybody-is-the-new-mccain-vs-bush.html

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