Althouse: "It is almost impossible to find an establishment Republican in town who’s not downright morose about the 2013 that has been and is about to be."

August 16, 2013

"It is almost impossible to find an establishment Republican in town who’s not downright morose about the 2013 that has been and is about to be."

"Most dance around it in public, but they see this year as a disaster in the making, even if most elected Republicans don’t know it or admit it."

Who are these morose, ineffectual, in-town, establishment characters?

67 comments:

Bob Ellison said...: That essay was written by a Democrat.; 8/16/13, 1:19 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: A remarkably clumsy piece of moby-ism.; 8/16/13, 1:34 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: Karl Rove, for one. The establishment GOP old guard is going the way of the dinosaurs, and none too soon, to be replaced by young, energetic Tea Party types (even if they don't identify as such).

The "go along to get along" mentality no longer works, now that the folks back home are paying attention. The Reps that might want to vote for amnesty (just to get it off the table) are scared to death to hold town hall meetings because they know their constituents hate it with the fire of a thousand suns, and they will get primary challenged in 2014 if they get anywhere near it. That's just one example.; 8/16/13, 1:35 PM
chickelit said...: The party is hurting itself even more with the very voters they need to start winning back: Hispanics, blacks, gays, women and swing voters of all stripes.

Translation: Republicans need to out-pander Democrats to win anything.; 8/16/13, 1:43 PM
Carl said...: Pure FUD. Or battlespace prep. Either way, amusing. Democratic scrota must be tightening.; 8/16/13, 2:00 PM
Michael K said...: The Senate immigration bill is a suicide pact. "Reaching out" to Hispanics, blacks, etc is something for after the financial collapse that's coming. Maybe 20 years from now. Here are some conservative gays and they may start to look at self interest which the under 30 crowd is only starting to recognize.

I can understand why the usual consultants are depressed. They lost.

Cruz and Paul show that they are not necessary.; 8/16/13, 2:05 PM
traditionalguy said...: Losing is no fun. And the GOP's winning the House of Representatives last election had no effect since the Senate blocks all legislation while Tyrant Obama lies about everything and systematically ends the government of the laws and not men concept and is greeted by cheers from the Disney World News organisations for his ending the rule of law.; 8/16/13, 2:18 PM
Chase said...: So - this morning, actual-for-real, absolutely illegal spying from the NSA - the NSA ITSELF called itsuch(!) - is revealed by this morning's Washington Post, and the head story at Politico is this tripe about establishment Republicans? The lead story on Memeorandum is about Republicans wrongly calling a remark by Mitt Romney (HELLO 2012?!)"racist"?

Oh course, there's no Liberal bias in the Main Stream Media!; 8/16/13, 2:21 PM
SteveR said...: These are the people who created the mess, how can we trust their lofty solutions. Not that they don't have a point. In reality, morose is a default no matter where you go.; 8/16/13, 2:30 PM
Heather said...: Republicans have a base problem. That is the problem that needs to be solved. Pandering is not going to win any of the groups in that article.

These guys need to leave DC and NY for a little while.; 8/16/13, 2:33 PM
Oso Negro said...: They are certainly NOT conservatives, whoever else they may be. How about an establishment Republican who believes that smaller, more affordable government is best for the country and attempts to make that case to the usual assortment of aggrieved minorities - will we live to see that?; 8/16/13, 2:34 PM
tim maguire said...: What a fantasy. I love listening to people who don't know any conservatives, don't understand conservatives, don't like conservatives and don't wish them well deign to offer advice to the GOP about how it might fix what ails it.

Not surprisingly, the advice is always some form of "become more like the Democrats." And the more like the Democrats the Republicans become, the louder the druming about what outrageous extremists they are (which is not surprising in itself--it's human nature, the less people have to complain about, the louder their complaints, as if to mask the pettiness with volume).; 8/16/13, 2:38 PM
peacelovewoodstock said...: Who are they? Figments of the fevered imagination of Politico hacks.

Obama got reelected because independents stayed home.

With all due respect to the Democrat's favorite constituencies, their votes were not the deciding factor.

The Republicans are winning back the independents in droves, and this has the Democrats really spooked.

And so, in an effort to rally sagging Democratic spirits, Politico runs this baloney.

It is telling that despite opening with that it "is almost impossible to find an establishment Republican in town who’s not downright morose ... ", the article only manages to quote two by name, one who was Bob Dole's campaign manager, the other who works for MSNBC for crying out loud.

The article is just a load of pablum, meant to calm "progressives" aka Politico readers.; 8/16/13, 2:50 PM
Michael The Magnificent said...: Written from the perspective that the problem with Republicans is that they aren't Democrats.; 8/16/13, 2:54 PM
RiverRat said...: Oh, You mean the Republicrat faction of the totalitarian ruling party?

No surprises there for the Classic liberal/libertarian wing of the Republican party.; 8/16/13, 3:12 PM
bleh said...: The basic assumption in that article is that Republicans need to completely abandon their principles and become Democrats, which means just giving away, or promising to give away, free stuff to certain discrete groups - as if each group is a monolithic, narrowly self-interested and unthinking entity.

This sort of argument is all too familiar. It's silly and uninteresting.; 8/16/13, 3:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Cant say I'm surprised.

There is another group that wasn't mentioned in this piece, women. I'm aware that a majority of white women voted for Romney, BUT 54% of women overall voted for Obama. It will be even higher in 2016. Asian, Hispanic and Black and White women (independent and liberal) are well aware of the numerous attempts to circumvent Roe v. Wade and other anti women legislation being pushed through by the majority Republican state legislatures. It was evident in 2012 and it appears that Republicans haven't learned their lesson yet, as they continue to push through such legislation.

Why do conservatives continue to go along with this? Are Republicans and rightist libertarians being directed by the Religious Right, still? I wonder how many Presidential election losses the right will tolerate before demanding that social issues should not be the focus of the Republican Party?

As for the other groups listed in the article, they are also well aware that the Republican Party has marginalized them. The continued push for voter ID laws make it very clear to minorities, especially the Black population and the young that their votes are attempted to be suppressed. The rejection of Immigration Reform also speaks loudly to Hispanics as to where they and their loved ones stand with the Republicans. Asians voted for Obama in even larger numbers than Hispanics, I don't see why they would shift to the right for 2016.

I think that the attempts by the new wonder boy of the right libertararians, Cruz and his wet dreams about shutting down the government is a huge blunder, a strange grasp at flexing the muscle of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party. I could actually feel a bit bad for Republicans and conservatives if I weren't happily a liberal Democrat.; 8/16/13, 3:17 PM
Jason said...: Big babies.; 8/16/13, 3:19 PM
khesanh0802 said...: The Rs disorganization IS a little scary at this point. However there is, at least, a lot more honest argument about political philosophies than we see in the D party. This fragmentation has to be expected when there is no acknowledged leader of the party. Cranks like Rand Paul will always grab the headlines. Even so he has some good points to make.

I am not convinced the House is going to self-immolate this fall. I actually think the leadership is smarter than that. Though they get little credit the House continues to go about its business, conducting hearings and debate over the important issues this article discusses. I think the Rs are correct to break these huge bills into pieces that might actually be acted upon.

Omnibus bills like the immigration deal or Obamacare are not the way to get things done. How can you develop a hope of compromise ( what most legislation requires) when the proposed legislation is so complex that no one really understands what its effects will be?

If you believe the msm the Ds are invincible. With Obama's poll numbers on handling the economy falling and - I anticipate - remaining low, the Ds are in more trouble than they can admit.; 8/16/13, 3:35 PM
Carol said...: The party is hurting itself even more with the very voters they need to start winning back: Hispanics, blacks, gays, women and swing voters of all stripes.

No, they're hurting themselves with their most likely voters. Priebus dug their own grave even deeper today.

What a piece of concern-trolling crap. Just who is supposed to buy into this?; 8/16/13, 3:40 PM
W.B. Picklesworth said...: If only the stupid Republicans would nominate moderates like McCain and Romney, THEN they might win. But how dare some of them try to have principles like fiscal responsibility and respect for the rule of law. Don't they understand that they are the ones ruining everything?; 8/16/13, 3:56 PM
Seeing Red said...: "Establishment Republican"; 8/16/13, 4:00 PM
Steven said...: Mmm-hmmm. Yet another "Republicans aren't liberal enough to win!" claim. So, how well did Establishment Romney work out, again?; 8/16/13, 4:10 PM
Anonymous said...: They would be realists. Lawlessness in the administration and on-going economic damage should be clarifying to all.; 8/16/13, 4:24 PM
Humperdink said...: Gutless leadership and no vision will do that to a party.; 8/16/13, 4:35 PM
Revenant said...: Concern troll is concerned.; 8/16/13, 4:36 PM
paul a'barge said...: In order for freedom to progress in America the Republican Party must expire.

Bring it on.; 8/16/13, 4:50 PM
Carol said...: Who are these morose, ineffectual, in-town, establishment characters?

I dunno but I'd guess they're trying to curry favor with the media.; 8/16/13, 4:52 PM
The Godfather said...: I moved out of Washington 10 years ago (after 34 years there), so I may be out of touch, but if Republicans are really depressed by their failure to rope in "Hispanics, blacks, gays, women and swing voters of all stripes" then they really have lost touch with reality.

I'm a conservative who has usually ended up supporting moderate Republicans (e.g., in 1980 Reagan was my third choice, after Bush and Baker), but never again. A good conservative candidate in 2016 would trounce Hillary or Slow Joe, even if we aren't back in a declared recession by then. And it's conservative Republicans that will keep the House and maybe win the Senate next year.

I thanks God that I'm not a Democrat right now. It would not only be depressing, it would make me ashamed to show my face (unless I were a rodeo clown).; 8/16/13, 5:20 PM
Expat(ish) said...: Shorter version: Republicans need to be more like Democrats else the Tea Party will lead them to defeat.

Like last election.

-XC

PS - Or not, shhhh.; 8/16/13, 6:12 PM
Joe said...: It is almost impossible to find and establishment Republican in town who stands on principles.; 8/16/13, 6:43 PM
avwh said...: Politico is vying with the NYT to be the Pravda of the Dem Party.; 8/16/13, 6:45 PM
Danno said...: As Politico tends to be left-of-center, I'm sure they don't have a large list of GOP contacts, and most of what they were saying is the DC view of the political situation. It is doubtful these guys even have a clue that the House districting leans right-of-center and these elected Representatives are largely voting in a way that pleases the people at home even if it results in gridlock in DC. I doubt that Reince Priebus is one of their go-to GOP guys and they concocted him into their video.; 8/16/13, 6:49 PM
gadfly said...: Politico's favorite trick is to write fanciful stories about Republicans without naming names - excuse me, naming names only when a supposed negative is used in their examples. Moderate octogenarian Don Young of Alaska is cited for calling Mexicans "Wetbacks" when the government's own Operation Wetback program in 1954 put the word forever into our slang. And Steve King's suggestion that children of illegals are often being used as drug mules just is not even possible in the world of Politico.

This article is just a terrible and typical Politico story bereft of any facts or logic.; 8/16/13, 7:09 PM
Kchiker said...: It took a full four years for Republicans to lose in 2012. Even after the shock of 2012 many still don't understand the continuing change in the country's demographics.

To an extent this is to be expected. Congressional Republicans are more concerned about being primaried from the right ... than their party's chances of winning the presidency in 2016. Same party, different agenda.

And that's before even mentioning the thirst for default that is consuming many on the far-right.; 8/16/13, 7:29 PM
Paco Wové said...: "Just who is supposed to buy into this?"

Inga seemed to like it.; 8/16/13, 7:36 PM
Petunia said...: The only votes that are being suppressed are those cast by legitimate voters, because without voter ID laws, there's no way to tell how much voter fraud is going on.

It's racist, classist, and ageist to oppose voter ID laws. Are minorities, the poor, and the elderly so incompetent that they can't get photo ID? That's certainly what the idiot liberals believe. But then, they've always been patronizing.; 8/16/13, 7:54 PM
Lyle said...: Junk political science. Haha.; 8/16/13, 8:07 PM
Lydia said...: Just about everything mentioned in that Politico piece could be substantially improved for Republicans if they could just figure out some way to grab a spot on the MSM bully pulpit.

And someone like Chris Christie wouldn't hurt either. I know he's anathema to true believers, but he gets it about something something very basic:

“We need to stop navel gazing,” Christie said. “There’s nothing wrong with our principles. We need to focus on winning again. There’s too much at stake for this to be an academic exercise. We need to win and govern with authority and courage.”

and

“See I’m in this business to win,” he continued. “I’m in it to win. I think that we have some folks who believe that our job is to be college professors. College professors are fine I guess. Being a college professor is — they basically spout out ideas but nobody ever does anything about them. For our ideas to matter we have to win. Because if we don’t win, we don’t govern. And if we don’t govern, all we do is shout into the wind.”; 8/16/13, 8:44 PM
Michael K said...: Inga, " BUT 54% of women overall voted for Obama. It will be even higher in 2016. "

Last I heard Obama wasn't running in 2016. I assume you mean Hillary. She is, if anything, wore than Obama on experience and leftist ideology. Bill would listen to advisers. Obama doesn't and I doubt Hillary would.; 8/16/13, 8:48 PM
Illuninati said...: Even though the Republicans control the majority of the state governorships, the Republican leadership seems to be in a funk. If they keep this up, it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. The Republican leaders are turning off their base with their constant whining.

Inga said:
"There is another group that wasn't mentioned in this piece, women. I'm aware that a majority of white women voted for Romney, BUT 54% of women overall voted for Obama."

I believe Inga is correct, women are responsible for the government we now have with a substandard recovery, a president who doesn't follow the law if he decides not to, an IRS which is abusing its powers, and a government which is spying on its citizens in a massive scale. As Inga said, women will probably double down on their votes for massive intrusive government next time around.

"Why do conservatives continue to go along with this? Are Republicans and rightist libertarians being directed by the Religious Right, still?"

If we could just get rid of those Christians with their traditional moral code, life would be so much better for the so called liberals aka neo-pagans.

"The continued push for voter ID laws make it very clear to minorities, especially the Black population and the young that their votes are attempted to be suppressed."

It is so sad the Blacks don't seem to be able to obtain an ID while everyone else gets on easily. Since most blacks live in Democrat controlled cities, I wonder why they have so much trouble getting ID. The Democrats have their own reason to oppose voter ID since it prevents voter fraud.

"The rejection of Immigration "Reform also speaks loudly to Hispanics as to where they and their loved ones stand with the Republicans."

I'm unaware of any other country which allows unlimited illegal immigration or any group like the Democrats who promote open borders. To do so is to commit national suicide. There are many other groups crossing the border in addition to Hispanics, especially Muslim jihadis. Combine the rapidly growing Islamic presence with the anti-Christian bigotry of the left and the freedoms we now enjoy will be rapidly lost.

" I could actually feel a bit bad for Republicans and conservatives if I weren't happily a liberal Democrat."

Don't waste time feeling sorry for the Republicans. Feel sorry for the next generation of Americans who will lose so much.

Asians voted for Obama in even larger numbers than Hispanics, I don't see why they would shift to the right for 2016."; 8/16/13, 9:19 PM
Annie said...: Maybe if they did what they promised to do and what they were elected to do, instead of pissing off their constituents by helping Obama with his agenda or not stopping his runaround congress crap, they wouldn't be so morose. Though some are trying and are probably morose because democrat plants like McCain and Miss Graham are kneecapping them at every turn.; 8/16/13, 9:40 PM
Opus One Media said...: "Who are these morose, ineffectual, in-town, establishment characters?"

hmmm...my guess is non-moronic white males under 65 with triple digit IQs not glued to Faux Noise but that is only a hunch.; 8/17/13, 2:25 AM
Revenant said...: Even after the shock of 2012 many still don't understand the continuing change in the country's demographics.

The Republicans didn't lose in 2012 because of "demographics". Heck, the 2012 race was closer than the 2008 race was.

The Republicans lost in 2012 because the tea partiers stayed home rather than vote for Romney, not because the Republicans lost the gay-female-Mexican vote.; 8/17/13, 2:52 AM
RMc said...: For most of my life, since at least the mid-70s, I've been told that baseball isn't popular anymore. The NFL, that was where it was at, with its pretty cheerleaders and brutal violence. "If baseball wants to be popular gain, it needs to be more like football!"

Same thing here. Nearly all members of the media swing left, so whenever they write an article about "fixing" the GOP, the advice is always the same: they need to be more like Democrats. Woe be unto any Republican described as "moderate", "intelligent" or "someone we can work work with": what they really mean is that he's closer to "their side" than he is to those nasty, racist Tea Party types.

The media's perfect Republican is...a Democrat.; 8/17/13, 7:25 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Voter ID laws keep people from cheating. That's all.
Democrats are known cheaters. Look at people who get in caught with vote fraud. All Democrats.

Voter ID laws do nothing to suppress anyone's vote.; 8/17/13, 8:23 AM
Opus One Media said...: Rob Mclean said "Nearly all members of the media swing left"

and that, boys and girls, is your problem. You don't get it. Rush, Sean, Savage and Faux Noise beat this BS into your head 15 hours a day with relentless distortion, lies and outright BS and blame a segment on global warming on NPR for being "leftist MSM".

Your rightwing lineup reaches 40% of the homes in America on a daily basis and the message is seen for what it is..just hooey and you blame people with triple digit IQs for not buying your swill.; 8/17/13, 8:46 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The IRS and NSA - the left's voter suppression vehicles.; 8/17/13, 8:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Inga: There is another group that wasn't mentioned in this piece, women. I'm aware that a majority of white women voted for Romney, BUT 54% of women overall voted for Obama. It will be even higher in 2016. Asian, Hispanic and Black and White women (independent and liberal) are well aware of the numerous attempts to circumvent Roe v. Wade and other anti women legislation being pushed through by the majority Republican state legislatures. It was evident in 2012 and it appears that Republicans haven't learned their lesson yet, as they continue to push through such legislation.

Fascinating. There's a whole world of pertinent information in what you've just laid out here, Inga. You put it down in straightforward, coherent sentences. Yet you don't understand what you yourself have just written.

Let's see, a majority of white woman voted for the "anti-woman" candidate; large majorities of all other groups of women (and, ahem, non-white men) voted for the hip, progressive, woman-lovin' party.

Gee, Inga, why are white women so stupid and obviously self-loathing? Why are non-white men so much more feminist and progressive than all those woman-opressin' white guys? Is that really what's going on here?; 8/17/13, 10:33 AM
Hagar said...: There is the guy whose sister died 8 years ago - but he knows for a fact that she has voted at least three times since.; 8/17/13, 10:59 AM
Hagar said...: It is true that the Republican Party is in disarray and dispirited, but so are the Democrats.
Some commenters hereon need to look and seee that beyond Obama, there are no future leaders.

Hillary! will not do; she is past history and will not run since there is no advantage for her in it, commensurate with the risks.; 8/17/13, 11:07 AM
Unknown said...: When I read such silly articles by Democrats a year ahead of the mid-terms....it means only one thing....the Democrats are the ones who really are in panic mode.; 8/17/13, 11:34 AM
sakredkow said...: Some of you scoffers sound just like the Republicans I remember here in August 2012. They also refused to see there was anything wrong with their party.; 8/17/13, 11:46 AM
Hagar said...: I also read somewhere that the average age of the Democrats in leadership positions in Congress - I think that means committee chairs and ranking members as well as the Speaker, etc. - is almost 25 years older than their Republican opposites.

There is food for thought in that.; 8/17/13, 12:44 PM
Hyphenated American said...: The people with iq higher than rom temperature, and who also take the time to learn the facts, realize that welfare state is going bankrupt everywhere in the world. And the so-called "demographic changes" will make things even worse.; 8/17/13, 1:33 PM
Anonymous said...: Angelyne, the problem with conservative, rightist libertarian and conservative women is that they dislike their own sex. Why they are self loathing I really don't know. I suspect a few things, one is they are unduly influenced by the religious right, who believe women should be forced to go through with an unwanted pregnancy. Of course they ignore the socialand financial ramifications of outlawing abortion.

I could go on to ask why would an intelligent woman feel they need to be subordinate to their husbands? Again it's a religious teaching. I hear all the aversion voiced by conservatives to equality between men and women, why is that? Why would a woman feel herself to be less than her spouse? What is wrong with being equal partners in a loving marriage or relationship?

Yep, I do not understand rightist libertarian or conservative women.; 8/17/13, 2:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Some more thoughts on why rightist women are "self loathing". Angeline's term, not mine, but I might agree.

1. They don't identify with their own sex?
2. They feel that by being subordinate they will be safer in their marriage/ relationship? They will be less threatening to their husbands masculinity? That would be pathetic.
3. Religious teachings.
4. Ignorance?

Damned if I know. Perhaps you can explain why you hate yourselves?; 8/17/13, 2:17 PM
Opus One Media said...: Democrats in panic mode?

We have Mrs. Clinton unless someone even stronger emerges.

The GOP has several from the far side of the moon and Donald Trump waiting in the wings.

Panic? huh huh huh; 8/17/13, 3:12 PM
Hyphenated American said...: "Some more thoughts on why rightist women are "self loathing". Angeline's term, not mine, but I might agree. "

Actually, dear inga, it's the other way around. Leftist women are ready to sell their country for a free condom, and a free phone. Don't forget your top liberal intellectuals who talked how their sugar daddy would buy them free gas, contraceptives and obamaphone.; 8/17/13, 4:23 PM
Hyphenated American said...: "Some of you scoffers sound just like the Republicans I remember here in August 2012. They also refused to see there was anything wrong with their party."

You sound like mainstream media in spring 2010 when they could not imagine conservative avalanche.; 8/17/13, 4:28 PM
Anonymous said...: Some more thoughts on why rightist women are "self loathing". Angeline's term, not mine, but I might agree.

Inga, I didn't ask you why "rightist" women (or white women as a group) are self-loathing. I've been around here long enough that a regular like you knows perfectly well that I don't believe any such thing. I'm willing to credit, though, that you actually did understand my rather obvious point:

Gee, Inga, why are white women so stupid and obviously self-loathing? Why are non-white men so much more feminist and progressive than all those woman-opressin' white guys? Is that really what's going on here?

So, wanna try again? Why do you believe that the above laughable assertions are true?; 8/17/13, 5:08 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Rightist women hate themselves?

Projection. Rightist people think for themselves.; 8/17/13, 8:02 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Inga said "They don't identify with their own sex?"

I assume you mean "gender". Why should they?; 8/17/13, 8:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Articles like these are written for the Inga's of the world.

Republicans need to become Democrats.

That should be the title of the article.; 8/17/13, 8:26 PM
RMc said...: Learn to spell my name, Harry, and we'll talk.

And using words like "Faux Noise" (or "Hitlery" or "Rethuglican") pretty much disqualifies you as a serious person. Next!; 8/17/13, 8:36 PM
Anonymous said...: the very voters they need to start winning back: Hispanics, blacks, gays, women and swing voters of all stripes.

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong.
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?; 8/17/13, 9:22 PM
viator said...: From Pollutico, a laughable source of DNC propaganda. Staffed by a number of JourNoListers. Remember them?; 8/18/13, 5:47 PM