Wednesday on Here and Now... So-called moderate Republicans went down
to defeat in a majority of legislative races earlier this month. We
explored whether Republicans in elected office are becoming more
conservative, while their constituents are becoming less so--and
whether Democrats in the state are poised to take advantage.
As the Republican party becomes more conservative, they seem to negociate less with Democrats and rather group together to form power clusters - ruthlessly campaigning so that a balance is no longer reached and policies lean much more to the right. What can be done to have conservative Republicans begin actually doing what democarcy is supposed to do - be formed within the conversation between the parties?
The overiding policy of the republican party is"my way or the highway". As a registered republican I resent this infringement of my vote. The simplistic "cut tax" philosophy is based on the underlying conservative belief that "no government is good government". Bush got my vote because of his pledge to hear everyone. Yet he has demonstrated a desire to conduct politics as a contact sport, a policy that will doom conservative Republican politicians. Janet Napolitano is a refreshing change in state politics and hopefully her success will become a model for hopeful candidates in the future. There is an alternative to that method proposed by your republican spokesman, stay as a registered republican, vote for the moderates in the primaries and vote for moderates of either party in the final state elections.
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