Pollster to GOP: Move Beyond Reagan

Reader Comments
Back to blog

"There are more thieves than not and there are more liars than not."
It must be difficult to be you.

ibwilliamsi of OR 9:56PM April 15, 2009

Mart said: "We seem to forget the congress was Democrat while George W. Bush was in office"
So being in office for 25% of Bush's administration counts as the Congress being "Democrat"? Lie much?

Smooth Jazz of NY 8:05AM April 15, 2009

If my memory serves me correctly, the Democrats only had small majorities for two of the 8 years. They did not have 60 in the senate and if they did manage to get a bill they like passed, Bush could and did veto it. The Sunday shows had mostly Republicans on and according to Cheney, we all had to be careful what we said because there was a war or two on.

Barbara Blanton of TX 8:30PM April 14, 2009

We seem to forget the congress was Democrat while George W. Bush was in office, and it was very convenient for them to blame the president while blocking him on every issue they could - meanwhile stacking bookmarks and pork throughout the bills they passed. Makes me wanna say, "Hmmmmm"
Since the Republican party is, after all, one of our nation’s two great political parties, it should stand to reason that, as many poles have determined a roughly 50/50 divide between the parties, a few hundreds of millions of people on either side have significant things to say. But, no one can expect anything new to be said because there is nothing new about the debate. People are the same as they ever were and are arguing over the same issues they have always argued. These days we have technological advances that cloud the basics of the clatter, but everyone still eats, sleeps, and works in some way or another.
Move beyond Reagan? I wish he were president today.
With that in mind, after reading countless (thousands probably) articles and comments, I must say that most people have no working knowledge of the actual differences and similarities of Democrats and Republicans, respectively. Just as the United States of America is a Federal Republic, instead of a Democracy, the democratic process is out of balance with regard to the freedom of personal choice as opposed to the collective needs of our society.
There are more thieves than not and there are more liars than not. We pretend that the person next to us at the check-out may be as honest as we are (or hopefully not!) while we all have passwords and keys. The narrow minded "as long as I got mine..." is ruining this country - and the rest of the world is terrified because of it.

Mart of KS 5:12AM April 14, 2009

* Can't soften up on illegals
* Can't soften up on tax cuts for the rich
* Don't think they can provide a real alternative to universal healthcare
I'm thinking a fresh batch of whipping up some hysteria is their best bet. Claim that the Democrats are spending the country into ruin and giving away everything to illegals. Wait for a terrorist attack or some international incident to call Obama weak. Just create so much fear about spending, illegals and foreign enemies that people will feel that Obama is just too dangerous for the country. I think that's what the GOP will try.
As for what they can do; I guess you could try across the board tax cuts for the middle class and the rich, similar to what Bush did in 2001. However, if Democrats get universal healthcare passed, people are going to become wed to it, and that will put Republicans in the extremely dangerous position of trying to kill a program that people's lives depend on.
If the Democrats get universal healthcare passed, I'd say Republicans are going to be in bad shape as far as their economic platform is concerned. I'd say their next move at that point is some kind of bait and switch, lower your taxes and cut medical benefits and argue that you're saving money that way (even if you don't).

Smooth Jazz of NY 3:58AM April 14, 2009

Here's a bit of your own history, Mr. Petty, of telling lies to the good people on this forum about
(1) Campaign 2008
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2009/04/03/obamas-politics-of-dispersion-confound-oreilly-ingraham-and-the-republicans/comments/#2579704
(2) International Finance and the UN
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/mary-kate-cary/2009/04/03/is-barack-obama-the-next-ronald-reagan/comments/2#2571342
Given that you only believe in telling lies about history, I figure I'd just bring up the pooper scooper behind you to provide history free of your history (as written by Republicans) text book.

Smooth Jazz of NY 3:45AM April 14, 2009

The GOP definately needs to change their act. They need to STOP spending like Democrats AND stop telling people how to live.
We are in very dangerous times because we have a large segment of younger, more liberal voters that obviously slept during History class. Everyone needs to look up the political/economic history of post WW1 Germany. The Wermer period. Very scary parallels of a Nation living beyond your means. Both the Republicans and Democrats have just gotten into the habit of spending more than we have. Both McCain and Obama campaigned aginst GWB's deficit and now it's 66% WORSE in under 3 months.
BAD PLAN FOLKS !
You can promise the world and make everybody like you but sooner or later you have to pay the piper. It will be expensive.
Or we can all wake up and INSIST the Government behave like responsible adults.
We need a REAL Republican to save us and it's sure not Palin or Jindal.

Chris Petty of GA 6:36PM April 13, 2009

Spend, Spend, Spend
Promise, Promise, Promise
And never deliver, real orginal.

Larry of CA 6:20PM April 13, 2009

Olivia, stop running your liberal, hippy, democrat mouth. I wish the 2012 President Sarah Palin kicks you in the ass!

Tristin of KS 4:59PM April 13, 2009

Oh Lord that should be fun. Wanna start taking bets on how many times they will include the phrases 'tax cuts' and 'reining in spending'? Please. The GOP wouldn't recognise an original idea if it walked up and kicked them in the ass.

olivia of GA 4:35PM April 13, 2009