Should Republicans Have a Purity Test for Candidates?

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The RNC (and the DNC) are drunk on politics - in the worst sense of the word. They have no perspective. When they impose litmus tests, their parties lose.
But the rank & file SHOULD impose litmus tests. They're called PRIMARIES and CAUCUSES.

Tim Deaton of GA 10:22PM November 30, 2009

As a member of the GOP myself, I'd like to see a test - a test to make sure our candidates are not morons. At least that would give us a good starting point, and a leg up on a number of Dems.

Brad of TX 2:45PM November 30, 2009

When we moved to Colorado in 1995, the GOP was riding high, holding the governorship, both U.S. Senate seats and a majority of the State Senate seats. The situation in 2009 is the exact opposite.
While Republicans at the national level have certainly done their part to repel and sicken Colorado voters, folks like State Sen. David Schultheis (R) of Colorado Springs have helped tremendously. This is the guy who recently compared President Obama to the 9/11 hijackers. Earlier this year he voted against mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women, not for any defensible reason like privacy concerns or even cost-benefit questions.
No, he fretted this would encourage sexual promiscuity and didn't want the Legislature to "remove the negative consequences that take place from poor behavior and unacceptable behavior." Or to paraphrase: "Better dead babies than live hussies."

Mandy Cat of CO 11:04AM November 30, 2009

will having real military service be part of test

john 8:38PM November 26, 2009

The change in party ideology is evident. The party has been hijacked by religious right nuts. The norm, centralist, moderate, rinos as labeled by the far right wing have been the target of their defacto leader(Limbaugh)forever. Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and wannabee AM radio shock jocks have wanted to flush and purge the party of anyone who looked center. This is another nail in the coffin of the Republican party. Only 22 to 24 percent of Americans claim to be Republicans. In the last election they lost Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Independents, Gays, Females, Organized Labor and the Youth of the Nation. The demographics are changing and they will continue to loose. There reactionary political ideology has resulted in the party becoming obstructionist and the party of NO.Their mantra is reduce taxes on the wealthy, de-regulate(this brought us where we are), offshore more jobs, import more H1-B visa people for cheap labor, keep borders open to flood the country with cheap labor, create phony wars that result in Occupations while the infra-structure of our country turns to rubble, and impose their self rightousness on the rest of the country. We can't let it happen, we must move forward not backward. Purity test, What a joke!

Packeryman of TX 7:12PM November 24, 2009

Excuse me, but I thought when a candidate ran for office he was running in order to represent his constituency---not a party. When a party starts calling the shots against the expressed wishes of the constituents, they should be run out of the state on foot! I did not vote for my representatives so they can walk with their tail between their legs waiting for a party to tell him what to do, they must respect and adhere to the demands of the people of their state. The day my rep starts going against the needs of his people, is more loyal to a party, that is the day we need to cut him out completely. That is what is happening now-a-days, the politicians are loyal to the party and push their consituency to a side, completely ignoring them. Come 2010, I would NOT/will not vote for any incumbent who is more concerned about the party and not the voters. I think Republicans are becoming too inflexible, ideological, and remiss when it comes to politics. The GOP wants to live in a Plutocracy---a government by the wealthy, for the wealthy, and to benefit only the wealthy, in other words, the hell with the rest of us. It is time to start a whole new party more concerned with the health of the people and their well-being. Good-by GOP.

A. Geary of IA 4:02PM November 24, 2009

I think that this is a serious attempt at mind control. In Oregon this has been in effect for years and the quality of candidates has sunk to the level of hell. One Republican state senator that would have made a good responsible governor could not get support from his party. He isn't pure enough, but he is well liked in his Rebublicandistrict.
As a Democrat I am estatic the direction(s) that Repub's are going. Go, Palin Go.

Ralph Jull of OR 2:38PM November 24, 2009