The Moderate Coalition Crisis. Day 6
This is the South Dakota War College reporting from Pierre, on Day 6 of the Moderate Coalition Crisis...
Okay, it's not that bad. I did say that this wasn't going to go away soon. Todd Epp, over at SD Watch makes his case for the Moderate Coalition to jump ship to the SDDP.
The GOP talking Bryce Healy to come over to the Dark Side, maybe. But those moderate coalition guys going over to the lite side? I agree, it's never going to happen.
I'd make the argument that Todd, who has one of my favorite weblogs, is correct in his assumption, but wrong on the reasons why the people in the moderate group are going to stay at home wth us Republicans.
You've heard from him, so now what's my reasoning why these Republican Legislators are NOT going to bail on the GOP?
#1 - Didn't you ever squabble with your siblings whan you were a kid? Same thing here.
When my sister took my two oldest kids to Kentucky for a week, while they were staying there she coached them to ask me "Do you cry yourself to sleep every night over how badly you treated your younger brothers and sisters? Your sister thinks you should." OK, it's a bit of an exaggeration. At least I think it is. I was always good when my mother put me in charge. There were no chains in my "sibling forced labor camp."
But just like my brothers and sisters, we Republicans are going to fight, especially when we are as plentiful as we are.
I dimly remember the Senate Democrats having similar problems when they had the majority for a short time. DEMS - It's not that it doesn't happen, it's just that you aren't used to it. When you come from as large a family as I did, you're used to your siblings (and now, my own kids) picking at each other. That's why car manufacturers install DVD players in vans and suburbans.
As soon as we have our DVD player, which in this case would mean an overriding meaningful diversion, we're going to pull together, play nice, and let dad drive. Just watch us.
#2 - Abortion is not a litmus test for Republicans.
Yes, we fight about it, because it's important to a strong section of our constituency, and it's one of the moral questions of our time. But many elected officials would prefer it not come up year after year. It's a distraction. Interestingly enough, many Republicans might be considered pro-choice but not because of the reason you think. They aren't pro-choice because of a liberal slant. They're pro-choice because they are soooo conservative.
I came to this realization one day when I was floored in discussing this issue with one of my ultra-conservative friends. I thought he was 100% pro-life. I was dead wrong. He said "it's between a woman and her doctor because it's none of the government's business."
Sound fairly liberal? But think about it. Hmmmm.. "Government is the problem, not the solution." Wasn't that a Ronald Reagan quote? Sounds pretty "Republican" to me.
#3 - The decision is made demographically, my dear Watson. Demographically.
Coalition members Stan Adelstein, Mac McCracken and J.P. Duniphan are legislators in Rapid City. Do you seriously think they could get elected out there if they weren't Republican?
Registration numbers don't lie. In Pennington county there are 29,661 Republicans to 16,694 Democrats, and 10,761 independents. More Republicans than the other two groups combined. From what party would you run?
#4 - Please turn in your keys, identity card, and chairmanship position, please.
Mac, J.P., Ed, and some of the others involved in this are committee chairman, or have high level committee assignments. Does you think any of them want to be exclusively reassigned to 'retirement laws' or 'government operations and audit'? My apologies to my friends on those committees, and you know who you are, but the point is - do you really think that they want to lose standing and seniority?
So, ignore the significance of the creation of conservative or moderate caucuses. Because in the big scheme of the party, it's not a big deal. They will come, and they may stay. Or they may go. But the party will remain strong and intact far past the forseeable future.
Bryce, you can come over to the Dark Side anytime. You cannot resist our electoral power. (Insert Darth Vaderish breathing here), and hat tip to Todd. I needed a topic for today.
Update and clarification. Just so there is no confusion, there are no rumors about Bryce jumping ship. That's just my odd sense of humor. But if he wants to contemplate it, I have a beer for him if he does. ;)
Okay, it's not that bad. I did say that this wasn't going to go away soon. Todd Epp, over at SD Watch makes his case for the Moderate Coalition to jump ship to the SDDP.
The GOP talking Bryce Healy to come over to the Dark Side, maybe. But those moderate coalition guys going over to the lite side? I agree, it's never going to happen.
I'd make the argument that Todd, who has one of my favorite weblogs, is correct in his assumption, but wrong on the reasons why the people in the moderate group are going to stay at home wth us Republicans.
You've heard from him, so now what's my reasoning why these Republican Legislators are NOT going to bail on the GOP?
#1 - Didn't you ever squabble with your siblings whan you were a kid? Same thing here.
When my sister took my two oldest kids to Kentucky for a week, while they were staying there she coached them to ask me "Do you cry yourself to sleep every night over how badly you treated your younger brothers and sisters? Your sister thinks you should." OK, it's a bit of an exaggeration. At least I think it is. I was always good when my mother put me in charge. There were no chains in my "sibling forced labor camp."
But just like my brothers and sisters, we Republicans are going to fight, especially when we are as plentiful as we are.
I dimly remember the Senate Democrats having similar problems when they had the majority for a short time. DEMS - It's not that it doesn't happen, it's just that you aren't used to it. When you come from as large a family as I did, you're used to your siblings (and now, my own kids) picking at each other. That's why car manufacturers install DVD players in vans and suburbans.
As soon as we have our DVD player, which in this case would mean an overriding meaningful diversion, we're going to pull together, play nice, and let dad drive. Just watch us.
#2 - Abortion is not a litmus test for Republicans.
Yes, we fight about it, because it's important to a strong section of our constituency, and it's one of the moral questions of our time. But many elected officials would prefer it not come up year after year. It's a distraction. Interestingly enough, many Republicans might be considered pro-choice but not because of the reason you think. They aren't pro-choice because of a liberal slant. They're pro-choice because they are soooo conservative.
I came to this realization one day when I was floored in discussing this issue with one of my ultra-conservative friends. I thought he was 100% pro-life. I was dead wrong. He said "it's between a woman and her doctor because it's none of the government's business."
Sound fairly liberal? But think about it. Hmmmm.. "Government is the problem, not the solution." Wasn't that a Ronald Reagan quote? Sounds pretty "Republican" to me.
#3 - The decision is made demographically, my dear Watson. Demographically.
Coalition members Stan Adelstein, Mac McCracken and J.P. Duniphan are legislators in Rapid City. Do you seriously think they could get elected out there if they weren't Republican?
Registration numbers don't lie. In Pennington county there are 29,661 Republicans to 16,694 Democrats, and 10,761 independents. More Republicans than the other two groups combined. From what party would you run?
#4 - Please turn in your keys, identity card, and chairmanship position, please.
Mac, J.P., Ed, and some of the others involved in this are committee chairman, or have high level committee assignments. Does you think any of them want to be exclusively reassigned to 'retirement laws' or 'government operations and audit'? My apologies to my friends on those committees, and you know who you are, but the point is - do you really think that they want to lose standing and seniority?
So, ignore the significance of the creation of conservative or moderate caucuses. Because in the big scheme of the party, it's not a big deal. They will come, and they may stay. Or they may go. But the party will remain strong and intact far past the forseeable future.
Bryce, you can come over to the Dark Side anytime. You cannot resist our electoral power. (Insert Darth Vaderish breathing here), and hat tip to Todd. I needed a topic for today.
Update and clarification. Just so there is no confusion, there are no rumors about Bryce jumping ship. That's just my odd sense of humor. But if he wants to contemplate it, I have a beer for him if he does. ;)
Comments
But, more to the point, what the pro-tax, pro-abortion, Adelstein-Olson-Knudson gang does is of absolutely no consequence. Adelstein neutered himself last year with his dumb-assed contributions. No one takes Knudson seriously (Talk about bringing the same crap year after year.). Olson is now in the employ of another Senator. They are a non-starter.