After 12 years of nearly complete control of Florida politics, Republicans lost the state to Obama.
But, although Obama won Florida, the Democrats didn't. While Obama was carrying Florida by over 3%, Democrats were picking up only one seat in both houses of the Legislature, which remain overwhelmingly Republican.
Now, Florida Republicans complain that their party retreated from core principles and mismanaged funds. The Florida Republican party is debating whether to move to the middle or more to the right in anticipation of 2010, when they will have to defend the governorship, a senate seat and all three state Cabinet posts.
On the other hand, the Democratic party now has a 657,000 voter registration advantage over the Republicans. But, there were minimal down ballot coat tails. No one knows if "new voters" will turn out when Obama's not on the ballot.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/774727.html
Has the political world changed? Don't listen to anyone who says they know.
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2 comments:
I don't think so. Republicans have mostly dominate politics since 2000, and it seems like now many people identify with the Democrats only b/c they aren't the Republicans.
The Dems will have complete control over the next few years, so it will see how that dynamic holds up.
Sort of changing the subject, but I think it is amusing to read the lefty comments on MyDd and then the Righty comments on Red State, after Barry's post.
Both the left and the right express extreme distaste for Mr. Middle of the Road, Rockefellar Republican/Clinton Democrat. LOL. You are accused of being a Troll on both sites!!
Perhaps on one of your essays, you could lay out what differences you see between Liberal Republicans and Conservative Democrats, Barry. And what do they share? What "core" principles do the "moderate middle" share? I am not being facetious or sarcastic; I really want to know. And can they find enough common ground to unite?
Personally, I do not think so. I think we have become too polarized as a nation. You can not be a Hillary supporter who then turns to McCain, without being slimed as a heretic. On the other side of the aisle, McCain (and his similar-minded buddies like Lindsay Graham) the liberal repub was NOT popular with the actual PEOPLE in his party; he was only popular with the party's Beltway power structure.
One interesting dynamic in 08, from my viewpoint: There was ZERO enthusiasm for McCain (pre-Palin) from the 1/3 of the party which is the most conservative. Versus the 1/3 of the Dem party which is the most liberal - ENTHUSIASTIC support for Obama.
I think those who advocate the Repub party turning MORE "centrist" and to the left than it already is, are making a big mistake. You can't win without your "base." (Which in the Repub party is conservatives) You have to lock up the base, and get them ENTHUSED...and THEN present yourself as the better choice for all the "moderates" out there. That's what Reagan did. That's what Obama did. Clinton failed to do that in 1992 - he ran more like a moderate McCain - and only got in the 40's. He won anyway, thanks to Ross Perot sucking votes from Bush Senior. In 1996, he was the incumbant presiding over a strong economy; and the alternative was 97 year-old Cranky Bob.
I do not think running as a moderate right off the bat is a winning formula. McCain tried to fix that by giving lip service to turning right, but his long term history is what it is...plus the media only allows Democrats to get away with turning to the center for a campaign, in contradiction to their actual past political positions and history (see., e.g., the 2nd Amendment, and legislator Obama vs. Pres Candidate Obama). Altho to be fair, the MSM did re-label McCain, the former beloved "maverick" who got the label for pissing into the faces of his own fellow republicans, suddenly became a right winger. LOL.
I think this would be a great topic for an entire essay from you Barry, as opposed to a comment on a post like this.
As a follow-up, if there really isn't any difference between liberal Pubs and Conservative Dems, then what difference does party affiliation matter? Why not just register with the party which, overall, comes closest to your values?
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