How you know the GOP has moved too far to the right

Started by trdsf, March 21, 2018, 03:49:45 PM

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trdsf

They now attract genuine Nazis to run under their banner.  As if the GOP didn't learn their lesson when they ran Roy Moore, or from the results from the supposedly-safely Republican district PA-18 last week.

I will grant the Illinois GOP the following: former head of the American Nazi Party Arthur Jones is running in a district the Repubs officially decided not to contest, is in the race without their blessing or coöperation (they've blocked his previous attempts to run for Congress on their ticket) and they've completely disavowed his candidacy.

That said, when you have a racist at the pinnacle of your party, this can't be called surprising.  And it cannot be called an accomplishment that they've made the political process safe for self-declared Nazis to run.

Also, please please please please let someone run this in (or as) their ad against him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z75DN5r_6H4
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

Gilgamesh

So you're telling me the GOP has stopped him from running under them at every chance they could, and publicly disavowed him a dozen times, but due to circumstances other than the GOP's approval of him, he is running this time - and you think that says anything about the GOP other than that they don't fucking like him?




nice spin there m8.

Gawdzilla Sama

We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Gilgamesh

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 04:27:05 PM
They could have put up a candidate.

Sure.

And yes that still does not change the truism that *not* putting up a candidate to run against Arthur Jones is not synonymous with being pro-Arthur Jones.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Gilgamesh on March 21, 2018, 04:33:44 PM
Sure.

And yes that still does not change the truism that *not* putting up a candidate to run against Arthur Jones is not synonymous with being pro-Arthur Jones.
No, it's being quiescent when a fascist wants to be associated with their party. Strangely, that's still stupid where I come from.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

trdsf

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 04:27:05 PM
They could have put up a candidate.
True.  They've known about this guy for some time; they could have put up a placeholder and then not spent anything on the campaign since they'd already decided not to contest the seat.  Better that, than let themselves be associated with this guy.
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: trdsf on March 21, 2018, 04:56:16 PM
True.  They've known about this guy for some time; they could have put up a placeholder and then not spent anything on the campaign since they'd already decided not to contest the seat.  Better that, than let themselves be associated with this guy.
Good choices, not implemented because ... Well, because this is the GOP we're talking about. The Grim Old Party has lost the ability to govern.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Gilgamesh

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 04:40:11 PM
No, it's being quiescent when a fascist wants to be associated with their party. Strangely, that's still stupid where I come from.

Your conclusion that it's stupid is not one that I take issue with. What I take issue with is any attempt to spin this as support for Arthur - because that is a contention that cannot be necessitated logically from this information.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Gilgamesh on March 21, 2018, 05:50:17 PM
Your conclusion that it's stupid is not one that I take issue with. What I take issue with is any attempt to spin this as support for Arthur - because that is a contention that cannot be necessitated logically from this information.
True. But they needed to do one thing to remove support from the Nazi. Run their own candidate.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Baruch

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 04:27:05 PM
They could have put up a candidate.

All GOP candidates have to have prior approval from Kremlin.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 04:40:11 PM
No, it's being quiescent when a fascist wants to be associated with their party. Strangely, that's still stupid where I come from.

So why haven't you moved to that jurisdiction and run against him?  You secretly love Hitler?
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

trdsf

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 21, 2018, 06:11:21 PM
True. But they needed to do one thing to remove support from the Nazi. Run their own candidate.
I hate it when candidates run unopposed.  Even in an "unwinnable" district.  I mean, look what happened when Obama ran a 50-state strategy in '08 -- even granting other circumstances like the monumental unpopularity of the incumbent and the parade of gaffes by Caribou Barbie, who would have predicted Indiana and North Carolina?

If you're not out there, you have zero chance.  That goes for both parties.  You can't convert an unwinnable race to a potentially winnable one by writing it off entirely year after year.

For the Democrats this year, any race they think would normally be within 15 points will be worth running a candidate in.  But they should run one in every district even if it's completely hopeless.

Ditto the Republicans.

Ditto the Greens.

Ditto the Libertarians.

I take it as axiomatic that the cure for everything wrong with democracy is more democracy.  What the GOP should be doing in this race is always running someone anyway, and then rewarding the sacrificial lamb with... well, whatever.  A position within the state party organization.  A guaranteed seat as a delegate to the next presidential party convention.  If the sacrificial lamb does better than expected relative to electoral conditions that year, reward them with backing in a race they have a serious chance to win.

By leaving the race wide open, by not fielding an 'establishment' candidate, this is by definition a self-inflicted wound, especially since Jones has been a thorn in their side for years.  I don't think the Illinois Republican Party are Nazis.  But they have allowed themselves to be associated with the American Nazi Party through their own indifference, laziness, weakness... take your pick.
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

AllPurposeAtheist

What was that catchy phrase attributed to Nepolion?

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
By all means proceed Mr Jones and please take your party down with you. 
All hail my new signature!

Admit it. You're secretly green with envy.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: AllPurposeAtheist on March 21, 2018, 08:44:43 PM
What was that catchy phrase attributed to Nepolion?

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
By all means proceed Mr Jones and please take your party down with you. 
The GOP didn't want Jones, but they didn't have enough brains to realize he was going to be labeled the GOP candidate if they didn't put up one of their own.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

trdsf

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 22, 2018, 11:36:25 AM
The GOP didn't want Jones, but they didn't have enough brains to realize he was going to be labeled the GOP candidate if they didn't put up one of their own.
Exactly.  It's an unforced error.  Jones isn't going to appear on the ballot as 'Unendorsed Republican', he's going to be on there as 'Republican'.  And unless the state and local GOP whips up a voter education campaign to ensure everyone knows Jones is running without their blessing, Jones can (and probably will) run as the Republican nominee, with or without their endorsement.

If they were smart... well, if they were smart, they wouldn't have let them get themselves in this position in the first place.  But if they were smart, and if they still have time to recruit someone under their local candidacy laws, they should get someone to run as an independent with Republican endorsement.  That's the best they can do to undermine Jones.

Unfortunately for them, it does nothing about having a de facto head of the national party who's gone out of his way to provide cover for racists and bigots and thereby made people like Jones feel comfortable running under their banner.

Of course, their nightmare scenario is the Orange Disaster Area butting in and legitimizing Jones' candidacy.  Well, their nightmare scenario, my "I'll make the popcorn" moment...
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan