dagblog - Comments for "Fox News at the Crossroads: or, the Great GOP Divide"

It tends to be hit or miss in

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:51:09 +0000

In reply to Thanks, Michael. I think you

It tends to be hit or miss in the state elections, depending on the candidate and the state. So you get Sharron Angles and Todd Akins but also Ted Cruz's and Sam Brownbacks. In theory right wing candidates should have a harder time in purple states, but even these have plenty of exceptions like Scott Walker, Paul LePage, and Joni Ernst.

Thanks, Michael. I think you

Doctor Cleveland — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:20:11 +0000

In reply to Great essay, Doc, very sharp.

Thanks, Michael. I think you're absolutely right that Fox, etc., have nationalized a lot of smaller races. All politics isn't local any more, because some of the more local races are the most about national party loyalty.

I think you can really see this in a lot of state legislatures, where only the most engaged voters are really paying attention. A lot of state houses are very, very red these days, even in swing states. I think I've even seen someone try to nationalize a county-executive election, although the nature of that job demands nuts-and-bolts governing once you win.

Where the strategy often breaks down is in statewide runs, especially in blue or purple states, where a die-hard conservative state party insists on running their own choice for Senator or Governor and sees him or her go down in flames. The Republicans have thrown away a few vulnerable Senate seats like this over the past decade. And a lot of the Schwarzenegger episode in California was about the California GOP's refusal to nominate a viable gubernatorial candidate even when voters wanted the Democratic incumbent out.

Thanks, trk. The super-donors

Doctor Cleveland — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:14:19 +0000

In reply to I went away with the feeling

Thanks, trk. The super-donors are a third faction, and a separate problem. They're able to finance fringe candidates who are not actually viable, so that those people stay in the race long, long after they should be gone. (Think of Sheldon Adelman bankrolling Newt Gingrich in 2012.) And those super-donors don't think of what they general public wants at all.

Great essay, Doc, very sharp.

Michael Wolraich — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:25:50 +0000

In reply to Fox News at the Crossroads: or, the Great GOP Divide

Great essay, Doc, very sharp. Interestingly, I see a converse effect in state and local races. First, local races tend to draw a narrower slice of registered voters, so the base is proportionally larger. Second, by drawing national attention to local races, Fox News expands the candidates' donor pools, enabling previously unknown but media savvy insurgents to become serious candidates for House, Senate, and state seats.

The result: greater right-wing influence in Congress and the states along with a more difficult Republican path to the White House.

True.

NCD — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:45:19 +0000

In reply to It is amazing to me the

True.

It's amazing that JEB! raised $100 million before even declaring, not distancing himself from W or his neo-con advisors, and after his brother nearly destroyed our military, our economy, our banking system, our real estate markets, our jobs and the international credibility and respect we built after 8 years of Clinton.

You get the idea a lot of these guy would sell the nation down the river as long as they thought they could make some $$$ doing it.

Excellent insights on weird

Oxy Mora — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:43:42 +0000

In reply to Fox News at the Crossroads: or, the Great GOP Divide

Excellent insights on weird micro-brand building vs. an electable platform. That's not to say that the way this electorate is trending toward extremes, a general platform of national guards blocking abortions in addition to having 10 year-old rape victims carry their pregnancies to term wouldn't be a viable Republican platform.

It is amazing to me the

Michael Maiello — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:42:57 +0000

In reply to Today's Republican Party

It is amazing to me the extent to which the Republican primaries have, going back to the 90s with Pat Buchanan, really been used as branding exercises for various punditry businesses like books, newsletters, talk shows and speaking engagements.

Today's Republican Party

NCD — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:25:20 +0000

In reply to Fox News at the Crossroads: or, the Great GOP Divide

Today's Republican Party consists of (1) self willing dupes who watch Fox News, listen to Limbaugh and buy the endless books about American Dreams and (2) hucksters and their financiers who want to bank profits off it all.

The GOP passed the 'crossroads' decades ago.

People 'trying to build small intense followings by taking the most controversial positions possible'.....while making millions of dollars, is all there is left on the right of US politics/media.

They are not concerned with governance or good government, the nation's infrastructure, health, finances, education, science, meeting critical national or world issues, or facing/telling the truth.

The Base is now so dumbed down and delusional it is up for usurpation by whatever demagogues there are out there to exploit it.

I went away with the feeling

trkingmomoe — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 06:44:43 +0000

In reply to Fox News at the Crossroads: or, the Great GOP Divide

I went away with the feeling that there was a power battle between Koch and Ailes to pick their favorite ticket. You are right about the GOP bench many of them are running for the publicity and stay relevant for the speech circuit or sell books. Fox has them on often and they are just part of the marketing of Fox News. They are happy to say outrageous statements to make a buck.

Unfortunately it isn't helping the GOP and the viewers are growing old that watch Fox News. Talk right wing radio is dying and being replaced with sports talk and Limbaugh, Stern and Beck have very small group of listeners. They are delegated to small niche markets. Unless Huffington Post or MSM reports on something Limbaugh has said no one really knows what he is up to because most don't care.

The Koch Bros. actually own the Republican Party. The voter contact list is controlled by Koch owned computers and servers. Rience Prebus was the dufus who made that agreement with Koch. Prebus also was the one that left Fox News set up the debate and format with out input from RNC. Prebus is dumb enough to believe he can help Scott Walker become president.

Then along came Trump and threw ratchet into their plans. It is certainly a mess.