A trend of local, below-the-radar party-switches is undercutting Republicans as they face the sternest challenge in a decade to one-party control of Congress and several state legislatures. Such party-switching by elected officials often indicates that the label they are shedding has lost appeal and foreshadows poor performance at the polls. Some recent switchers are exiting GOP ranks with a bang. Distorted… return to article
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Reader Comments (7)Page 1 of 1 pagesAlthough welcome in the current political environment, these party-switchings make no sense. Kind of like a family brawl - if you don’t agree, just move out. The ultimate result will be a switch back as the Democratic party becomes intolerant and dictatorial.
The answer is to change the Republican Party from within. You office holders are the chosen ones to lead, not defect. You are simply following Bush’s childish example that has been diasterous foreign policy. Unite as reformers, get a representative party platform and challenge the bad guys you are defecting from. Please.
Posted by gussmith on Sep 18, 2006 at 7:43 PM I’m glad.
This will raise the level of intelligence in both Parties.
Now if we could just raise the level of intelligence among some of the authors herein.
Posted by scorp on Sep 18, 2006 at 9:37 PM I think it will have little overall effect, if strengthening the Democratic Party is the agenda. The Republicans are still led primarily by their arch-conservative wing, and the Democrats get a few ex-adversaries who suddenly think they fit better within the party they had earlier opposed.
The Reps still have a clearer stance as a party for voters to either accept or reject. The Dems are as ill-defined as ever. It’s hard to see how the Reps lose much of anything in this scenario.
Posted by Kuya on Sep 19, 2006 at 1:40 AM So What…..it’s not like the Democrats are doing anything….they..(.meaning the Republicans that switched parties)...don’t want any shit on them when it hits the fan…Who would…?......Redhorse thinks it’s more politically motivated , than out of any sense of integrity….......damn…Civics 101 would make it quite apparent that the current ” War Lords” in the White House are fascists profiteers with no relative degree of proportion or morality….much less compassion or understanding….....Why it took so long for these folks to come too that conclusion is anybodies guess….?
gussmith…the only problems with that idea is….First , it sounds too much like common sense….Secondly , that would assume that these individuals would buck the trend and show courage…integrity….Third , ya gotta have a backbone primarily… before the courage and integrity can come into play….which, most politicians don’t appear to be in possession of….
Posted by Redhorse on Sep 19, 2006 at 11:18 PM It would actually be a rare healthy development in partisan politics if dissenters in one party could make an easy switch to the “other” (as though there are only two). Or, ideally, “another”, if there’s ever a prayer that a yet-underestimated party successfully challenges the Biggies. I will be interested to see how the former Reps fare as the midterms take place and then pass. If their political futures fizzle, it will mean that publicly abandoning one’s party is generally a career-killer, as per the conventional wisdom. If they’re able to rally and are not too badly hurt by their choices, it may mean that the rigidity of party affiliation might not be as severe as it usually appears to be.
I can’t say I’m too confident that they’ll emerge unscathed, but I admit that may be my own cynicism toward the Big Parties. Not that it’s unwarranted!
Posted by Kuya on Sep 20, 2006 at 6:53 AM Why, oh why does the Democratic Party keep allowing this to occur? This is an old, reliable ploy of the Republican Party. It is exactly the tactic my local Republicans have used for decades to stay in power locally. Every election season in local elections, known reliable Republican supporters run as Democrats, spend extravigantly in the primary to take the nomination then either fizzle in the last round, or take the race and govern like a Republican. Barbara Bush once bragged to one of her neighbors about how they infiltrate the Democratic Party with various ploys.
Posted by AmyAmy on Sep 20, 2006 at 7:48 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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