Guest Gandalf Grey Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 More Proof the West Is A Heckuva Lot More Colorful Than Red vs. Blue By David Sirota Created Jul 16 2007 - 11:34am From the Rocky Mountain West's Department of Shifting Politics comes dispatches out of Boise and Ft. Collins that show, once again, how fractured the old Republican coalition has become, and how many opportunities there are for Democrats - if they can shake off their Wall Street wing and embrace their populist roots. Following news that extreme right-wing conservative Gov. Butch Otter (R-ID) is pushing a $200 million tax increase [1] to improve his state's public infrastructure, the Idaho Statesman reports that the even more right-wing Idaho Values Alliance is attacking Otter in its latest statewide bulletin for "meekly surrender[ing]" on the issue. This is happening at the same time Idahoans for Tax Reform [2] - part of Grover Norquist's corporate-funded anti-tax empire - is trumpeting a story on the front of its website about a group of Republicans filing a lawsuit to "force Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa to restrict Idaho's GOP primary elections to Republicans only." The Statesman's Kevin Richert says the group filing the lawsuit is ""not just trying to protect what they consider their constitutionally protected right to free assembly...They're trying to chase out the dreaded 'RINO' [3] - the Republican In Name Only, the conservatives' snide term for office-holders they just don't consider Republican enough." Meanwhile, the Ft. Collins Coloradoan [4] reports that Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), one of the most conservative lawmakers in Congress, is joining with progressives to oppose the Army's plans to expand the 236,000-acre Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in southeastern Colorado. The most interesting part of the story is not Musgrave's sudden embrace of Democrats [5] - a transparently political calculation clearly motivated by her fear of being tossed out of office in 2008 after narrowly surviving in 2006. What's important here is the prevalence of what I call Land Politics [6]. Musgrave's stance puts her in a high-profile conflict with the Army - a split with the military that may make some base GOP voters uncomfortable, to say the least. Yet, to justify her position, Musgrave isn't citing moderation - she's citing her conservatism and an appeal to some of those same base GOP voters. The Coloradoan notes that her position stems from what she perceives as a "threat of eminent domain to seize ranchers' private property rights." So, to sum up, you've got an ultraconservative governor merely considering tax increases to finance basic public investment, thus resulting in his own state's even more ultraconservative Republican Party elite potentially targeting him and his sympathizers for political elimination. At the same time, you've got one of Congress's most conservative lawmakers citing her own ultraconservative ideology as a rationale for joining with Democrats to oppose a move by the military and to attempt to halt a federal government land grab. Couple all of these Republican spasms with what the New York Times today correctly notes is the rise of the economic populist wing of the Democratic Party [7] right when the Mountain West is most ready for that kind of message [8], and you've got all the makings of a totally revamped political map out here - as long as Democrats reject the hackneyed advice of their D.C. consultants that says posturing as lite Republicans is the way to victory. So take note all you political "experts" back in Washington: While you may be paid to explain away the heartland with simplistic tales of "red" vs. "blue," this region is much more colorful. _______ About author David Sirota is a political strategist and NY Times bestselling author whose work appears in major newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and The Colbert Report. He has appeared in TV debates with right-wing icons like Ann Coulter, John Stossel and John Fund. Email: david [at] davidsirota.com. -- NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available to advance understanding of political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 "A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake." -Thomas Jefferson Quote
Guest editor@netpath.net Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 Anyone thinking Idaho, Montana, Utah, even Colorado is ever going to vote for a Hillary or a Barack Obama for president is drinking the wrong beer. Aside from whether these states would ever vote for a lesbian or a black for president, ask yourself how many of them would vote for any extremely-antigun candidate - like both Hillary and Obama are. No $4 to park! No $6 admission! http://www.INTERNET-GUN-SHOW.com Quote
Guest TZTZTZ Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 <editor@netpath.net> wrote in message news:1184791371.063002.115440@d30g2000prg.googlegroups.com... > Anyone thinking Idaho, Montana, Utah, even Colorado is ever going to > vote for a Hillary or a Barack Obama for president is drinking the > wrong beer. Aside from whether these states would ever vote for a > lesbian or a black for president, ask yourself how many of them would > vote for any extremely-antigun candidate - like both Hillary and Obama > are. > > No $4 to park! No $6 admission! http://www.INTERNET-GUN-SHOW.com You are assuming anyone voted for Bush. Bush was appointed. Quote
Guest Sid9 Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 editor@netpath.net wrote: > Anyone thinking Idaho, Montana, Utah, even Colorado is ever going to > vote for a Hillary or a Barack Obama for president is drinking the > wrong beer. Aside from whether these states would ever vote for a > lesbian or a black for president, ask yourself how many of them would > vote for any extremely-antigun candidate - like both Hillary and Obama > are. > > No $4 to park! No $6 admission! http://www.INTERNET-GUN-SHOW.com Idaho 4 Montana 3 Utah 5 Colorado 9 ______________ Total 21 electoral votes They can stay home if they so choose. More likely than not some will be blue no matter who the Democratic candidate is. Quote
Guest robw Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 Mary Cheney is running for president?? <editor@netpath.net> wrote in message news:1184791371.063002.115440@d30g2000prg.googlegroups.com... > Anyone thinking Idaho, Montana, Utah, even Colorado is ever going to > vote for a Hillary or a Barack Obama for president is drinking the > wrong beer. Aside from whether these states would ever vote for a > lesbian or a black for president, ask yourself how many of them would > vote for any extremely-antigun candidate - like both Hillary and Obama > are. > > No $4 to park! No $6 admission! http://www.INTERNET-GUN-SHOW.com > > Quote
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