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He also claims that gays have no choice but to be gay.
I don't think he's an idiot, and apart from his shaky deals with his sister, I think his main problem is that he's more of a conservative than the FAUX cons that run the GOP. The GOP really has no use for conservatives.
I'm not sure what steele is, other than a political opportunist. He flip flops more than John McCain or Mitt Romney.
First he said he supported choice for women. Then he backpedaled and said he supported a constitutional ban on abortion.
He said rush limbaugh was hateful, then he went on bended knee to apologize to fat ass.
I think steele is prone to sticking his foot in his mouth, and then flip flopping to please the right wing base and curry favor with them.
What you folks on the left don't understand is that many Repubs hold a much more nuanced position on abortion than the lefties do. What Steele said about abortion is consistent. He didn't say he favor a Constitutional ban, he said he favored overturning Roe. There is a difference. With Roe overturned, the question devolves to the states to choose whether the attitudes and morals of their states are consistent with offering abortion services and if so what the nature and character of those services will be. This is where Steele and many other Repubs feel the decision should be made. Instead of having 9 lawyers in Washington decide what's best for every community in the whole US.
That said, living close to Maryland, where Steele was Lt. Gov., I've had an opportunity to listen to him over the years. I've been underwhelmed by him. I wish him the best, but I've had questions about his adherence to Conservative principles through the years.
Here's the conversation. He doesn't really make any sense as he goes from saying it is the individual's choice to saying it is the state's choice.
Steele: "The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other."
DePaulo: "Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?"
Steele: "Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice."
DePaulo: "You do?"
Steele: "Yeah. Absolutely."
DePaulo: "Are you saying you don't want to overturn Roe v. Wade?"
Steele: "I think Roe v. Wade--as a legal matter, Roe v. Wade was a wrongly decided matter."
DePaulo: "Okay, but if you overturn Roe v. Wade, how do women have the choice you just said they should have?"
Steele: "The states should make that choice. That's what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide."
I was astounded when I heard that Steele had the stones to say what he said.
There's hope for the GOP, yet.
I wonder, I seriously wonder, what's happening in the shadows in the corridors of powwer, right now.
Could this be a serious coupe d' etat of the East coast Republican bluebloods to take back the GOP from the religious right which are, I think, really based on the American South and Southwest?
Is power poltical power shifting back to the NorthEast for the Rs and Northern Midwest for the Ds, or is this and Obama's winning the Ds just coincidence?
I cannot believe that a man like Steele accidently started a firestorm in the GOP.
And let's face it, the East Coast moderate Republicans must be sick to death of taking marching orders from the newbies (from their perspecitive) that seem to have taken over the R party in the last thirty years or so.
If the East Coast, country club Repubs take over the party its a complete and utter capitulation. The Republican party will be relegated to the scrap heap of history as "also rans." The country doesn't need two flavors of Democrat party - Full strength and decaf. If there are only going to be two parties then they actually have to stand for different things.
I can understand that complaint because in some ways I think you're exactly right.
But if the east coat bluyebloods lose their grasp of that party, then it is a party of clueless populists who think that Rush Limbough has a clue about anything but how to stoke the fires of liberal hatred.
He doesn't know shit and the Republican party will die a slightly different death if HE take charge of it.
The Republicans unholy alliance of the the blueblood Republicans elitists, and the populist bible thumping neocons was never very stable to be begin with.
As we're witnessing right now.
\
I'm not sure what steele is, other than a political opportunist. He flip flops more than John McCain or Mitt Romney.
First he said he supported choice for women. Then he backpedaled and said he supported a constitutional ban on abortion.
He said rush limbaugh was hateful, then he went on bended knee to apologize to fat ass.
I think steele is prone to sticking his foot in his mouth, and then flip flopping to please the right wing base and curry favor with them.
What you folks on the left don't understand is that many Repubs hold a much more nuanced position on abortion than the lefties do. What Steele said about abortion is consistent. He didn't say he favor a Constitutional ban, he said he favored overturning Roe. There is a difference. With Roe overturned, the question devolves to the states to choose whether the attitudes and morals of their states are consistent with offering abortion services and if so what the nature and character of those services will be. This is where Steele and many other Repubs feel the decision should be made. Instead of having 9 lawyers in Washington decide what's best for every community in the whole US.
That said, living close to Maryland, where Steele was Lt. Gov., I've had an opportunity to listen to him over the years. I've been underwhelmed by him. I wish him the best, but I've had questions about his adherence to Conservative principles through the years.
bullshit.
If you think allowing 200 mostly white, and mostly overweight men in a state legislature decide whether the women of a state have a right to choice, then you don't support women's choice at all
there's not a damn thing nuanced about it. You support a few hundred male state legislators making decisions for women about their own reproductive biology.
Should we put male reproductive biology to a vote in a state legislature?
I was astounded when I heard that Steele had the stones to say what he said.
There's hope for the GOP, yet.
I wonder, I seriously wonder, what's happening in the shadows in the corridors of powwer, right now.
Could this be a serious coupe d' etat of the East coast Republican bluebloods to take back the GOP from the religious right which are, I think, really based on the American South and Southwest?
Is power poltical power shifting back to the NorthEast for the Rs and Northern Midwest for the Ds, or is this and Obama's winning the Ds just coincidence?
I cannot believe that a man like Steele accidently started a firestorm in the GOP.
And let's face it, the East Coast moderate Republicans must be sick to death of taking marching orders from the newbies (from their perspecitive) that seem to have taken over the R party in the last thirty years or so.
Steele also said homosexuals can no more stop being homosexual than he can stop being black. the equation of sexuality and race goes against everything the GOP has espoused for years.
Interesting analysis of yours, though. I suspect the eastern intellectual repubs ARE going to try to get the party back and re-create it in the image of people like rockefeller and javits or maybe even goldwater, etc. Whether they can do that is an entirely different question since, if you look at the repubs who kept their seats in the last election, they are the far right, southern, religious right republicans.
Steele is either brilliant or hugely stupid and about to be tossed on his keester.
If Steele is tossed, then the Repuyblican party is doomed to become marginalized by the most radical elements of its party, I suspect.
It would be like if the Dems elected to put me in charge of it, only without any intellectual horsepower driving the issues.
Steele also said homosexuals can no more stop being homosexual than he can stop being black. the equation of sexuality and race goes against everything the GOP has espoused for years.
Interesting analysis of yours, though. I suspect the eastern intellectual repubs ARE going to try to get the party back and re-create it in the image of people like rockefeller and javits or maybe even goldwater, etc. Whether they can do that is an entirely different question since, if you look at the repubs who kept their seats in the last election, they are the far right, southern, religious right republicans.
Steele is either brilliant or hugely stupid and about to be tossed on his keester.
If Steele is tossed, then the Repuyblican party is doomed to become marginalized by the most radical elements of its party, I suspect.
It would be like if the Dems elected to put me in charge of it, only without any intellectual horsepower driving the issues.
The GOP is running low on minority support! Powell jumped ship! Condi's not existence during the election process was the equivalent of endorsing Obama. If Steele pushed out, expect that to even effect the Latino vote!
Listen folks a republican who thought on their own would have to be shot, in order to join the sect known as the republican party one must denounce reason and sanity and worship at the altar of Rush. Republicans remind me of Maoist youth, great readers of the red books that go by the names, National review, Newsmax, Freerepublic, Townhall, Real Clear Politics, Human Events, redstate, Or Hannity Limbaugh Savage Coulter.
If the East Coast, country club Repubs take over the party its a complete and utter capitulation. The Republican party will be relegated to the scrap heap of history as "also rans." The country doesn't need two flavors of Democrat party - Full strength and decaf. If there are only going to be two parties then they actually have to stand for different things.
I can understand that complaint because in some ways I think you're exactly right.
But if the east coat bluyebloods lose their grasp of that party, then it is a party of clueless populists who think that Rush Limbough has a clue about anything but how to stoke the fires of liberal hatred.
He doesn't know shit and the Republican party will die a slightly different death if HE take charge of it.
The Republicans unholy alliance of the the blueblood Republicans elitists, and the populist bible thumping neocons was never very stable to be begin with.
As we're witnessing right now.
\
I don't completely disagree with your analysis. A bit over simplified when it comes to who is in the party and what they think. But look, the liberal wing (bluebloods) are for illegal immigration (good for business doncha know), for increased government regulation, for tax and spend fiscal policies and are generally far more Machiavellian in their attitudes and policies. Also, I think you have it wrong about where neo-cons come from. The bluebloods can up with that theory as an militaristic adjunct to their "free markets" philosophy. If we turn other countries into democracies, we'll have more markets to sell to. (Good for business doncha know).
As to the Bible thumpers, they are as poisonous in large doses as the bluebloods.
I think the solution is strengthening the libertarian part of the Repub party and have a little flavoring from the thumpers and bluebloods. Just a little around the edges. Where the party has gotten into trouble is allowing either of those wings to have too much say so in policies or ideas.
Listen folks a republican who thought on their own would have to be shot, in order to join the sect known as the republican party one must denounce reason and sanity and worship at the altar of Rush. Republicans remind me of Maoist youth, great readers of the red books that go by the names, National review, Newsmax, Freerepublic, Townhall, Real Clear Politics, Human Events, redstate, Or Hannity Limbaugh Savage Coulter.
If Steele is tossed, then the Repuyblican party is doomed to become marginalized by the most radical elements of its party, I suspect.
It would be like if the Dems elected to put me in charge of it, only without any intellectual horsepower driving the issues.
The GOP is running low on minority support! Powell jumped ship! Condi's not existence during the election process was the equivalent of endorsing Obama. If Steele pushed out, expect that to even effect the Latino vote!
I should explain something to you.
Black voters aren't going to vote GOP because the GOP has a black RNC chairman. Even if he's supposedly down with hip hop, and even if rightwing, ultra white Rep. Michelle Bachman yells out "You DA Man Michael!" at a GOP event on CSPAN, in a pathetic attempt to look hip.
Nobody other than political message board afficianados and political junkies know who michael steele is. The "hip hop" community doesn't give a shit about him. Black people aren't stupid. They're not going to vote for a party because they put a black face on TV. Just like women weren't stupid enough to vote for mccain because he put a female on his ticket.
Black people will vote GOP when they feel the GOP addresses some of their interests....when the GOP goes back to being the Party of Eisenhower, not the party of Rush Limbaugh, and George Bush.
The Republican Party is no more chaotic than the Dems were in 2001, 1994 or 1981...etc. (I recall a national magazine article titled "Do we need the Democrat Party Anymore?" back in 2002...)
It is a much-needed wake up call. That process is underway. So far Steele has been doing a credible job of working that process through.
Polling actually indicates the Repubublicans won out on the image battle regarding the stimulus and omnibus bills.
2010 could prove interesting...
The Republican Party is no more chaotic than the Dems were in 2001, 1994 or 1981...etc. (I recall a national magazine article titled "Do we need the Democrat Party Anymore?" back in 2002...)
It is a much-needed wake up call. That process is underway. So far Steele has been doing a credible job of working that process through.
Polling actually indicates the Repubublicans won out on the image battle regarding the stimulus and omnibus bills.
2010 could prove interesting...
The first major battle will be here in Virginia THIS year. The governor's race is on here and is always a bell-weather for how the mid-terms will go. The last two cycles, Dems have won. The current DNC chairman is the current governor. Governors are limited to one term here so there is no incumbency advantage.
As a side note, in increasingly blue Northern Virginia, a Republican just won a seat on the County council in Fairfax county (the county has over 1 million residents). Harbinger? Who knows at this point.
If the East Coast, country club Repubs take over the party its a complete and utter capitulation. The Republican party will be relegated to the scrap heap of history as "also rans." The country doesn't need two flavors of Democrat party - Full strength and decaf. If there are only going to be two parties then they actually have to stand for different things.
I can understand that complaint because in some ways I think you're exactly right.
But if the east coat bluyebloods lose their grasp of that party, then it is a party of clueless populists who think that Rush Limbough has a clue about anything but how to stoke the fires of liberal hatred.
He doesn't know shit and the Republican party will die a slightly different death if HE take charge of it.
The Republicans unholy alliance of the the blueblood Republicans elitists, and the populist bible thumping neocons was never very stable to be begin with.
As we're witnessing right now.
\
I don't completely disagree with your analysis. A bit over simplified when it comes to who is in the party and what they think. But look, the liberal wing (bluebloods) are for illegal immigration (good for business doncha know), for increased government regulation, for tax and spend fiscal policies and are generally far more Machiavellian in their attitudes and policies. Also, I think you have it wrong about where neo-cons come from. The bluebloods can up with that theory as an militaristic adjunct to their "free markets" philosophy. If we turn other countries into democracies, we'll have more markets to sell to. (Good for business doncha know).
As to the Bible thumpers, they are as poisonous in large doses as the bluebloods.
I think the solution is strengthening the libertarian part of the Repub party and have a little flavoring from the thumpers and bluebloods. Just a little around the edges. Where the party has gotten into trouble is allowing either of those wings to have too much say so in policies or ideas.
Yet whenever I ask someone who espouses these thoughts what exactly is being crammed down their throats via someone else's religious doctrine, they never have an answer for me.
I can understand that complaint because in some ways I think you're exactly right.
But if the east coat bluyebloods lose their grasp of that party, then it is a party of clueless populists who think that Rush Limbough has a clue about anything but how to stoke the fires of liberal hatred.
He doesn't know shit and the Republican party will die a slightly different death if HE take charge of it.
The Republicans unholy alliance of the the blueblood Republicans elitists, and the populist bible thumping neocons was never very stable to be begin with.
As we're witnessing right now.
\
I don't completely disagree with your analysis. A bit over simplified when it comes to who is in the party and what they think. But look, the liberal wing (bluebloods) are for illegal immigration (good for business doncha know), for increased government regulation, for tax and spend fiscal policies and are generally far more Machiavellian in their attitudes and policies. Also, I think you have it wrong about where neo-cons come from. The bluebloods can up with that theory as an militaristic adjunct to their "free markets" philosophy. If we turn other countries into democracies, we'll have more markets to sell to. (Good for business doncha know).
As to the Bible thumpers, they are as poisonous in large doses as the bluebloods.
I think the solution is strengthening the libertarian part of the Repub party and have a little flavoring from the thumpers and bluebloods. Just a little around the edges. Where the party has gotten into trouble is allowing either of those wings to have too much say so in policies or ideas.
At least the libertarians are reality based problem solvers.
As a humanist I find their solutions somewhat repulsive, but I can appreiate their honesty, if nothing else.
They don't PRETEND to give a shit about their fellow men.
Social darwinism has proved to be disasterous everywhere it's tried (because its victims won't just off themselves as libertarians imagine they will) but it's marginally better thought out than the artsy fartsy excesses of many who image themsleves to be liberals.
