Originally Posted by spence
While I'd agree that there is some rationality within identified Republicans themselves, the point of the article is that inside the beltway things are so extreme the GOP has lost the rational moderate appeal found in a Reagan, Goldwater or Bill Buckley.
Extremism defined by a moderate is a contradiction, and moderation in defence of moderate views is a self-congratulatory vice. That's how I read the article, regardless of what point you or the author thought he was making. As you pointed out elsewhere, so-called "right wingers" in other "successful" countries (such as Australia--and, I presume, England) are to the left of American Democrat "left wingers." So, then, certainly their view of what is "extreme" in Amercian politics would be way left of what actual American "conservatives" would consider extreme. Reagan, Goldwater, or Buckley, would not consider the views that the Economist considered cranky or backward looking as extreme. They would not require a "litmus test" affidavit to be signed by candidates, but most Republicans don't require it either. That some do on abortion in order to get their vote, that's their prerogative. Most of the Republican electorate doesn't subscribe to that. If a candidate will support the pro-life view, he can so sign, or he can sign even if he doesn't--politicians are consumate liers. A hypocritically or sincerely signed affidavit is no different than a campaign promise. Campaign promises are not some new radical-right tactic that all of a sudden deviate from your "rational" moderate appeal. Campaign promises have always done that. No politician campaigns on maintaining a "rational" moderate status quo. Obama won on promises of Hope (not a rational methodolgy) and Change--fundamental transformation (not a moderate proposal).
It's like every issue has become a litmus test.
That's the picture the Economist, with exageration, tries to paint. They take the demands of some pro-lifers, not all Republicans, and magically spread the paint on the entire canvass of "every issue." It's just not true. By the way--Reagan, and Buckley were very pro-life. Especially Buckley, who was one of the strongest anti-abortion advocates on a natural law basis. Pro-life, anti-abortion is not an "extreme" view.
I know you don't like it when non-Americans comment on America, but this time I think they offer a nice perspective.
-spence
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