Comments on: Paging Dr. Phil: Kansas GOP on Line 1

By: Steven E.

Steven E. — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:42:28 +0000

My questions above, naively forget the significant progress that has been recently made by social-conservative Republicans in the state. The following list is from an LJWorld.com article:

Topeka — Kansas is currently on a right-wing joyride.

Name an idea that carries the right-wing label, and it’s getting serious play in Kansas.

Constitutional ban on gay marriage — done.

Science standards critical of evolution — done.

Investigating abortion clinics — done.

Obstacles to sex education — in the works.

Politically untouchable ultra-conservative congressmen — ongoing.

The list goes on. [end of quote]

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/dec/12/kansas_leaning_further_right/?print

The social conservative agenda in Kansas is reflected by the Bush social conservative agenda. So, it seems that if any modicum of sanity is going to be restored by the Republicans, they need to do something sooner, rather than later.

The question that I need to ponder is what can an unaffiliated voter/closet Democrat like myself do to help the forces of reason in the Kansas Republican Party?

I’d welcome ideas on this question.

By: TRACY

TRACY — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:43:20 +0000

This is GREAT!It’s like a whole new season of ‘Survivor’, where only the bigots survive.

By: Steven E.

Steven E. — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:34:43 +0000

Thomas Frank, the author of “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” contended that the people who profited (financially and power – wise) the most from the populist success of the Republican party in Kansas were the wealthy Northeast Republican elites. The sweaty masses voted Republican and the rich Repubs got richer. If he is right, one would have to wonder why the KTRM folks would want to upset this delicate balance and it would seem in their interests to not do so.

If you go to the KTRM website, they speak of the extremism in the agenda of the conservative branch of their party (which seems hard to argue with). I am wondering why this public fight within the party was necessary. It seems possible to me that the Repubs could have put their crazy cousins (like Connie Morris and Gietzen) back in the attic without anyone noticing too much. Maybe the belief is that the far-right have gained too much power and thus would not go back into the attic quietly? Why go public with this fight, at this time? Was the calculation for the timing of this fight, based on the party’s belief that they won’t be able to put together a serious threat against Sebelius this year, so start this fight now, rather than later?

Questions abound about this splintering process, and the theater that may get to see should be quite fun.

By: XXX

XXX — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 04:48:26 +0000

I hope they tear each other apart.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 22:37:35 +0000

CF,

Glad you liked it and got it. :-)

By: CF

CF — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 21:39:26 +0000

Brian,

I got the ‘night of the long knives’ reference when you first posted it. I laughed my ass off.

And it has the added advantage of connecting GOP internicene fights to those within National Socialism (Nazism), to which they bear more than a passing resemblance. Ditto with the fights within the national College Republicans between future luminaries such as Grover Norquist and Karl Rove.

Republican internicene warfare, like fascism, begins at home.

By: XXX

XXX — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 17:27:35 +0000

So much for the “Big Tent” party.

By: Rage

Rage — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 15:28:44 +0000

Thirteen years ago, the extremists took over the Sedgwick County Republicans. I wasn’t a Republican, but I heard plenty o’ complaints from dismayed moderates who were.

They’ve controlled the national Republican party for quite a while.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 15:25:21 +0000

Jed, Absolutely,

My cryptic reference was to Hitler’s purge of the SA leadership from the NSDAP…

By: Jed

Jed — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:26:50 +0000

In it’s quest for ideological purity, the republican party is setting itself up to purge it’s own membership of anyone who doesn’t bow down to it’s leadership on all issues. How astonishingly Stalinist!

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 07:49:48 +0000

“Night of the Long Tusks” for the KS Republican party???

By: Steven E.

Steven E. — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 07:00:44 +0000

“Because Kansas Republicans seem to be having trouble with math as well as science these days.”

Oooh … Good one Rhonda!

Meadowlark has amassed a large amount of info on the members of the KTRM. I can’t hear him, but somehow I don’t think he is chirping happily about this set of his fellow Republicans.

By: KS Meadowlark

KS Meadowlark — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 06:36:21 +0000

Here’s some info you won’t see in the press:

Political Profile of Members of “Kansas Traditional Republican Majority”

http://www.kansasmeadowlark.com/2005/12-08/index.htm