Rather than dreaming about some mythical return of moderate Republicans, liberals ...

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Will Sommer Retweeted

Rather than dreaming about some mythical return of moderate Republicans, liberals would be better off understanding that a bid chunk of America (say 30-35%) are revanchist right & another big chunk is willing to ally with revanchist right. That's the permanent reality.

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

1. I like Sullivan's take on the current GOP

"a paranoid, media-driven, fact-free festival of fear and animus."

Like the Saffire-coined "Nattering nabobs of negativism" uttered by Agnew!

[BootinUp]

2. True, so then what. nt

[murdock744]

3. Sir, I disagree

Our candidate disagrees with you as well and I stand behind him.

Vice President Biden believes fully and completely that he can and will unite the Republicans behind him once elected and the source of our discord is discarded into the trash heap of history.

Trump has been an aberration and a return to civility will follow under Vice President Biden's guidance and leadership. We can already see this happening through such organizations as 43 Alums for Biden and the Lincoln Project.

[The Magistrate]

4. Ah, The Sweet Slumber Of Innocence, Sir

You can begin your education by looking into one 'Newt' Gingrich, and proceed from there....

[murdock744]

13. Perhaps I am naieve

But I do take Vice President Biden at his word that he can and will unite the nation.

[The Magistrate]

17. No 'Perhaps' About It, Sir

I do not object to the 'civic class' platitudes seemingly necessary in a campaign, but governance by a Democratic legislature and President can only move forward by riding rough-shod over the christo-fascist right which today is the whole of the Republican party. I am confident that after a half-century in politics, and eight years as second to President Obama, Mr. Biden is well aware of this.

The only way to unite the country is to ignore Republican squawking and enact sound policies that will benefit the people of the country.


"Good policy is good politics."

[Ferrets are Cool]

23. Amen

[Cosmocat]

6. Like his boss in 2008, he has to say and even perhaps somewhat believe that

but, in my entire adult life, starting in the early 90s, the republicans have NEVER been open to an honest discussion, much less be party to any kind of bipartisan governance.

In fact, they have only gotten WORSE with time, long before the asshole came down the escalator.

[Renew Deal]

8. That is a fantasy

And a complete misunderstanding of the Republican Party.

[durablend]

9. You keep telling yourself this

And I'll face reality--some of them can't be reached. Period.

[Celerity]

12. this type of thinking will be the death of the union, it is a profound misreading of the situation

[Ferrets are Cool]

21. Repugs have proven

Time and time again that they do not want unity. I am tired of being Charlie Brown'ed.

[Yavin4]

25. If Biden pursues the path of bi-partisan consensus over enacting the strongest legislation possible

to get this country back on its feet, then the Dem party will lose big in the 2022 mid terms and be in a weakend position for 2024.

IOW, we'll be right back to where we are now or even worse.

[Renew Deal]

5. It would take a type of intellectual change that only long term losses can provide

Republicans would have to move into the minority everywhere for like 15 years. Then there’s a chance for them to pretend to not be extremists for a while. Look at 1936-1950.

[AleksS]

10. I think you're right on this.

And unfortunately, they’re all-too-entrenched at the local and state level to disappear. They’re like a virus that, once driven into remission and thought eliminated, was actually hiding deep within tissues and cells, waiting to re-emerge in the future.

[Yeehah]

7. Republicans have become fascists

Their goal is total power, not shared power in a democratic system.

[The Magistrate]

11. I Quite Agree With Mr. Heer, Sir

The problem is not so much this cheap thug with his hairspray crown, it is the wretched 'make America white again' trash that votes for him, and for the poltroons and traitors who sustain him.

I have nothing against a decent center-right party, though I would certainly not adhere to it. But any such party would have to foreswear the great preponderance of present Republican politicians and voters.


"When conservatives find their views cannot prevail at the polls, they will not alter their views. They will reject Democracy."

[Celerity]

15. hear hear Sir!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

16. Where's the quotation from?

Thanks for writing.

[The Magistrate]

19. Oddly Enough, Sir

I picked it up from some libertarian commentator, whose name I have forgotten. Part of a libertarian strain which recognizes that government taking protection of property as its chief object must inevitably lapse into oligarchy and authoritarian rule, under the present economic system, in which only a small minority can possess significant property interests.

[Yoyoyo77]

26. I Think it Was David Frum.

At the least i've seen it used by him on his twitter feed. Does anyone know for sure?

[JonLP24]

14. There hasn't been a moderate Republican since Eisenhower

Eisenhower would be considered a socialist by today's standards.

[JHB]

22. I occasionally refer to myself as an "Eisenhower socialist"...

...when I'm making a point about how far the definition of "socialism" has been dragged toward what was once the "ranting-crank" definition: "Anything I don't like."

[brooklynite]

18. Conversely, destroying the Republican Party doesn't make things better...

The voters they current appeal to will still be there and will simply gravitate to another platform for their anger.

[The Magistrate]

20. Without That Focal Point, Sir, And Without Constant Agitation By Professionals

A good portion may well drift off, and the very least calm down a bit....

[JHB]

24. I'm going to push back on the implication that Sully is a liberal...

...not to mention that the fever of which he speaks took root under Trump, when it happened during the administration of his beloved Ronald Reagan.