2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe GOP’s libertarian time bomb: Why “going Rand” would be an electoral disaster
The conventional wisdom is that a libertarian shift would revitalized Republicans but that's dead wrongSEAN MCELWEE
The time has come again for a perennial theme in politics: the idea that Republicans should go libertarian. The questionable premise, forwarded most recently by Robert Draper and Emily Ekins, is that the Republican Party could sweep up millennials, who are socially liberal and economically conservative, by adopting a more libertarian message. The ascent of popular startups like Uber and Airbnb which have about them a decidedly libertarian flavor has only strengthened this supposedly conventional wisdom.
Heres the thing, though. The data show that this is an unlikely possibility, but more problematically, doing so would actually decimate the Republican base. The truth is, libertarianism is antithetical to conservatism.
The Republican base, broadly speaking, is made up of five often-overlapping coalitions: business conservatives who seek low taxes and low regulation; foreign policy hawks who seek a strong defense budget; social conservatives who fear moral anarchy; racists and nativists worried about immigration and affirmative action; and elderly retirees who rely on Social Security and Medicare. This coalition is already difficult enough to maintain, but in the future it will become more difficult.
And a libertarian message would only further erode the base.
more
http://www.salon.com/2014/08/23/the_gops_libertarian_time_bomb_why_going_rand_would_be_an_electoral_disaster/
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)underpants
(182,877 posts)The only thing keeping them going is the media
Wounded Bear
(58,706 posts)"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."
I think the Republican Party is pretty much down to those 'some' people they can fool all of the time.
Until they realize that their problem is not PR, but policy, and change those policies that the American public don't like, they'll continue to dwindle. Unfortunately, our political system protects the minority with money against the majority. Let's hope we can overcome that.
FSogol
(45,525 posts)Sure regulation sucks, but in this country, no one gets kidnapped, raped, or murdered upon stepping in a cab. Uber "drivers" often don't even have commercial DL, don't carry the proper insurance, and have barely been checked.
DAMANgoldberg
(1,278 posts)I did some research on their website as they are here in town.
A trip of about 6.5 miles from one part of Charlotte to another.
Uber X = $14-19
Uber Black =$33-41
Taxi = $18.75
CATS = $2.20
Private Car = $5-10
Personal Car = $3-5
Daily Rental = $40-70 (unlimited local miles not including fuel)
There is not much difference in price between Uber and Taxis, other than a nicer small car, if you like such things, and the transit system is the cheapest (subsidized) option. Looks like a hip way of getting hosed. YMMV
FSogol
(45,525 posts)called for is to take your life into your own hands. They are barely regulated. Taxi drivers commonly kidnap people or stop and admit gang members to your taxi to shake you down. Women get assaulted and/or rapped. People disappear. Richer families and companies hire personal taxi drivers to drive them around and you only ever use the driver you know. All of that would happen here except for the government regulations. Uber and similar services are skirting those regulations and sooner or later people will get hurt. Of course this is the libertarians wet dream, no regulations!
ThoughtCriminal
(14,049 posts)of which brand of stupid ideas to embrace.
Rolo
(27 posts)create a loyal following when they keep changing their platform? Wasn't that a major problem with Mitt? You never knew where he stood on policy & it would change depending on the audience. Say what you will about Dem's, but they are mostly consistent. Any changes they make are not to the extreme (i.e. TP, Libertarians)
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)A similar piece could be written about libertarians and the Democratic Party.
Hawaii Hiker
(3,166 posts)and when he gives the likely reply of justices in the mold of Scalia, Thomas, & Ailito, you'll know at the end of the day he's just another far right conservative disguised as a libertarian....