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DFW

(59,755 posts)

51. Just because the Nina Turners of this world have not been given the free rein that Trump has

Sat Feb 13, 2021, 01:55 PM

Feb 2021

That does not mean that, given the chance, they wouldn't do the same or worse. I don't trust extremist demagogues in power from any direction.

American "conservatism" has nothing to do with the word "conservative," by the way, any more than the German Democratic Republic was Democratic or Republic. The wall in Potsdam where Putin oversaw the execution of unrepentant opponents of their brand of socialism still has the bullet holes in it (or did three years ago). You can use any label you want.

Agreed on there being no equivalence between the Democratic and Republican parties, but I also subscribe to the notion that absolute power corrupts absolutely. The current benevolence of the leadership of the Democratic Party is no guarantee that it stays that way if allowed sole rule of a one-party state for forty years.

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I keep hearing how "we need a viable conservative party." Why? What for? [View all] thucythucy Feb 2021 OP

To be a fully functioning democracy we need a rational opposition party. nycbos Feb 2021 #1

When in our lifetimes has it been a rational opposition party? Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #2

For a good bit of my life. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #11

Not for my lifetime. Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #12

Your reply rebuts your premise. Nixon only resigned because republicans told him they would impeach GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #15

Nixon didn't "only" resign because Goldwater asked him to. thucythucy Feb 2021 #18

Today that would not matter to republicans. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #21

Yeah, it's a mite chilly tonight! thucythucy Feb 2021 #23

Hell, you did not stomp on me! I can take and give! GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #25

Best to you too. thucythucy Feb 2021 #26

Support the rule of law? JonLP24 Feb 2021 #22

Good god, I'm not defending today's republicans. Nor necessarily the Lincoln Project republicans. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #32

That has (mostly) been my experience as well. KentuckyWoman Feb 2021 #30

Oh, I'm not arguing that any of their leaders a worth a bucket of spit GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #33

Why I_UndergroundPanther Feb 2021 #3

Indeed. nycbos Feb 2021 #8

Wish we could shut out the republicans in Texas! LeftInTX Feb 2021 #53

That's not what the founding fathers thought. thucythucy Feb 2021 #9

I agree. But they unintentionally created a system of government that requires them. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #13

We either have two parties that agree with the basic underlying premises Crunchy Frog Feb 2021 #4

this TeamPooka Feb 2021 #7

Exactly. thucythucy Feb 2021 #10

Exactly! TomSlick Feb 2021 #14

Bingo. There will always be a Conservative party. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #16

Yep, they aren't going away LeftInTX Feb 2021 #52

We need 2 honest parties. bamagal62 Feb 2021 #5

Yes. Citizens United needs to be overturned and expunged. nt Hekate Feb 2021 #27

It's been hella better in Cali... tonedevil Feb 2021 #6

A conservative party in the tradition of Edmund Burke would be a worthy rival. DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2021 #17

Might as well ask why we need representative government Hortensis Feb 2021 #19

I don't agree it's the same thing at all. thucythucy Feb 2021 #37

You posted about any conservative party at all. Conservatism Hortensis Feb 2021 #39

I'm always skeptical about arguments that say certain political behaviors thucythucy Feb 2021 #41

There's no absolute determinism, and I'm surprised you found Hortensis Feb 2021 #46

Well, you did say thucythucy Feb 2021 #47

Yup. Just occurred to me that the third wife's despicable Hortensis Feb 2021 #49

The RePutinicans would LOVE to have a one party country. NoMoreRepugs Feb 2021 #20

A one-party country will crumble because of the "absolute power" axiom... Hekate Feb 2021 #24

There are plenty of people here who would be just fine with absolute power in perpetuity. BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #29

Exactly so Hekate Feb 2021 #31

Not "perpetuity" thucythucy Feb 2021 #42

I think the point is a sane opposition BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #28

It will be tough thucythucy Feb 2021 #43

I'm not sure I made myself clear BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #55

Yes. Why does that opposition party NEED to be the GQP? Does it NEED to be conservative even? ck4829 Feb 2021 #34

Because no one votes for them? LeftInTX Feb 2021 #54

How do we fix this? ck4829 Feb 2021 #58

Maher made a compelling argument on his show tonight Hamlette Feb 2021 #35

Arguing by anecdote generally doesn't do it for me. thucythucy Feb 2021 #44

Because a positive feedback loop is self-destructive. See, e.g., GQP. Hermit-The-Prog Feb 2021 #36

And why would the demise of a national conservative party-- thucythucy Feb 2021 #45

Close to a third of the country are conservatives Azathoth Feb 2021 #38

A third alternative not mentioned in your first paragraph is thucythucy Feb 2021 #48

... Azathoth Feb 2021 #57

I'm OK with "convervative" as defined in English, not Republicanese DFW Feb 2021 #40

The basic flaw in your argument can be seen in the examples you cite. thucythucy Feb 2021 #50

Just because the Nina Turners of this world have not been given the free rein that Trump has DFW Feb 2021 #51

Nina Turner? JonLP24 Feb 2021 #56