The Real GOP Fiasco: Fairness (from The American Conservative)

[Cresent City Kid]

12. The ones they drowned out are now speaking up

Dissident voices from a very tight party line are tuned out in the gop. There are a handful that can be interesting to listen to despite my disagreements with their world views and political aims. Now they are coming out of the woodwork as the party licks its wounds.

When the Democrats won in 2008, there was talk of the gop fading into obscurity but not of moving to the left. Now there is. The amount will be small, but the direction is significant. Since Reagan, the rightward move of the party has had a ratchet effect, you can move any amount right but never one iota to the left. Tied in with this, you could cut a rich man's taxes as much you want, but they can never go one penny higher.

The moderation of the gop may not happen, or make the world better if it does, but there does seem to be a tidal shift. The moderate, swing voters have realized that the Democrats have met them halfway. The republicans figured they could drag the swing voter rightward with them, not the case.