General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is this Democratic Underground? [View all]Chan790
(20,176 posts)the very basis of the "Conservative Renaissance" that came to fruition with the 1980 election of Reagan was born of precisely that type of schism following the debacle of Goldwater.
Conservatives drew back within the GOP to regroup and build conservatism, the GOP be damned. The GOP as a result swung left slightly (as much as we despise him, Nixon is factually more-liberal in policy than any other post WW-I GOP President except Eisenhower, also of most of the GOP nominees over that same span.), Democrats seemed ascendant...then the Conservative strikeback starting in the late 1970s culminated in the election of Reagan and significant gain in Congressional seats for the GOP in 1980. The conservative shift was cemented in 1984 and liberalism was buried with Dukakis in 1988.
If we want to see a rebirth of liberalism, drawing back to build liberalism even if it means the withering on the vine of this marginally-empowered Center-Right Democratic Party is important. The resulting slaughter of the Centercrats though is necessary to drive them down and possibly out.
Yes, winning later is worth losing now. I'd rather never lose at all...but I'd rather change the full political dynamic than "win" co-opting the enemy's bad ideas.
As I have been saying for months, I cannot support this President. He is what we call in my birthplace of Hartford, CT a "Moderate Republican".