General Discussion

Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)

17. They've been saying it since Goldwater got clobbered in 1964.

Fri Oct 24, 2014, 04:28 PM

Oct 2014

And, on the other side, McGovern's resounding defeat in 1972 led plenty of Republicans to say that the Democratic Party was relegated to permanent second-class status.

These were the two most lopsided elections since World War II. In each case, the party that had lost in a landslide, and that had been written off, came back to win the Presidency just four years later.

The moral of the story is that modern America has two major parties because of structural factors. Two means not three and not one. There's no realistic prospect of a third party getting anywhere. It's also unlikely that either major party will become so weakened as to be noncompetitive on a long-term basis.

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2014 aside, anyone else get this feeling that the GOP is slowly self-destructing? [View all] NNguyenMD Oct 2014 OP

Even with gerrymandering and voter suppression, they're losing their grip NightWatcher Oct 2014 #1

People have been saying this since W was in power. vi5 Oct 2014 #2

They've been saying it since the 70's YarnAddict Oct 2014 #11

They've been saying it since Goldwater got clobbered in 1964. Jim Lane Oct 2014 #17

And that's too bad YarnAddict Oct 2014 #19

Tell me again what extremists are in the Democratic party? vi5 Oct 2014 #27

There are a lot of people in the middle YarnAddict Oct 2014 #29

The Republican party vi5 Oct 2014 #30

Interestingly, if they win the senate this year, it will be the fatal blow for the GOP ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2014 #3

I thought that way in 2008 tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #4

I agree, however.... Wait Wut Oct 2014 #5

The Repubicans could change their fortunes overnight and it would be a disaster for the Democrats Fumesucker Oct 2014 #6

I don't think the issue is as big as you say tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #25

According to the ACLU there were 8.2 millon cannabis arrests from 2001-2010 Fumesucker Oct 2014 #31

I'm not saying that it is not an issue tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #32

There's other issues that intersect with cannabis legalization Fumesucker Oct 2014 #33

College students don't vote on a regular basis tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #34

This all makes sense, but, sadly, a fair number of Americans leave their brains at home when RKP5637 Oct 2014 #7

It started in the never-talked-about 2006 elections underpants Oct 2014 #8

No JustAnotherGen Oct 2014 #9

That's exactly what I see. No whistling by the graveyard for me. You nailed it. freshwest Oct 2014 #20

I've been watching debates on CSPAN and yes, they are self-destructing. tridim Oct 2014 #10

If TPTB and the 1% didn't also own the Democrats hifiguy Oct 2014 #12

So R and D, exactly the same. Check. tridim Oct 2014 #13

No, NOT the same. hifiguy Oct 2014 #14

+100 truebluegreen Oct 2014 #38

Yes, until the seeds that they have planted within the children's curriculum grows fruit Xyzse Oct 2014 #15

No, greed never goes away LeftInTX Oct 2014 #16

Corporate Republicans NEED to be batshit crazy, woo me with science Oct 2014 #18

++++ Vincardog Oct 2014 #28

So true and so sad. hifiguy Oct 2014 #39

I think the logic of the two-party system makes it nearly impossible for a party to collapse. cemaphonic Oct 2014 #21

This is a total distraction. The demise of the GOP has been talked about for a long time. rhett o rick Oct 2014 #22

The GOP isn't going away. Stupid people way outnumber smart ones and their numbers grow. Katashi_itto Oct 2014 #23

Yep. We have a media that manufactures stupidity hifiguy Oct 2014 #40

In the short term, no. In the long term, perhaps, due to demographics. n/t nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #24

The GOP is doing what they have been saying since 1930, drown government and repeal all FDR programs CK_John Oct 2014 #26

As long as midterm elections have low turnout, the GOP will never go away Blaukraut Oct 2014 #35

Far from it, I think they've won for the moment Prophet 451 Oct 2014 #36

Why 2014 aside? maced666 Oct 2014 #37

They've dropped their anti- obamacare, anti-gay marriage, anti-deconstruct social security screeds lindysalsagal Oct 2014 #41