For eight years, every move the Republicans made was a reason for a press conference highlighted by leftists screaming and gnashing their teeth over whatever. For years, they cast Bush as the bad guy, the Republicans as the anti-American, and relentlessly pushed their core leftist values. They weren’t accepting their moderates… they pushed them out. Consider Joe Lieberman, as a prime example.

What a load of horseshit...it was those who were against the Iraq disaster who were cast as "anti-American" and who had their patriotism questioned...Lieberman was challenged because of one issue--Iraq, not because he was particularly moderate...indeed, if that had been the case, senators like Pryor and Lincoln from Arkansas, Bayh from Indiana, and of course Nelson from Nebraska would all have faced the same treatment...

They went to their base.
Period.

Let's for the moment accept your premise. How is that different than republican strategy over the last decade or so in what meaningful way?

For eight years, every move the Republicans made was a reason for a press conference highlighted by leftists screaming and gnashing their teeth over whatever. For years, they cast Bush as the bad guy, the Republicans as the anti-American, and relentlessly pushed their core leftist values.

sub Clinton for Bush, Right for Left, and D for R and you have an equally true if overly simplistic statement.

Look at what the Republican leadership has been doing... at every turn lunging left

Really? Where are you seeing this?
Social issues on most fronts (embryo rights, gay rights, evolution v creation, etc) will continue to move to what is now commonly considered left as our society progresses. Conservatives will continue to move along, though at a slower pace.
On fiscal issues Republicans have long talked about limiting spending, but don't do so when they have the chance.
So, on what key issues has the Republican leadership moved significantly to the left recently?

Both sides already have far too many "fundie screamers". To pretend that there is a "fundie screamer" gap is silly at best.

Nonsense.
Have a look at how the Democrats won....

They went to their base.
Period.

For eight years, every move the Republicans made was a reason for a press conference highlighted by leftists screaming and gnashing their teeth over whatever. For years, they cast Bush as the bad guy, the Republicans as the anti-American, and relentlessly pushed their core leftist values. They weren’t accepting their moderates… they pushed them out. Consider Joe Lieberman, as a prime example.

So tell me how Republicans are singing onto a winning stretegy with folks who sign on for compromise with that noise. And think, now... didn't we just offer up a centrist, and lose our asses for our trouble?

With that in mind, back to your question of there being a gap; Look at what the Republican leadership has been doing... at every turn lunging left, where the rank and file has been.. unsuccessfully trying to bring them back to the base... back to actual Republican principles.

And would Grewgills be an example of such, do you suppose?

Yes, Bit I am the shrieking extremist here.

Both sides already have far too many "fundie screamers". To pretend that there is a "fundie screamer" gap is silly at best.

In the end for him, it came down to a choice of power over principle.

There we agree, though I would say that is a pattern for most politicians.

I love how everyone comes back to social issues. Specter lost support over the PA Republicans over the voting of the spending bills, and spending money we don't have. The next election will be straight up spending and ethics

True to a point. Specter's support was always limited, however, because the the social/ethical issues you mentnion. His move to the left on spending issues sealed the deal.

In the end for him, it came down to a choice of power over principle.

So can we stop blaming the Catholics and Christians for the implosions of the republican issues. This is way beyond social issues.

Like it or not, sam, the left is in power today because of those fundie screamers.

The ambiguity in that is mirth-provoking. But as to your last, well good luck to you.

Like it or not, sam, the left is in power today because of those fundie screamers. And frankly, I'm with Hawkins in that the situation is going to require an equal force on the right to move us off this headlong rush to the left.

Sam, why is it that you seemingly approve of leftist extremists, but rightists who hold to their principles, are somewhow less valid, and to be chastised?

Ah, the 'seemingly' gives the game away. I don't approve of left-wing shrieking, either. What I'm opposed to, Bit, is what David Frum calls "Anger Theater". While you're certainly no fascist, I am, sometimes when reading you, reminded of what someone said to Pound when Pound was extolling the virtues of Mussolini. The guy said, "But the voice, Ezra, the voice."

It's your voice, Bit, your voice, not your ideas.

Sam, why is it that you seemingly approve of leftist extremists, but rightists who hold to their principles, are somewhow less valid, and to be chastised?

Glad I read that one before breakfast or there would be cereal in my nose.
Pot, kettle? maybe pot, coal.

If you can face the answer to that question I suppose we'll have far less to chat about on this topic.

You're damned right, I don't agree.

Dude, that piece must have been hard to write what with your hair on fire and all.

Of course, if the GOP has any hope of regaining national, as opposed to mere regional, status, it's the Ridges that will bring it about. Not that I suppose for a nanosecond that you would agree.

You're damned right, I don't agree.

what sweet irony when the best hope for the GOP to increase their standing with the public is to run a person associated with the disgraced Bush administration.

Prominent party members have generally been associated with their party's presidential administrations. I don't know that Ridge did a particularly great job with DHS -- whose creation I opposed -- but I know of no taint that passes on to him.