Line of the Day (RINOcerous Edition)

“That the conservative favorite from 2008 is now derided as a RINO says more about the rightward lurch of the Republican Party than it does about Romney. You reap what you sow.”–John Avlon.

Indeed.

FILED UNDER: 2012 Election, US Politics,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. Ron Beasley says:

    It’s a Tea Party with white sheet attire.

  2. Tsar Nicholas II says:

    Mmm, I’m not too sure about that “rightward lurch” quip. As a whole the GOP of 2012 is not very different from the GOP of 2000 or the GOP of 1996. Boehner, McConnell, Cantor and Kyl vs. Hastert, Lott, DeLay and Nickles vs. Gingrich, Dole, Armey and Lott. That to me is akin to six vs. half-a-dozen vs. six.

    Pretty much all of the major GOP governors at present — Kasich, Scott, Perry, McDonnell, Snyder, Corbett, Walker, etc. — are mainstream Republicans. Granted, the media and the unions hate them with a passion, but how is that different from any other point in history? It’s not as if the media sent love letters to the likes of Jeb Bush, John Engler and Tom Ridge.

    Granted, there were a number of wingnut primary fiascos for the GOP in the 2010 cycle, but that sort of thing can happen in low-turnout primaries and truth be told the GOP has had primary problems for quite some time. Remember Bill Simon from California? Bill McCollum against Bill Nelson in Florida?

    To my of thinking this Romney dichotomy more is a function of the specific demographics of the most vocal participants, albeit certainly not the most influential, in the GOP’s national primary cycles. To wit: spoiled brats and evangelicals. A toxic combination of ignorance, immaturity and irrationality.

    In 2008 McCain was their boogeyman so they mindlessly glommed onto to Romney. In 2012 there was no McCain and Romney was the clear front runner so they reflexively opposed Romney. (There’s also the Mormon issue with Romney, which in various geographic areas is the driving force behind Santorum’s erstwhile support.)

    If Obama wins reelection we’ll see a similar dynamic in 2016. For this cycle Chris Christie was seen as a “savior,” right? Well, if Christie runs in 2016 and tops the early polls, however, then you’ll see and hear the loud and obnoxious right virulently oppose Christie. Not because of any “rightward lurch,” however. Give a spoiled 5-year old a toy and he’ll complain that he wanted something else. Replace that toy and then he’ll complain that he really wanted something else. So on, so forth.

  3. John Burgess says:

    @Ron Beasley: ‘Rightward lurch?’, for sure. The ‘resurrection of the Klan?’ That’s a little over the top, particularly in view of the fact, yes fact, that the Tea Party started out looking for fiscal responsibility before it was taken over by the SoCons.

  4. superdestroyer says:

    It is amazing that the party that supports government supported racial discriminations and been found many times to have violated the civil right sof individuals in the last three decades is the party that tries to act like it is not racist.

    I guess Ron has forgotten the many times that Democrats have been shown to violate the civil rights of individuals. I guess as long that it is whites who are having their rights violated, progressives like Ron refuse to care.

  5. Janis Gore says:

    It’s a pretty remarkable crowd that actively works to piss off blacks and women at the same time.

  6. Just nutha' ig'rant cracker says:

    @Tsar Nicholas II: Wow! I am impressed! Your comment was cogent, sane, and didn’t have any of that disengenuous “is X still…?” schtick that you usually resort to.

    To quote John McLaughlin: “[Tzar”], you have inadvertently stumbled upon the truth.”

  7. OzarkHillbilly says:

    A toxic combination of ignorance, immaturity and irrationality.

    Is a perfect description of @superdestroyer:

    Tsar, you have become prescient.

  8. superdestroyer says:

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I believe that Democrats are just as irrational as Republicans. How else does a party support open borders and unlimited immigration while proposing expanding entitlement spending.
    How does a party support unlimited immigraiton while refusing to approve any new coal fired plants, nuclear plants, hydro-electrical plants, pipelines, or natural gas exploration? How does a party believe that the U.S. can compete in a global marketplace while believe that high students should not learn algebra.