Minn GOP brings out the long knives for moderates

[Joanne98]

Source: Politico


In a dramatic display of the new Republican order, Minnesota’s state GOP banished 18 prominent party members — including two former governors and a retired U.S. senator — as punishment for supporting a third-party candidate for governor.

The stunning purge, narrowly passed by the state Republican central committee last weekend, suggests more than just a fit of pique: by banning some of the state’s leading moderates, the Minnesota GOP moved toward extinguishing a dying species of Republican in one of its last habitats.


Those exiled warned that the measure, which bans the 18 from participating in party activities for two years and bars them from attending the 2012 Republican National Convention, may provoke a backlash that undercuts the party’s competitiveness in a state that’s voted for the GOP presidential nominee just once in the last half-century.

“The Republican party is trying to become … you would call it introverted totalitarianism,” said former Congressman and Gov. Al Quie, a onetime vice presidential prospect who plans to stick with the party despite the penalty. “It’s just plain dumb on their part … In the long run, if the party persists with this, they’re going to just become smaller and smaller and eventually something else would come in its place.”







Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46276.html

[tanyev]

1. "...who plans to stick with the party despite the penalty."

Look who's talking about dumb.

[freshwest]

3. They begat the Tea Party

The Tea Party or whatever they're complaining about is the natural offshoot of their core values. Which oppose all Democratic ones.

It's the case of one's children not doing what their parents tell them to do, but acting out what their parents really do. In this case, support the rich and demonize all others for years. I could go on but I don't have the time right now.

I don't feel any sympathy for the smiley face version of the GOP after having watched their actions since the October surprise that got Reagan into office.

'They doth protest too much' over trifles when they rode this train wreck as long as they could. They're just not plugged in with the new regime and we're supposed to sob for them?

Uh, uh, not gonna happen. Same goes for the Blue Dogs.

[Ferretherder]

2. I like this part...

..."In the long run, if the party persists with this, they’re going to just become smaller and smaller and eventually something else would come in its place.”

Me,.....I want to see just how small they can make the Republican party.

...and I'll be right there, cheering them on! - come on, guys! You can do better than that! GO SMALLER! GO SMALLER! I know you got it in ya'! I wanna see MICROSCOPIC!!!

Yeah.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. Something will come in its place?

As the Republican party shrinks into the far-right collection of teabaggers, excluding all others, then the Democratic party rushes to fill the vacuum in the middle and middle-right.

My question is What will come in the place of the Democratic party as it abandons the liberals and other lefties?

I will keep voting Democrat, but that's more "momentum" than "enthusiasm".

:hi:

[no_hypocrisy]

5. On the practical side, where are the moderate Republicans to go as far

as influence and making policy or just passive representation?

[cstanleytech]

6. I would like to point out that this type of

extremism is not just limited to the GOP, it is a danger the democrats face just as well because there are some democrats (some on this very forum in fact) who support similar things being done to democrats like for example Obama and claim that they aren't "liberal enough".
In the end litmus tests to belong to a party or demanding party "purity" is just an overall bad idea if you want to get moderate voters on board.

[Faygo Kid]

7. The party of Michele Bachmann. Of course they purge.

Minnesota is schizophrenic - Al Franken as senator, and Ms. Let's Get Rid of Unemployment Benefits herself, Michele Bachmann.

[formercia]

8. The crazies take over the GOP and crazy it into oblivion

then they finish their takeover of the Democratic Party, if it's not already a done deal, and voila, a one party State with the crazies in charge.