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The religious right movement, and social conservatives in general, hoped that 2012 would represent something of a comeback year. It really didn't turn out that way.
Anti-gay measures failed in several states; Florida voters defeated a measure on taxpayer-funded abortions; Wisconsin elected the nation's first openly-gay U.S. senator; key movement allies like Todd Akin failed miserably; and, of course, President Obama won a second term fairly easily.
Disgraced former lobbyist Ralph Reed had a very different outcome in mind, planning to "unleash a sophisticated, microtargeted get-out-the-evangelical-vote operation," backed up by at least $10 million in contributions from Republican donors.
Yesterday, Reed offered a defense for his efforts.
In a Wednesday morning press conference at the National Press Club, Ralph Reed's message was clear: don't look at me. Reed had made sweeping promises that the Faith and Freedom Coalition, his conservative voter ID and turnout operation, would stun pollsters and lead to a big conservative victory. "We did our job," he insisted, recounting the tens of millions of phone calls, mailings, and other voter contacts his group made. He said his group had run the most efficient, most technologically superior voter contact and GOVT operation the faith community has ever seen. He claimed credit for increasing both white evangelicals’ share of the electorate and the share of the vote they gave to the Republican nominee. But it wasn’t enough.
"We can't do the Republican Party's job for them. We can't do the candidates' job for them." In part, Reed blamed "candidate performance issues," his euphemism for the Akin-Mourdoch rape comments that led to their undoing.
Karl Rove may have some trouble raising money from wealthy far-right donors in the near future, but I don't think he's the only one.
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God made this happen. Not me.
I had forgotten about this weasel and crook..perhaps we can get a conviction now!
It ain't over 'til it's over.
Every public officeholder swears an oath of office. Ask yourself, 'What's the point of ANY additional pledge?' Follow the money.
Any officeholder who genuinely believes in representative government should have already publicly denounced the Teaparty/Taliban's efforts to disenfranchise Americans.
If you stood in line to vote, write your STATE legislators an invitation to the 21st century. Washington state voters had their ballots weeks before election day.
The Teaparty/Taliban are still afraid of women making decisions. (John 8:3-11)
Trickle down not only doesn't spur economic growth, it stifles it. It’s what led to the American and French revolutions.
"Corporations are people" = "He with the most gold rules"
Somehow it's poetic justice that groups with bankrupt philosophies might well end up financially bankrupt
One can only hope
What is significant about the philosophy of conservatives being bankrupt is that conservatives have irreparably damaged their most valuable asset: the label "conservative." The label was so powerful that Newt Gingrich has been able to attack Democrats with the opposite term:"liberal." Democratic Congress members from the South who did not want to be called liberals adopted the term "Blue Dogs" and often voted with the Republicans. The attack on "liberal" was so effective that liberals abandoned it and began calling themselves "progressives."
"Conservative" has been a powerful, positive term because Americans like tradition, like to do things the way they have always done them. They want to preserve what they have, like the environment, their communities, their religion. So "liberal" framed as change, as a threat to those values becomes negative.
The 2010 elections showed what could be done successfully when individual issues were raised as threatening to produce negative change. Conservatives argued, "the liberals are going to take away your guns, so vote for us." And argued in the same way on abortion, immigration, race, taxes and gays, all were attacked with an "anti-change" approach.
The problem for the "conservative" label in 2012 is that those elected in 2010 were very active in trying to produce conservative change: on abortion, on taxes, on government programs, on environmental regulation, on gay rights. In the 2012 elections, the public decided that these "conservative" positions were "extreme" and did not support them and now do not believe that "conservative" represents what is good about America.
Will "conservative" ever have the impact that it has had over the last few decades? Perhaps. But for now, "conservative" is negative and "liberal" looks mighty good.
But even if Rove is washed up, the standard fee for these operators is 10%, so since his group American Crossroads / GPS took in 400 million, then Rove may get up to $40M.
So in the unlikely event he is regarded as discredited, his pain will be assuaged 40 million different ways.
Many Americans were sold a lie in their housing mortgages, many had their jobs outsourced, many lost their retirement funds and savings in Wall Street fraud, so it was only fair the see Karl Rove facing 1% supporters who, fueled by more greed, gave him $400,000 that returned 0% on their investment. Now they know how it feels. Turn on FOX 'news' and listen to their lies. Believing them and Rove is what you paid for - HOT AIR!
Obviously there are still many social extremes left to deal with and they are still making a lot of noise, but they are in retreat. Because this election is the battle that turned the social war in the direction of progress and it's on it's way to a complete end.
I don't think we are quite that far yet...This was more like the D-Day invasion but we aren't off the beach yet
Don't bet the farm just yet. Right now the GOTP is like a wounded bear - they're down for a minute but will come back out fighting mainly because they don't believe in the reality that this nation didn't like their Christian Taliban take over of our government and the mean spirited way that their legislators were trying to disenfranchise US all! Now is precisely the time that all Americans of conscious need to come together to stop the bear before it rises up ever angrier and more mean than it was before!
I do think they have to stop trying to force religious doctrine (of only SOME churches-or whatever) upon the masses. The masses don't see it your way.
The argument is not what the spinners say, though. We want fiscal soundness, just not by cutting all programs the Rs want cut along with ridiculous tax code being untouchable.
I am cautious with Boehner saying the President must reach all the way over here, then whatever bombastic thing McConnell said, I can't take listening to him or Limpy, et. al.
Those guys cannot dominate everything with their control freakish nature. You have been told to shape up or heave ho, away you go. Listen and stop spinning.
So, the evangelicals poured money and time into spreading the GOP message and getting out the vote. Anti-choice activists spread the word. Rove blanketed the swings states with ads. Romney made a point many times to call this a campaign of ideas with a clear choice. The Ryan austerity budget was put front and center.
Everyone did their job. The American people got the message.
They just didn't like it.
Poor Ralph. I guess Pat Robertson didnt' tell him either that Obama was going to win.
Maybe 'cause God didn't tell Pat.
Money went along way toward buying the presidential election as well as a lot of Congressional elections. But Romney couldn't get elected because he lied frequently, changed positions according to the audience of the day, and most importantly, got caught showing his absolute disgust with the non-wealthy. Congressional candidates went too far in trying to micro target bigots and morons. It wasn't Rove's fault or Reed's. They are as dangerous as ever, and their donors are naive if they think ads will overcome this level of dishonesty, hatred, and phony anti-intellectual theories.
Reed's right: It's not his fault. The candidates were a bunch of clowns.
God help us if the GOP ever gets a decent slate of candidates together, though. I'm not at all convinced Reed and Rove and others of their ilk are down for the count.
It ain't over 'til it's over.
Every public officeholder swears an oath of office. Ask yourself, 'What's the point of ANY additional pledge?' Follow the money.
Any officeholder who genuinely believes in representative government should have already publicly denounced the Teaparty/Taliban's efforts to disenfranchise Americans.
If you stood in line to vote, write your STATE legislators an invitation to the 21st century. Washington state voters had their ballots weeks before election day.
The Teaparty/Taliban are still afraid of women making decisions. (John 8:3-11)
Trickle down not only doesn't spur economic growth, it stifles it. It’s what led to the American and French revolutions.
"Corporations are people" = "He with the most gold rules"
I sent this to Mconnell and Boehiner i doubt if they will read it but they are getting it snail mail too
Mr. McConnell
Please don't think that the election had anything to do with the President , as an ex republican caused by the republicans aligning themselves with one man Grover Norquest, and signing an oath to him , i left the party
The people of this country have sent you a clear and present message, we the people of the United States shall not tolerate any more partizen politics and we will not tolerate any more Filibusters
We just want to say one thing , I am sorry for your loss in this election, but it is our way of telling you, you cannot serve to masters, Grover Norquest and the American people, we have spoken in this election, we have allowed the Republican party some dignity by letting you keep the house, we the people want our economy fixed we want no more bickering in the house or the senate, we want no more useless bills brought to the floor, Pass the jobs act, get rid of Grover Norquest and his pledge, and start working for the people and doing what the people want or in 2014 every republican up for reelection will lose , and we the people will keep ousting republicans until they go by the way of the Wig Party
Thank you
George Shiflett
Oh and one more thing , get the tea party in line , because they will be the demise of the republican party , no one in this country can tolerate their hate, and please bring your selves into this century
we will be watching, and we will vote anyone out that does not follow the will of the people, we have taken care of the senate for now and we have made sure undesirable people have not retained office Joe Walsh ,Allen West Akins and Murdoc and a host of others, by 2014 if things don't change we keep voting out republicans ,and the same in 2016, and we will keep going until there is no republican party left to vote out
Message to Ralph Reed and the Religious Right: You want to force our government to make criminal what you believe to be sinful acts because the Religious leaders have
failed their responsibility to teach their parishioners, members, congregation, etc. Religious Morality should be taught in a place of worship by religious leaders – not imposed on everyone by Politicians.
Pro-life advocates argue over abortion, while “other nations improved women's and infants' health, the U.S. lagged, dropping to 41st worldwide in newborn death rates.” Thousands of infants die each year because of inadequate medical care. Some are born with birth defects that, with proper treatment, could be prevented. Some are stunted in their physical and mental growth because of improper nutrition. So where Reed are you, Religious Right and all the other Pro Life advocates after these children are born?
Perhaps this group got a message from God but as usual thought they knew better than her.
Grifter.
Spot on. This is what PAC's are all about. They have lavish offices, perks, and salaries and are run for the benefit of those who run them while fleecing their donors. It is more than a scam, it is an inside the beltway industry.
Turn on any TEEVEE evangelist .
It's a business of separating the weak minded from their hard earned cash .
They spend about 80% of the time asking for a love gift or seed money ....or sell them on the idea that Jebus is the path to prosperity .
Please, Jebus is too busy helping people win football games.
Ralph Reed, I cannot imagine a more horrific circumstance for you to be in, but I think you need to realize that losing this election is a gift from God. You need to lay back and accept this gift and if it's too painful just close your eyes. Sometimes terrible things will happen to your party, but it's important to remember that God works in mysterious ways and that He ultimately has planned this for you. And, let's be honest Ralph Reed, with all the praying and campaigning you did you were asking for this to happen to you. So it's only natural that God would be unable to control His mysterious desires and bring upon your party a major loss. After all some parties just lose easily. But remember Reed: recounts are wrong so you cannot undo this terrible mess or you would be defying God's will.
cartoonthenews! . . . That's OK. God has a way of shutting these things down. Just ask Todd Akin. He got shut down pretty good.
Ever notice with the teavangicals gods will is always the same as their will? Whatever happened to get out of the way and let gods will do the work? In fact no where in the bible does it say god needs your help.
John 8:3-11
Jesus, in effect, said that he was in no position to pass judgement on another human being. The Taliban/Teaparty, on the other hand, have a better understanding of "God's Will". They feel justified in shooting women in the head for disagreeing with the local patriarch.
That the God Machine didn't grant Ralph Reed's wishes like some magic wand can never be due to his personal spiritual failures?
I'm usually not quite this "nasty", but nothing I can say besides Ralph Reed can kiss my patootie.
Ralph Reed undoubtably achieved his major goal for this election cycle...
$$$
$$$$
$$$$$
$$$$$$
$$$$$$$
=> Ralph's bank accounts
I wonder how much of the money stuck to Reed?
Reed and Rove can at least say they did thier part to hepl the economy. The put million if not billions in it these last 2 years. Wealth redistribution at the GOPs best.
The Republicans were defeated with their signature issue since the Reagan coalition was formed: abortion. They have used it to defeat Dems and moderates all over the country and now it has all come back with vengeance. This should be a warning sign for the Republicans about the continued use of this issue. It may work in some states, but it is losing its appeal in many states and on the federal level. The long term effect of what the Republicans said in this election is going to bring out women candidates for state and federal offices in greater numbers and in both parties. And many of them in the Republican party are not going to toe the religious right line. But the dilemma for Republicans is trading in the religious right votes for women's votes. And that is the same problem the Republicans have with immigration. Broadening the party base will mean losing some of the hard core base. My bet is that the Republicans go further right until they sustain massive defeat in Congress. The voters did not chastise the most of the Tea Party members--yet. When that happens it is going to mean a lot of Republican losses all over the country.
Time mag-An Unholy Alliance?(Ralph Reed, Jack Abramoff, Karl Rove), and throw in Grover Norquist for good measure.