GREAT SCOTT!!!

[hornadylnl]

The only way we will cleanse the repub party of rinos and liberals is to burn the party down. Keep rewarding them with your vote every election, they will think you are endorsing their current platform. I loathe the current repub party platform so therefore I refuse to continue to prop it up with my vote.

 

[OneBadV8]

Well, I tend to vote for those that are fiscally conservative so they quit bleeding money. Whether the fiscally conservative person runs as a Repub., Democrat, or Independant does not matter to me.

And I'll always vote against a Progressive/Socialist. Anyone not believing in our freedoms

 

[hornadylnl]

Well, I tend to vote for those that are fiscally conservative so they quit bleeding money. Whether the fiscally conservative person runs as a Repub., Democrat, or Independant does not matter to me.

And I'll always vote against a Progressive/Socialist. Anyone not believing in our freedoms

Unfortunately, those fiscal conservatives are relegated to "female dog" boys for the rest of the party. They aren't allowed to set policy or guide the direction of the party. By rendering the party absolutely powerless, they have to change if they want to regain power. If they can keep power, where is the incentive to change? The party won't change until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of the change.

 

[OneBadV8]

but there are progressives and socialists in both parties, so you can't just ditch one party for the other. You'll get the same problems. Unfortunately there is no easy answer, but the Parties both need to be ignored. Vote for the individual and cease any and all party donations.

 

[dross]

What if you don't want Republicans in power?

Then you defacto want Democrats in power.

 

[SavageEagle]

Then you defacto want Democrats in power.

What if you defacto don't want either in power and wish to do away with the entire two party system all together? What if we abolish all political parties period?

 

[2cool9031]

Ted Kennedy has to be rolling in his grave. This is just the start..wait till November.

 

[photoshooter]

Remember the politicians work for one group of people.

Their party's PRECINCT committee reps.

Are you all planning on running in 2012 to represent YOUR precinct?

Most of the precinct reps in a lot of the counties in Indiana are APPOINTED because no one runs. That continues the "good ole boy" network as party bosses appoint party faithful in other precincts to represent your precinct.

PLUS: you can all get on the ballot to be a state delegate for whichever party you prefer between the Progressives and the Federalists. You just need to file a notarized CAN-37 form (from the IN.gov site) with your county clerk in the next few weeks. If you're a delegate, there are actually some things YOU get to vote on at the State Level... for example, I believe the state Treasurer candidate isn't subject to popular vote in the primary, but is, instead, voted by the delegates.

If you don't like how the parties are being run, then get your butts involved.

 

[BloodEclipse]

If you don't like how the parties are being run, then get your butts involved.

How about I get another part of my anatomy involved?
My butt is about wore out from all these politicians already.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Perhaps we're missing something here... Some among us, (myself sometimes included) despair that voting for a third party is a waste. Sorry to Fletch, Mr. Jarrell et al. Perhaps there's a more reasonable way. It would seem that we don't need another _party_ to solve the problem. We just need 40-50 committed Congress critters that will agree to defend the Constitution , and tell the Party leaders to shove, should they ask anything of them to the contrary. A "buffer" of folks like that could surely be found, given what we're seeing. That sort of a voting bloc in the center of things could be reasonably carved out.

Idealogues on either side would then have to go THROUGH this group to get anything done. While I agree that committee memberships and all of that are important, I think that a committed smaller group of folks could well neuter some of the out-of-hand party shenanigans. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have garnered absolute power at points in the last ten years. And in both cases they abused it and spent like drunken sailors on shore leave! A group of 40-50 congress critters willing to change parties at the drop of a hat could rein in a Pelosi and crack the whip on her, instead of the other way around. "Like being Speaker? Don't mess with the Constitution, or we'll break down your coalition and become Insta-Repubs."

It's late and this may be a crackpot idea, but I think it might work.

 

[hornadylnl]

Perhaps we're missing something here... Some among us, (myself sometimes included) despair that voting for a third party is a waste. Sorry to Fletch, Mr. Jarrell et al. Perhaps there's a more reasonable way. It would seem that we don't need another _party_ to solve the problem. We just need 40-50 committed Congress critters that will agree to defend the Constitution , and tell the Party leaders to shove, should they ask anything of them to the contrary. A "buffer" of folks like that could surely be found, given what we're seeing. That sort of a voting bloc in the center of things could be reasonably carved out.

Idealogues on either side would then have to go THROUGH this group to get anything done. While I agree that committee memberships and all of that are important, I think that a committed smaller group of folks could well neuter some of the out-of-hand party shenanigans. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have garnered absolute power at points in the last ten years. And in both cases they abused it and spent like drunken sailors on shore leave! A group of 40-50 congress critters willing to change parties at the drop of a hat could rein in a Pelosi and crack the whip on her, instead of the other way around. "Like being Speaker? Don't mess with the Constitution, or we'll break down your coalition and become Insta-Repubs."

It's late and this may be a crackpot idea, but I think it might work.

We have them now. They're called the McCain 14, moderates, etc.

 

[Fletch]

Then you defacto want Democrats in power.

Not true.

 

[Fletch]

Perhaps we're missing something here... Some among us, (myself sometimes included) despair that voting for a third party is a waste. Sorry to Fletch, Mr. Jarrell et al

No need to apologize; I accepted a long time ago that how I vote and what I think is going to be unpopular and probably won't ever win an election. But the most satisfying election year I ever had was when I finally stood by what I believed in and refused to put a mark next to George Bush or John Kerry. I realized then that there is no peace to be had in compromising my principles to play the game.

 

[Phil502]

Fletch, if a lot of people had voted for Kennedy (the independent running) then Obama might still have his 60 votes. I agree the Repub's are not what we want really, but it is going to be a hard road to get an independent in and even then they could go bad on us. Why not work within the party to get some kind of proper representation.

It took a lot longer for people to turn on George Bush then it did for them to turn on Obama. The Democrat model has been entitlement programs that last forever, this is tailored to their supporters. I don't like it, so I tend to pull Republican.

 

[CarmelHP]

The only way we will cleanse the repub party of rinos and liberals is to burn the party down. Keep rewarding them with your vote every election, they will think you are endorsing their current platform. I loathe the current repub party platform so therefore I refuse to continue to prop it up with my vote.

The way to cleanse any party is to recruit and work for candidates that share your ideals regardless of the party labels. That's how the socialists and communists infiltrated the Democrats in the '60's and '70's and dominate that party today.

 

[.30 Cal Al]

Hi

I used to live just outside Worcester, MA., so I have an idea of the power of the Democrat machine there.

I'm more surprised at this than I would be by some old guy with a beard holding a walking stick over his head and parting the waters of the West Branch of the White River.