Will the Democrats drift too liberal in the next 4 years? They have the 'mandate' to do so. Will the Republicans die with their social morality? Tea Party, Old Guard Republicans will stand with their principals. There are a lot of people in the middle. Libertarians got 1% of the vote this year. I guess that makes me a 1%er. I am wondering if this is a time that the Libertarian party can gain strength, if the Democrats and Republicans move even more to opposite poles. Or will the bases be solidified more? The poles are tiny, the equator is big.
I would not be at all surprised to see the far right of the Republican party splinter off into a third party. There is certainly enough funding to make them viable enough. How this dynamic would play out is any body's guess but I cannot imagine it not ending up with the dems to the left, the tea party to the right and the republicans more in the middle. If the Republicans would adopt a more moderate social stance and emphasize common sense handling of the economy that is independent of rigid ideology they could position themselves in the middle and become a majority party again. American politics is a study in evolution and the emergence of a third party wouldn't be earth shattering. What I don't like is the likes of Donald Trump calling for revolution or other like minded idiots who haven't yet learned the art of keeping ones mouth shut until their emotions have had time to settle.
That's essentially what Democrats did in the 1990s. Demoralized after big losses by presidential nominees Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis — and still mindful of George McGovern's 1972 disaster — Democrats turned to a centrist Arkansas governor, Bill Clinton. He won two elections, repositioned the party and served as Obama's top surrogate this fall. -CHARLES BABINGTON "It's harder for the Republicans, because they are more ideological than Democrats," said Democratic strategist Doug Hattaway. "The religious fervor of the Republican base makes it hard to change or compromise, even though that's what's needed to remain viable as a party." These things are what I am thinking about. I don't know how much the Republican party can change. That is why I left them but I cannot swing to the other side.
Dude, this is coming to a head. Jan 1 Bush tax cuts expire. Jan 2 is the fiscan cliff. What will happen? I am reading that this is a double edged sword. Tax cuts plus spending cuts take money out of ciculation to pay off the national debt. That will be bad for the economy necessary for the debt. If the economy is the focus, then the increased nation debt will only prolong and make worse another recession. I don't evny Obama in these upcoming months.
they are a long way from being anywhere close to viable right now but if they split along ideologic lines they could reposition themselves in the next 4-8 years as a more moderate party. might be wishful thinking but.....I guess it could happen.
There is no mandate for this. The democrats have been moving to the middle since Bill Clinton. Obama barely paid lip service to the old Teddy Kennedy liberals and is likely to become more moderate in his second term. If Hillary runs in 2016, the party will embrace moderates completely. As long as they stand against science, social freedoms, minorities, and women their stock will fall with younger people. As long as they embrace religion, the wealthiest people, the wealthiest corporations and endless tax cuts their stock will fall with middle-class pragmatists. As long as they engage in obstructionism, inflexibility, and intransigence, their stock will fall with moderates. I think the GOP is heading for a split between its far right-wing extremists and those wishing for a return to the moderation and pragmatism of Reagan. The Libertarians are another conservative party, not a moderate party that embraces the middle. What we need is a moderate third party in the middle, where most of the people are. Indeed, but the electoral college and the primary election system inhibit third parties from emerging. Unless the system evolves, the status quo will remain
If the GOP doesn't get their shit together, and stop being bigots to diverse demographics their may not be a 2nd viable party.
