It's clear that the Republican Party has moved so far right that it no longer represents a large portion of the population. Yes, they kicked ass in 2010. But that's because students and minorities don't vote in midterm elections. Once the conservative Republicans tried to cram down their right-wing policies, the populace arose in mighty democratic wave. Just ask Wisconsin governor Scott Walker who may get recalled and Ohio governor John Kasich who had an anti-union law passed only to see it repudiated.
Watching the GOP debates, one gets one thing from them. The Republicans are an angry and mean bunch. They've cheered for the death of an uninsured man, jeered a gay soldier and Fox News' Juan Williams for asking Newt Gingrich a question over his controversial remarks he made about African Americans and food stamps. Later, at a Gingrich event, a woman congratulated Gingrich for "putting" Williams in his place. I've previously argued that conservative Republicans have become racist.
Which brings us back to Newt Gingrich and his controversial remarks. In New Hampshire, Gingrich let this bomb fly that he would go to the NAACP and talk about "why the African-American community should demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps." Of course Gingrich doesn't let the facts get in the way, since most people on food stamps are white.
So why is Gingrich so popular among Republicans? I agree he excellent in debates if you like a guy who's mean and attacks his political opponent as the enemy of America. But he reflects the racial views of the Republican Party. For example, California Orange County Republican Central Committee member, Marilyn Davenport sent an email with a picture of Obama's head on a chimp. South Carolina GOP activist Rusty DePass said First Lady Michelle Obama to an ancestor of an escaped gorilla. Comparing African Americans to apes is another old racist theme. Then there is Gingrich himself bringing up the image of African Americans as welfare queens. Prior the food stamps comment, Gingrich said that President Obama may follow a "Kenyan, anti-colonial" worldview. Forget the fact that Obama spent very little time in Kenya and that was to merely visit.
But it's not just the Republican racial views that may be repugnant to most Americans. Gingrich puts down GOP rival Mitt Romney as a "Massachusetts Moderate." This absolutely works in favor of getting the nomination. The party has got rid of its moderates. Gone are the Gerry Fords, Nelson Rockefellers and even Barry Goldwaters of the party. They are replaced by the fundamentalist Tea Party. While a majority want to see a progressive tax plan, the party refuses to budge on any tax increase on the extremely wealthy to cure the budget deficit. While most woman want to maintain the right to choose, there are now Republicans that demand no exceptions ot abortion along with their anti-abortion stand. And while thousands decry the greed of Wall Street, the Republican Party wants to go back to the deregulation of the George W. Bush years. And Newt Gingrich is the party's true believer.
So that's why liberals are loving the fact that Newt Gingrich may be the GOP Presidential nominee. The Republicans have a candidate who is as far right as they are. And farther right away from the great portion of the population that doesn't see life they way the Republicans do. Gingrich as the Republican candidate can only lead to the reelection of President Barack Obama.
Here is the most recent piece by Jon Stewart of the Daily Show on the GOP's Newt Gingrich.
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