A GOP sanity movement?

[Anonymous]

Senator Lindsay Graham (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/sen-graham-calls-beck-a-c_n_306434.html) and columnist David Brooks (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/opinion/02brooks.html?em) are warning about Glenn Beck et al going over the edge, Joe Scarborough (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-scarborough/thank-you-mr-president_b_308022.html) is praising Obama for making the attempt to get the Olympics, and former majority leader Bill Frist says he'd vote for health care reform (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/02/bill-frist-id-vote-for-he_n_308145.html).

Is there a movement in the GOP toward recreating a wing of the party that could engage in productive negotiations?

[Anonymous]

Is there a movement among Dems? The way that question is phrased is so loaded.

[Anonymous]

I certainly hope there is. I am an Independent who leans Democrat but who identifies with some of the Republican platform. The influence that the far right--and idiots like Glenn Beck--have had over the GOP has disgusted me.

I'm for sane, rational discussion, no matter who is being sane and rational. I'm not a fan of Graham, but what he said was spot on, and I'm glad he showed some balls and said it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a movement among Dems? The way that question is phrased is so loaded.

OP here. On your second point, I plead guily to loading the subject line -- I was trying to make it eye-grabbing. As to the first point, I don't think the Dems have any real analog of Beck, Limbaugh, the teabaggers, or the birthers to move against.

My main intent was to compliment Graham et al, and to see how people here, especially the conservative contingent, reacted. I apologize if I let a bit of snark slip in.

[Anonymous]

Like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are so willing to engage in productive negotiations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are so willing to engage in productive negotiations?

Yes. Yes, they are. For example, they added the tax component to the stimulus plan, 35% of the total cost, purely to get respond to the interest of the GOP. The Republicans reciprocated by taking a big fat dump on the bill. I'm sure that 35% would have been spent another way if the Dems knew it was hopeless to negotiate.

[Anonymous]

Are you so sure the stimulus tax cut was not designed to push it so that 50% of wage earners no longer contribute to US income taxes? And gee, if the other 50% pays for them, why would they ever vote for change?

[Anonymous]

Facts are facts. They added it directly in response to Republican concerns. The record is clear.

[Anonymous]

FYI Bill Frist denies that he would vote for any of the 5 plans circulation in the House or Senate. Rather, he is strongly in favor of health care reform. None of the current bills pass muster in his opinion.

"“There are five bills on the floor now -- none of them are perfect. People try to put words in my mouth saying ‘You support the Baucus bill.’ I don’t support the Baucus bill as written today,” he told ABC in an interview."

[Anonymous]

I've been a moderate republican my whole life, and frankly I am just sick to death of where the party is now - all the CRAZY crap about birth certificates and socialism and Hitler, the constant whining about taxes and gun rights and abortion, and the NUTJOBS like Beck, Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Palin - it all just makes me want to puke!!! Lindsay Graham is the only rational Republican I've heard speak in ages - Thank God for him. The rest of the party needs to get their heads out of their butts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been a moderate republican my whole life, and frankly I am just sick to death of where the party is now - all the CRAZY crap about birth certificates and socialism and Hitler, the constant whining about taxes and gun rights and abortion, and the NUTJOBS like Beck, Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Palin - it all just makes me want to puke!!! Lindsay Graham is the only rational Republican I've heard speak in ages - Thank God for him. The rest of the party needs to get their heads out of their butts.

Yeah, have to say when I listened to the Sotomayor hearings that Graham impressed me as being pretty rational and reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Hear hear. I like many things that moderate R's have to offer - but I hate the hijacking over the past several years of the party by extreme right crazies - be it on economic, political or social issues. Biggest beef is generally w/ the R opposition to all in my mind reasonable social issues but lately their lack of offering any real ideas as alternatives to the D's health reform plans is what's driving me nuts. I like the Baucus plan but think big reform would best be served if the republicans tried to focus on being constructive and not just trying to prevent Obama from scoring a win on this.