Isn't the whole "How are we going to afford to pay for healthcare?" a bogus Republican talking point given that Americans pay more per capita for healthcare than any country on earth?fishfoodie wrote: ↑Thu Jul 16, 2020 5:31 pmI don't see that it does ?Hugo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:04 pmThis is a very dangerous line of thinking in my opinion.fishfoodie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:32 pm
It's good to see some responsible Republicans want to reclaim their Party from the scum currently calling the shots. I wish them every success !
It enables Republicans to avoid responsibility for Trump and suggests that Trumpism is a departure from Republican ideals rather than a continuation of them.
They are and have been the party of illegal war, climate change denial, dog whistle racism, fiscal irresponsibility, mass incarceration, obstructionism and the NRA.
A significant number of Republicans have been ostracized, initially by the Tea Party loons, & now by the Trumpist fluffers. Even gimps like Frum; who I've little time for his policies;, was more or less kicked out of GOP.
A functional GOP is necessary as a balance against a DNC, that is just as capable of lurching to it's own extremes.
In a functional democracy, when one Party lurches to an ideological extreme; it's middle & the swing voters can at least shift their vote; but if the GOP has the Shitgibbon, & the DNC has AOC; then there are a lot of voters who don't seen any option they can vote for.
If instead of 100% AOC, they get a 90% Joe, & 10% AOC, at least the progressive wing gets an input; they mightn't get a US NHS, but the can get an enhanced Obamacare; & the swing voters aren't shitting themselves over the taxes to pay for it all*.
* and yes, I know the, "tax & spend", dems is a myth
I read of a study a while back that said that a single payer healthcare system could be set up that would be both cheaper than the status quo and have better health outcomes.
As for the "functional GOP", I'm just not sure a thing has existed in my lifetime. They seem to have always rolled back protection for workers and the environment, opposed unions, slashed taxes for the wealthy, blocked common sense gun reform, engaged in voter suppression and gerrymandering and favoured high military spending.
I mean, I consider myself relatively conservative and I don't see them as being a bona fide conservative party. A party that advocates traditional christian, family values would do more for working families.
